Postmodern Feminism and Animal Welfare: Perfect Together
I just came across this post, it’s from 2007, but I think it’s worth examining. I definitely consider myself a postmodern feminist. But I am certainly not pro-PETA; and I will explain the many reasons why in another post (one of which is objectification of women, but mostly, they are just plain bad for the cause and only alienate people).
I’m still grappling with the abolitionist/animal welfare issue. I would consider myself an abolitionist, I just think that we should try to take it one step at a time? I’m not going to stop supporting groups like the Humane Society, I think that what they’re doing is amazing, and I’m certainly not going to fight violence with violence a la ALF (as much as I want to strangle people sometimes). I think that this post paints a cold picture of post-modern feminists and animal welfarists. It would be ideal if everybody went vegan, if any type of animal ‘use,’ humane or not, ceased. But, have you talked to a meat-eater lately? You can list every scientifically proven or emotionally-wrenching reason why they might consider stopping the behavior and for many of them, there is no way in hell they would. So, let’s make agriculture more humane. You don’t have to participate in it, and you certainly do not have to condone it. But wouldn’t you lose less sleep if you knew that chickens weren’t in battery cages and pigs not in gestation crates, etc., and in fact, they did have a decent existence until slaughter? I am cringing as I write this, but again, abolition is not practical right now. Fur needs to go altogether—that is something about which I am VERY abolitionist.
