Episode 97: Interview with animal rights author Joan Dunayer about speciesism and language

This week, I am pleased to present my interview with the writer and animal rights advocate Joan Dunayer, who has been a vegan since 1989. Joan is the author of two books: Animal Equality: Language and Liberation, published in 2001, and Speciesism, published in 2004. Additionally, a number of her essays about speciesism and language have appeared in anthologies and other publications, including the books Critical Animal and Media Studies (edited by Núria Almiron, Matthew Cole, Carrie P. Freeman) and Animals and Women: Feminist Theoretical Explorations (edited by Carol J. Adams and Josephine Donovan), among others.

In this interview, Joan tells me about what led her to become a vegan and write her first book. She describes what speciesism is, how it manifests in everyday language use, how we can challenge speciesism through language, and how speciesism and sexism are connected through derogatory language. She also speaks about the moral status of insects; speciesist attitudes within the animal advocacy movement; and the legal rights that she advocates nonhuman animals ought to have.

How to listen to this episode

There are two ways you can listen to this episode.

1. Listen to the episode on CKCU FM's website at https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/553/61427.html.
   
2. Listen to or download the podcast from Archive.org at https://archive.org/details/afar-july-26-2023.
   

You can also find Always for Animal Rights on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you'd like to receive an e-mail every time there is a new post on the AFAR blog, feel free to enter your e-mail address into the appropriate box in the right-hand sidebar of this site.

Go vegan, stay vegan, and let's remember to stand up and speak up for animal rights today and every day. Thanks for listening to the show!

Episode 94: Discussion with Jeremy Hess about anti-speciesist language, speciesism in the mainstream media, and providing sanctuary for nonhuman refugees

This week, the vegan animal rights advocate Jeremy Hess returns to the show for a third interesting discussion! I previously interviewed Jeremy for Episodes 62 and 78 of my show.

Jeremy Hess has been a vegan since 2014 and has been involved in a variety of forms of animal rights advocacy over the years, including working at sanctuaries and doing street outreach to speak to the public about veganism. He was also a co-founder and co-panellist on The Animal Rights Show on YouTube. On his website, VeganInteractions.com, and his YouTube Channel, Jeremy the Ape, he provides resources to help advocates use accurate and non-speciesist language and learn about animal rights theory. He is currently in the process of co-creating a vegan microsanctuary called Respect Animal Sanctuary to provide a safe home for survivors of speciesism in Georgia in the United States.

In this interview, Jeremy and I discuss how we can challenge speciesism in our language use, and we examine a particular speciesist mainstream media article about animal rescuers. We also discuss how we can respond when people ask us about the "breeds" of our dog friends, why Effective Altruism is problematic from an abolitionist vegan perspective, how we can stay motivated to continue advocating for our fellow animals, and what Jeremy and his partner Nisha Taylor-Hess are planning for Respect Animal Sanctuary.

Here are a few more links, based on what we discussed in the interview:

• Andy Atkinson's new documentary, Animal Rights: We're Getting It Wrong
• The recently-published book, The Good it Promises, The Harm it Does, edited by Carol J. Adams, Alice Crary, and Lori Gruen
  
• Speciesist article from the Daily Mail (2019) (Archive.org link): "Animal Rebellion: They're the militant vegan wing of eco-warriors who shut down British cities and now plan to stop us eating meat, fish and dairy. As this undercover report reveals, HATRED is on the menu" (Correction: When speaking about this article in this episode, I said that there wasn't any mention of the victims of animal exploitation, but I was only referring to the title and summary. In fact, later on in the article, the authors did briefly mention that the activists were holding a moment of silence for a cow. However, the authors referred to the cow as a "beef cow", did not suggest that there was any need to show moral concern for the cow, and were mocking and villifying the activists throughout the article.)
  
• Speciesist article from Fox News (2023) (Archive.org link): "Animal 'rescuers' wreaking havoc by stealing farm animals: 'These are criminals, not activists'"
  

How to listen to this episode

There are two ways you can listen to this episode.

1. Listen to the episode on CKCU FM's website at https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/553/60577.html.
   
2. Listen to or download the podcast from Archive.org at https://archive.org/details/afar-may-17-2023.
   

You can also find Always for Animal Rights on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you'd like to receive an e-mail every time there is a new post on the AFAR blog, feel free to enter your e-mail address into the appropriate box in the right-hand sidebar of this site.

Go vegan, stay vegan, and let's remember to stand up and speak up for animal rights today and every day. Thanks for listening to the show!

Episode 91: Interview with Nella Giatrakou about vegan feminism, veganism as opposition to speciesism, and the vegan movement in Greece

Artwork by the vegan artist, Maria Tiqwah

This week, I am pleased to present my interview with Nella Giatrakou, a vegan feminist and translator living in Greece. Since becoming vegan in 2013, Nella has been involved in a variety of forms of animal advocacy. She is one of the contributors who volunteered her translation skills to help create an ecofeminist anthology in Greek, which was published last year. She is also a co-panellist on the Animal Rights Show on YouTube.

In this interview, Nella speaks about what led her to become vegan, how her understanding of veganism has evolved over time, and what her experience has been like as a co-panellist on the Animal Rights Show. We discuss the importance of viewing veganism as a social justice movement that opposes speciesism, rather than just a diet; connections between veganism and feminism; the problems with reducetarian advocacy; celebrity culture within the animal rights movement; and why some people claim to be ex-vegans. Nella also describes the state of the vegan movement in Greece, and she recommends books and other resources for people who are interested in learning more about veganism, animal rights, and animal liberation.

At the end of this episode, we'll listen to the first movement of Marianna Martines' Sonata in G Major, performed by the vegan piano player Judith Valerie Engel.

How to listen to this episode

There are two ways you can listen to this episode.

1. Listen to the episode on CKCU FM's website at https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/553/59701.html.
   
2. Listen to or download the podcast from Archive.org at https://archive.org/details/afar-march-8-2023.
   

You can also find Always for Animal Rights on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you'd like to receive an e-mail every time there is a new post on the AFAR blog, feel free to enter your e-mail address into the appropriate box in the right-hand sidebar of this site.

Go vegan, stay vegan, and let's remember to stand up and speak up for animal rights today and every day. Thanks for listening to the show!

Episode 90: Interview with Lee Hall about the connections between veganism, animal liberation, and environmentalism

This week, I am pleased to present my interview with the author and public speaker Lee Hall, who has been a vegan advocate since 1983. Lee is the author of On Their Own Terms: Animal Liberation for the 21st Century, the creator of the blog Vegan Place, and a writer for CounterPunch. Lee previously taught immigration and animal law at Rutgers University in New Jersey and now holds a Master of Laws in environmental law with a focus on climate change.

In this interview, Lee speaks about vegan ethics, the history of the Vegan Society in the UK, the connections between animal liberation and environmentalism, ethical concerns with using violent imagery in our advocacy, and why domestication is inherently unfair. We also discuss the importance of integrity in our activism and the issue of whether chocolate is truly vegan-friendly. (You can learn more about cocoa production here.)

How to listen to this episode

There are two ways you can listen to this episode.

1. Listen to the episode on CKCU FM's website at https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/553/59365.html.
   
2. Listen to or download the podcast from Archive.org at https://archive.org/details/afar-february-8-2023.
   

You can also find Always for Animal Rights on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you'd like to receive an e-mail every time there is a new post on the AFAR blog, feel free to enter your e-mail address into the appropriate box in the right-hand sidebar of this site.

Go vegan, stay vegan, and let's remember to stand up and speak up for animal rights today and every day. Thanks for listening to the show!

Episode 85: Interview with Wendy McGovern about respecting other animals' rights and creating a vegan world

This week, I am pleased to present my interview with the animal rights activist Wendy McGovern. Wendy has been a vegan since about 1997. She has been involved in a variety of vegan and animal advocacy initiatives over the years, including hosting the London Animal Rights March in 2021. She is the host of the Thrive Vegan World podcast and a co-panelist on the Animal Rights Show on YouTube.

In this interview, Wendy shares her story of becoming vegan, and she tells me about her motivation and experiences as a vegan podcast host. We also discuss the “Why Love One But Eat The Other?” argument for going vegan; why vivisection (like all other forms of animal exploitation) is fundamentally unethical; how the animal rights movement has changed over the years; and how we can work towards a vegan world. Wendy also shares her reading recommendations and describes the best thing about being vegan.

The song, "Vegan World", by the vegan musician Katie Veg, can be heard after the interview.

How to listen to this episode

There are two ways you can listen to this episode.

1. Listen to the episode on CKCU FM's website at https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/553/57777.html.
   
2. Listen to or download the podcast from Archive.org at https://archive.org/details/afar-september-28-2022.
   

You can also find Always for Animal Rights on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. If you'd like to receive an e-mail every time there is a new post on the AFAR blog, feel free to enter your e-mail address into the appropriate box in the right-hand sidebar of this site.

Go vegan, stay vegan, and let's remember to stand up and speak up for animal rights today and every day. Thanks for listening to the show!

Episode 59: Interview with Inge and Thomas, abolitionist vegan advocates in the Netherlands

This week, I am delighted to share my interview with the abolitionist vegan advocates Inge and Thomas, who do street outreach to educate the public about veganism in the Netherlands. Thomas is also the author of a website about veganism and animal rights in the Dutch language, called WaaromVeganisme.nl.

In this interview, Thomas and Inge tell me about what led them to become vegans and start doing abolitionist vegan advocacy. They also speak about their approach to vegan education, the current state of veganism and vegan advocacy in the Netherlands, and how nonhuman animal issues are portrayed in the Dutch mainstream media. Then they share their advice for vegans who would like to get involved in animal rights advocacy, and they tell me how being vegan has changed their lives and what their plans are for the future.

It was really inspiring to speak with Inge and Thomas and learn about the work they are doing to spread the abolitionist vegan message.

How to listen to this episode

There are two ways you can listen to this episode.

1. Listen to the episode on CKCU FM's website at https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/553/53171.html.
   
2. Listen to or download the podcast from Archive.org at https://archive.org/details/afar-august-18-2021.
   

You can also find Always for Animal Rights on Facebook and Instagram. If you'd like to receive an e-mail every time there is a new post on the AFAR blog, feel free to enter your e-mail address into the appropriate box in the right-hand sidebar of this site.

Go vegan, stay vegan, and let's remember to stand up and speak up for animal rights today and every day. Thanks for listening to the show!

Episode 48: Interview with Gary Francione about veganism as a moral baseline, the importance of nonviolence, and what's wrong with keeping "pets"

This week, I am very happy to present my second interview with the animal rights scholar Gary L. Francione, Board of Governors Distinguished Professor of Law and Nicholas deB. Katzenbach Scholar of Law and Philosophy at Rutgers University School of Law in New Jersey. He is also Visting Professor of Philosophy at the University of Lincoln (UK). Professor Francione has been a vegan since 1982 and is well-known for having developed the Abolitionist Approach to Animal Rights. He is the author of many excellent books about animal rights theory, advocacy, and veganism.

In this interview, Professor Francione tells me about what happened in the 1980’s and 1990’s that led him to develop the Abolitionist Approach, and he speaks about how modern-day animal advocacy that does not hold veganism as a moral baseline perpetuates animal exploitation. Then we discuss why nonviolence is an important part of the Abolitionist Approach, why we shouldn’t bring nonhuman animals into existence to be our “pets”, and more. At the end of the interview, Professor Francione offers his advice for those who wish to work to bring about a vegan world.

After the interview, we'll hear the song "How Do I Go Vegan" by Gülce Özen Gürkan.

The essay that Professor Francione mentioned during the interview, "Reflections on Tom Regan and the Animal Rights Movement That Once Was", was published in Between the Species in 2018.

Gary Francione's websites can be found at AbolitionistApproach.com and HowDoIGoVegan.com.

You can find my previous interview with Professor Francione on Episode 32.

How to listen to this episode

There are two ways you can listen to this episode.

1. Listen to the episode on CKCU FM's website at https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/553/50656.html.
   
2. Listen to or download the podcast from Archive.org at https://archive.org/details/afar-january-27-2021.
   

You can also find Always for Animal Rights on Facebook and Instagram. If you'd like to receive an e-mail every time there is a new post on the AFAR blog, feel free to enter your e-mail address into the appropriate box in the right-hand sidebar of this site.

Go vegan, stay vegan, and let's remember to stand up and speak up for animal rights today and every day. Thanks for listening to the show!

Episode 41: Interview with Gad Hakimi about veganism and animal advocacy in Israel and the recent sightings of the International Vegan Flag

A light show depicting the vegan flag on a fountain in Zagreb, Croatia.

Happy World Vegan Month, everyone!

This week, I am pleased to present my second interview with Gad Hakimi. Gad Hakimi, who lives in Israel, is a vegan activist and the designer of the International Vegan Flag. You might remember that I previously interviewed Gad on Episode 2 of this show, back in 2019.

In this week's interview, Gad describes the progress of animal advocacy and veganism in Israel, and he tells me about some of the places that the vegan flag has been used recently. He also tells me about his family's adopted dog, Sophie. It's a great interview, and I hope you'll listen in!

Please note that this interview was recorded on October 31st, which is one day before World Vegan Day (World Vegan Day is on November 1st).

How to listen to this episode

There are two ways you can listen to this episode.

1. Listen to the episode on CKCU FM's website at https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/553/49654.html.
   
2. Listen to or download the podcast from Archive.org at https://archive.org/details/afar-november-4-2020.

You can also find Always for Animal Rights on Facebook and Instagram. If you'd like to receive an e-mail every time there is a new post on the AFAR blog, feel free to enter your e-mail address into the appropriate box in the right-hand sidebar of this site.

Go vegan, stay vegan, and let's remember to stand up and speak up for animal rights today and every day. Thanks for listening to the show!

Vegan flags in Zagreb, Croatia.

 

Episode 36: Zoei Sutton discusses Emancipatory Animal Sociology and the ethical problems with keeping other animals as "pets"

Welcome to episode 36 of Always for Animal Rights!

This week, I am pleased to present my recent interview with Zoei Sutton, PhD, a vegan sociologist who works at the University of Adelaide in Australia. Zoei's research focuses on critically exploring the relationships between humans and nonhuman animals in society. Along with Corey Lee Wrenn, Zoei is the co-founder of the International Association of Vegan Sociologists.

In this interview, Zoei speaks about the need for an Emancipatory Animal Sociology-- that is, a sociology that is dedicated to the liberation of other animals-- and she tells me about what led to the founding of the International Association of Vegan Sociologists. (You can find many of the presentations from IAVS's latest conference on the Vegan Sociology YouTube channel.) She also speaks about her research on the discourse that the Australian media uses to speak about animals who are labelled as "pests". Then, we have a discussion about the ethical problems with using other animals as "pets".

It's a very interesting interview, and I hope you'll listen in!

How to listen to this episode

There are two ways you can listen to this episode.

1. Listen to the episode on CKCU FM's website at https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/553/49008.html.
2. Listen to or download the podcast from Archive.org at https://archive.org/details/afar-september-9-2020.
   

You can also find Always for Animal Rights on Facebook and Instagram. If you'd like to receive an e-mail every time there is a new post on the AFAR blog, feel free to enter your e-mail address into the appropriate box in the right-hand sidebar of this site. 

Go vegan, stay vegan, and let's remember to stand up and speak up for animal rights today and every day. Thanks for listening to the show!