Thrive Vegan World

We explore the psychology of speciesism. How are we able to use, kill and consume some other animals whilst claiming to love others? Many people are upset by what happens in the animal use industries, yet they don't change their behaviour. How can we explain this? What stops vegetarians and pescatarians going vegan? Were lapsed vegans ever truly ethical vegans?

Maria gives us an insight into the strategies we use when navigating the moral emotions that arise when faced with the clash of our values and behaviours. We explore the importance of the language we use in our advocacy, and it's potential to be both harmful and ineffective, as well as a powerful tool for social change.

And we discuss how we might communicate our message more effectively in order to progress our movement, including the importance of getting feedback from outside our bubble.

Louise paints a colourful picture (including a garlic devotee supply teacher and a hair raising experience at the Boar's Head pub) of her path to becoming vegan and an animal rights activist. From her innate connection to other animals as a child, to her entry into radical activism as a teenager.

We pass through tales of a laboratory raid that led to Louise's arrest, and how her letters to imprisoned animal rights activist and founder of the ALF, Ronnie Lee, were the start of a budding romance.

Louise tells us of the inspiration behind the launch of Greyhound Action, whose campaigns have played an important part in the dismantling of the dog racing industry in the UK.

We explore the value of single issue campaigns, the importance of a consistent anti-speciesist message, and closing the gap between animal rights, environmental and other social justice movements.

Marking the podcast's anniversary with a subject that was my, and my guest's, entry into the Animal Rights movement.

Mel Broughton has been at the heart of campaigning for the abolition of animal testing for 4 decades. This dedication has not come without a price. Mel has served time both in prison and on license, living under severe restrictions, for his part in some of those campaigns. This year marks the seventeenth anniversary of SPEAK, founded by Mel to be a voice for the animals who are held captive and hidden away in laboratories. SPEAK have since had a consistent, weekly presence outside the Oxford laboratory.

Anti-vivisection used to be a corner-stone of the Animal Rights movement, and yet in more recent years has become all but invisible. This is something that concerns both Mel and me, as well as many other activists.

In this podcast, we explore a little of the history of the anti-vivisection movement and how it became the catalyst for the burgeoning radical Animal Rights movement, how it got left by the wayside after the hard hitting campaigns of the 80s & 90s, the positive drive for change within the scientific community, and what the AR movement can do to send a clear, strong message against animal testing.

CW brief references to the distressing violations that other animals endure in laboratories.

Exploring:

How a wealth of investigative journalism, human rights and environmental activism informed Pamela's animal rights activism.

The complex entanglements of oppression and neoliberalism, and the struggle for huge systemic change.

The importance of language in challenging the dominant speciesist culture.

Empowering activists, and the importance of curiosity and learning to the growth and evolution of the movement.

Exploring:

Jennifer’s vegan ‘awakening’ and a calling to advocate for our fellow animals.

Art as activism to deliver a strong animal rights & vegan message.

How humour in our advocacy can help us reach non vegans, and be a life saving stress release.

The trauma of our exposure to graphic footage, and whether this is an effective strategy when advocating to the public.

Why creative expression, connecting to our purpose and regularly breaking from the mind chatter, are so important for our health & well-being.

Exploring:

How Lynn's background in farming and hunting led her to animal rights activism and veganism.

The importance of trust and support between activists for resilient individuals and a sustainable movement.

Individual empowerment and self-reliance for effective, non-hierarchical activism.

Passing through Lynn's experiences of sabbing, sustaining life changing injuries, and huge personal sacrifice in the name of activism.

CW: Killing of other animals and activists. Activist Trauma. Sexual Abuse.

Welcoming back vegan psychologist, Clare Mann, to explore how we can better navigate the relational challenges we face in our daily lives as vegans and animal rights advocates.

Looking at ways to improve all our relationships including: -

-the one with ourselves - the importance of self care and community.

-with our fellow animals - how to relate more respectfully, and why 'love' may. not be the best focus of our advocacy.

-with other vegans - discoursing on difficult issues without the toxicity that is rife on social media.

-with non-vegans - being effective advocates and finding empathy for those we see as complicit in the oppression we stand against.

Exploring:

Tom's evolution within activism from organiser of an Anonymous for the Voiceless chapter, to co-founding grassroots group Surrey Animal Liberation Alliance.

Taking animal rights advocacy to the younger generations through educative school talks.

How Tom's counselling experience has given him invaluable communications skills for his activism as well as strategies for dealing with the difficult emotions experienced as a vegan in a pre-vegan world.

Being a panelist on the Animal Rights Show, and the importance of continual personal growth and learning to becoming better allies for social justice.

The importance of supporting those providing sanctuary to the other animals.

Exploring:

The team's personal visions for a vegan world, and why trying to end cruelty to other animals will not bring us closer to this.

How the Animal Rights Show intends to bring more 'rights-based rights' to the movement, and empower individuals to advocate for respect and justice for our fellow animals.

In our (not so) quick-fire round we get to know the team a little better - passing through tales of a reincarnated duck-billed platypus, a pregnant spider, and people who just bloody ought to be vegan!

The biggest challenges along with the best things about living vegan.

Exploring:

What living vegan means to the team.

The importance of understanding and staying true to the principles of original vegan pioneers.

The changing landscape of veganism as it comes into mainstream awareness. Is the proliferation of vegan products instrumental in bringing about a vegan world, or merely feeding the oppressive, capitalist monster.

The relationship between animal rights and veganism - are they synonymous?

Should we advocate for 'baby steps' towards veganism and what is the baseline for calling ourselves vegan?