Vegan Warrior Princesses Attack!

Heyo! Today we wanted to share some information from one section of our London speech with y’all and generally talk about why pro-capitalist veganism will never succeed to free animals from oppression. Also, Nichole gives a legendary rant-recap of No Reservations, one of the worst movies ever made during which she and Callie possibly laugh harder than they ever have before on air.

In This Episode

I, Nichole, am hella tired, so the summary above will have to suffice for show notes today. Here’s a link to the awesome article we reference in this ep: Inhumane Society: Animal Advocacy’s Capitalist Apostle (Huffington Post).

Enjoy!

Joke in the Middle

What is Forrest Gump’s password?

Links and Information

News

* Dr. Bronner’s Donates $600K to Animal-Rights Causes (VegNews)

* Federal Court Rules Police Can Shoot a Dog if it Moves or Barks (AOL)

* Beyoncé Loses Baby Weight With Vegan ‘Diet’ – But Is It Damaging To The Movement? (Plant Based News)

We’re in London and just gave our speech at VegFest London! To unwind we did one of our favorite things… watched a movie and then ripped it apart! We are joined by our good friend Marine from a privileged vegan.

In This Episode

 

Links and Information

News

* NYC Mayor Institutes Meatless Mondays at 15 Schools (VegNews)

* Impossible Burger Embarks on a 6,000-Mile Road Trip (VegNews)

* New York State Bans Elephants in Circuses (VegNews)

 

Hey folks! Nichole was so excited for Nocturnal Animals, a supposed thriller by Tom Ford, but it ended up being a beautiful cesspool of misogyny! So…we’re talking about it!

In This Episode

So…what was marketed as a beautifully filmed thriller turned out to actually be a misogynistic anti-abortion revenge flick that was also fatphobic, ageist, and mediocre white dude centered. Sigh. Oh, and did we mention that the rape, murder and literal objectification of women were used as symbolism for how this mediocre white dude had his fee-fees hurt? Yeah, it’s a doozey.

Links and Information

News

* Vegan Biz Owner Sorry for Post About Las Vegas ‘Meat Eaters’ (US News)

* VegNews Vegan Food News Roundup:

* Bareburger to Open Vegan Restaurant (VegNews)

* Nirvana-Themed Vegan Café Now Open in Glasgow (VegNews)

* Popular Asian Fusion Chain Adds Expansive Vegan Menu (VegNews)

* New Vegan Supermarket Opens in Australia (VegNews)

* Fall Out Boy’s Drummer Opens Vegan Café in Portland (VegNews)

* Late-Night Vegan Mexican Restaurant to Open in NYC (VegNews)

* McVegan Burger Debuts at McDonald’s (VegNews)

* Utah’s First Vegan Truck Round-Up Opens Today (VegNews)

* Third Vegetarian Pret A Manger Opens in London (VegNews)

Related Articles We Love

* I’m so glad to spoil this film for you by Victoria Coren Mitchell (The Guardian)

* Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals Is Too Stupid To Be Sexy by Bobby Finger (The Muse)

* ‘Nocturnal Animals’ Review: Does Tom Ford Hate Women? by Kevin O’Keeffe

* ‘Nocturnal Animals’ Isn’t Easy To Watch As A Woman by Amy Mackelden (Clarissa Explains Fuck All)

* Beware the Sexist Celluloid Quilt that Is ‘Nocturnal Animals’ by Katherine Murray (Bitch Flicks)

* Tom Ford’s ‘Nocturnal Animals’ Is An Accidental Satire Of America’s Cultural Divide by Vince Mancini (Uproxx)

* Did I just pay to support an anti-abortion film? Nocturnal Animals and Tom Ford’s gender politics by an anonymous contributor (Feminist Academic Collective)

We are so stoked to have Molly Woodstock from the Smash Everything podcast on our show today to talk about gender from a trans/non-binary perspective!

In This Episode

Molly Woodstock from Smash Everything was kind enough to come on and talk about gender with us. We had an AMAZING discussion with Molly and are so proud and excited for y’all to hear this episode.

Resources Referenced

* Queer: A Graphic History by Dr. Meg-John Barker (Amazon)

* Male? Female? Jamie Shupe Battles for a Third Option.

Portlander Jamie Shupe is the first person in the US to be legally recognized as nonbinary.(PDX Monthly)

* Ep 65: Feminist Roundtable with Smash Everything and Flex Your Heart Radio (Feminist Killjoys, PhD)

Guest Bio

Molly Woodstock is the host of Smash Everything Podcast and an editor at Portland Monthly Magazine in Portland, Oregon. They write a lot about vegan food, queerness and gender, which makes sense because they are vegan and queer and think a lot about gender. You can contact Molly through their Facebook page.

Please support Molly’s work on their Smash Everything Patreon!

Links and Information

News

* Forbes’ Newest Contributor is Vegan Journalist (VegNews)

* Vegan Girl Power Conference Launches in Sydney (VegNews)

* McVegan Burger Debuts at McDonald’s (VegNews)

After a one episode break from our takedown of corporate culture, we’re back at it today talking about dress codes and how oppressive, awful and downright ridiculous they are. We read off some real ones to prove it!

In This Episode

Inspired by Callie’s recent experience at work, we decided to drink whiskey and read some real life actual dress codes. I mean, we also talk about how they are oppressive and educational blah blah but mostly we laugh a lot. Also, Nichole recaps the first 20 minutes of the 2007 Nic Cage hit, Next, and nearly loses her shit while doing so.

Joke in the Middle

“Our school’s dress codes are so strict….”

Links and Information

News

* World’s First Hologram Theater Will Be All Vegan (VegNews)

* Paleo Brand Halo Top Debuts Vegan Ice Cream Line (VegNews)

* Vegan Food Relief During Disasters (A Well-Fed World)

* ‘Close to genocide’: San Juan mayor’s dire appeal to US for Puerto Rico relief (The Guardian)

* Trump Lashes Out at Puerto Rico Mayor Who Criticized Storm Response (NY Times)

* ‘We can’t afford tofu’: Activist calls PETA’s go-vegan campaign in Detroit ‘racist BS’ (Detroit Free Press)

Articles Referenced in this Episode

* It’s Time to Rethink Eurocentric Office Dress Codes (Vice)

* You Call It Professionalism; I Call It Oppression in a Three-Piece Suit (Everyday Feminism)

Today we’re answering questions and giving advice! We cover dealing with differences in politics within a friendship, how to be an activist, the ethics of choosing to have children, and fighting with another vegan who also happens to be your sister on being too “high maintenance.”

In This Episode

We pulled a handful of questions from the VWPA Society group:

Lisa

I really want kids, but is it selfish and immoral to bring a child into our world?

Julia

My sister, who is also vegan, fights with me over me telling servers that I’m vegan – she says everyone hates vegans because of vegans like me. Am I being too pushy?

Diana

I have a long-time friend that I love dearly but the current political environment has made me realize our politics are opposed. She keeps commenting on my Facebook posts. I don’t want our friendship to end but I’m afraid confronting her directly will damage it beyond repair, if I end up learning how she really feels. What do I do?

Danielle

How did you find an avenue of activism that worked for your personality, experience, and authentic self? Is there a *right* way to be an activist? Can *just* being vegan BE an act of activism itself?

Joke in the Middle

Why do math books always seem so sad?

Links and Information

News

* Animal Advocates Win Free Speech Case, Judge Dismisses Meritless Trespassing Suit Intended to Silence Critics (ALDF)

* Vegan hard-boiled egg developed by Udine students (Food Navigator)

* Kansas Residents Block Plans for Tyson Factory Farm (VegNews)

* Scottish Politicians Back Nationwide Vegan Challenge (VegNews)

* 2 Ex-Google Employees Are Trying to Replace Bodegas With Vending Machines And People Are Outraged (Remezcla)

Used for Reference in this Episode

* Japan’s fertility crisis is creating economic and social woes never seen before (Business Insider)

As a companion episode to last week’s episode, we’re talking about using genuine acknowledgment and drawing on some basic principles from Grateful Leadership to combat all the evils of corporate America that we talked about in the previous episode.

In This Episode

Nichole and Callie talk about fighting the forces of evil…at work…by truly seeing and acknowledging each other. So often, we struggle to feel seen and appreciated at work, and in life, but are taught that these feelings are “unprofessional” or “immature.” But they aren’t! Wanting approval and genuine compliments is a totally human and natural thing to want. Since our soul-sucking jobs won’t give it to us, let’s give it to each other!

Joke in the Middle

From Alexa: What is a pirate’s favorite letter?

Links and Information

News

* South Dakota Residents Shut Down Proposed Mega Dairy (VegNews)

* Study Finds Bones Were Stronger Before Advent of Dairy (VegNews)

* Nestlé Acquires Meatless Company Sweet Earth (VegNews)

I mean, it’s not like we all don’t already know but today we talk about how they operate like (horrible) private governments, dig into the ridiculousness around noncompetes and the like and, of course, go off on SEVERAL related rants.

In This Episode

Notes from today’s episode:

Dictatorships / Governments

Source: How bosses are (literally) like dictators (Vox)

Over time, national governments have become “public,” but in the US workplace governments remain resolutely “private”

Like Louis XIV’s government, the typical American workplace is kept private from those it governs. Managers often conceal decisions of vital interest to their workers. Often, they don’t even give advance notice of firm closures and layoffs. They are free to sacrifice workers’ dignity in dominating and humiliating their subordinates. Most employer harassment of workers is perfectly legal, as long as bosses mete it out on an equal-opportunity basis. (Walmart and Amazon managers are notorious for berating and belittling their workers.) And workers have virtually no power to hold their bosses accountable for such abuses: They can’t fire their bosses, and can’t sue them for mistreatment except in a very narrow range of cases, mostly having to do with discrimination.

Scotts, the lawn care company, fired an employee for smoking off duty. After Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) notified Lakeland Bank that an employee had complained he wasn’t holding town hall meetings, the bank intimidated her into resigning. San Diego Christian College fired a teacher for having premarital sex — and hired her fiancé to fill her post.

Additional Resource: Anti-Capitalist Meet-Up: Corporations Are Dictatorships (Daily Kos)

Efficiency & No transparency over pay, benefits, etc.

Source: How bosses are (literally) like dictators (Vox)

It’s also easy to theorize that workers are better off under employer dictatorship, because managers supposedly know best to govern the workplace efficiently. But if efficiency means that workers are forced to pee in their pants, why shouldn’t they have a say in whether such “efficiency” is worthwhile? The long history of American workers’ struggles to get the right to use the bathroom at work — something long enjoyed by our European counterparts — says enough about economists’ stunted notion of efficiency.

Meanwhile, our false rhetoric of workers’ “choice” continues to obscure the ways the state is handing ever more power to workplace dictators. The Trump administration’s Labor Department is working to roll back the Obama administration’s expansion of overtime pay. It is giving a free pass to federal contractors who have violated workplace safety and federal wage and hours laws. It has canceled the paycheck transparency rule, making it harder for women to know when they are being paid less for the same work as men.

Trump Revoked 2014 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces

Source: Trump Pulls Back Obama-Era Protections For Women Workers (NBC News)

Fair Pay Order

The Fair Pay order made employers submit salary details to the government that would show massive wage gaps like Wal-Mart’s. It also made employers show overtime and deductions on paychecks so workers could make sure they were being paid exactly as they were supposed to.

On March 27, Trump revoked the 2014 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces order then-President Barack...

While in Portland, we watched The Incredible Jessica James on Netflix and LOVED it! This week, we’re talking about why it’s so good.

In This Episode

We fell in love with The Incredible Jessica James, a new Netflix original movie starring Jessica Williams from The Daily Show and the 2 Dope Queens podcast. It’s real, sweet, funny and highly relatable; a fast favorite.

Upcoming Event Highlight

* 2nd Annual People of Color: Animal Rights, Advocacy and Food Justice Conference (in UCLA) – we highly, highly, highly recommend this conference for anyone in the area or anyone who can make it. We will be in London this year while this is happening, unfortunately, but we went last year and found it invaluable.

Please go and support this event if you can!

Joke in the Middle

How do porcupines make love?

Links and Information

News

* Demand for Plant-Based Products Up 140 Percent (VegNews)

* Brazil Takes $300 Million Hit Post-Rotten Meat Scandal (VegNews)

* Vegan Shoe Brand Teams with Rock Band to Help ACLU (VegNews)

* Forbes: Vegan Burgers to Bring Food Security to Asia (VegNews)

* PETA’s ‘Death Squad’ Arrives in Houston (Nathan Winograd)

Articles Reviewed for this Episode

* Opinion: Complicating the Colorblindness of ‘The Incredible Jessica James’ (Essence)

* The Incredible Jessica James Is a Breakout Turn for Jessica Williams (Vulture)

* ‘The Incredible Jessica James’ is a Bold Woman in Progress (NY Times)

This week we flex our corporate expertise and talk about…talking! The Princesses give you their best tips and tricks for effective, persuasive, professional and engaging speeches, training sessions and presentations.

In This Episode

Callie and Nichole are flexin’ their expertise in the areas of public speaking and presentation skills to give you tips and tricks to up your communication game. Nichole is a corporate trainer and Callie is the president of her Toastmasters club, and today they are sharing all their best tips and tricks for effective and persuasive public speaking, and for delivering top-notch presentations.

While these tips are best for giving speeches or performing presentations at conferences, we tailored the conversation to demonstrate how you can take a lot of this to improve general communication skills: at work, in your activism, and in your personal life!

Topics covered

– Things to avoid in PowerPoints

– Ways to make your PowerPoints look good while still being effective

– Top mistakes made during presentations

– Presentation structure

– Adult learning tips

– Public speaking tips

– Tips for beating nerves

Joke Riddle in the Middle

What can you hold but never touch?

Links and Information

News

* US Will No Longer Be World’s Top Milk Consumer by 2022 (VegNews)

* Peet’s Debuts Vegan-Friendly Pumpkin Spice Latte (VegNews)

* Ben & Jerry’s Asks Fans to Pick New Vegan Flavor (VegNews)

Mentioned in this Episode

* A Porn Site Offers to Give Sense8 a Third Season, With the Climax It Deserves (Vulture)