My Pro-Choice Veganism
20 Dec
As you can probably guess, I’m a pro-choice activist. I am also vegan. That means I avoid the use and consumption of animal products, including meat, leather, milk, eggs, etc.
Some people believe that reproductive rights and veganism are polar opposites. However, although I feel strongly about both, my beliefs don’t conflict with eachother. They don’t collide like two cars in a wreck, they complete each other, like the three notes in a chord. I am vegan for the many of the same reasons I’m pro-choice. I have a deep appreciation for life; my veganism and my pro-choice activism both stem from this appreciation. I believe that all sentient life has undeniable value and should be respected (unlike antis, who seem to believe that non sentient life has undeniable value and all sentient life must be disrespected). I respect non-human animal life as well as human life; this is where my veganism comes from. I see as pig as having as much value as a dog, a cat, or a human. That’s why I choose not to support the use of non-human animals.
However, respecting life goes much further than just letting the animals/people live. Life, without liberty, is meaningless. This is where my pro-choice activism comes in. If I’m going to respect life, I have to respect liberty. That includes women’s liberty, and women’s liberty includes choices. Reproductive freedom is a vital and necessary component of liberty, and liberty is a vital and necessary component of life. Take away any part and you’re left with an unfinished puzzle, where you can’t even tell what the picture is supposed to be.
I believe that no sentient being should be treated as property. Treating a woman’s reproductive life as your property disrespects life, as does treating an animal as property. We all have a desire to live free from the cruel mistreatment from (other) humans, and that desire should be respected.
I almost feel as if my pro-choice activism and my veganism complete each other. It’s just perfect to me. On one hand, I see antis trying to force women through pregnancies. On the other, I’m learning about how dairy cows are impregnated each year in order to keep their milk supply up. As someone who sees non-human animals and human animals as equals, it’s hard for me to ignore the similarities.
These are two of my beliefs that I know I will never give up on. They are such a huge part of me, and it just so happens that they work together just beautifully. I’m vegan and pro-choice, and I couldn’t be happier with this fact.
As a pro-choice feminist vegan, I could not agree more! Thank you for writing this post. I often run into people who mistakenly think that my animal rights beliefs and my reproductive justice beliefs are contradictory. But you are 100% correct that they do not compete but rather “complete each other.” Fab to know another feminist vegan is out there making the world a better place.
So succinct, so meaningful.
It’s true that looking at farm animals, their production of babies, milk and eggs… Reproduction is a valuable commodity-producer, any wonder why husbandry and husband come from the same word?
I don’t value dogs and people the same, I put people above animals as far as how far I would go to save one, but I do agree with the main points.
Thank you so much for this post! There isn’t enough said about veganism & feminism in feminist/reproductive justice circles. As a life long feminist, former worker at an abortion fund and vegan of 8 years, I don’t see a contradiction in supporting women of all species.