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PETA’s Big “Fail”
Receiving a PETA brochure on the link between the dairy and veal industries helped inspire me to go vegan, and for a long time, I was a supporter. But over the years, I have come to believe they are doing a tremendous disservice to animals by creating ads like this one. I usually try to see the good that people and organizations do, even if I disagree with their tactics. But I fear that with ads like this, PETA is making a mockery out of veganism and animal rights and in doing so, is ultimately harming animals.
Veganism is about extending our circle of compassion and justice to include all animals. It is a statement against needless violence, prejudice, exploitation and oppression. It is not a tool to increase our sex drives. Nor is it a weight loss miracle, fodder for masterbation, or – dear god – a backdrop for a porn site.
Veganism is a justice movement opposing speciesism, akin to justice movements opposing racism and sexism. Can we imagine Rosa Parks making her monumental stand against racism by boarding the bus wearing only sexy lingerie? Perhaps the suffragettes should have promoted Women’s Rights by promising male supporters better blow jobs?
By producing sensationalist, sex-driven campaigns, PETA is trivializing what is a profoundly serious topic. Additionally, some people believe such ads are sexist and may promote violence against women. It strikes me as counter-productive to try and fight one type of oppression by reinforcing another.
I believe the people at PETA have good intentions, and many of their materials and videos are highly-effective without being sensationalist or trivializing, so I know they are capable of doing better.
These tabloid-style “stunts” may get public attention, but for all the wrong reasons. They do not further public understanding of, or interest in, animal advocacy. On the contrary, they only serve to create new negative opinions of vegans and further harden the hearts and minds of those we are trying to reach.
Agree 100%. I know many people who are completely turned off by PETA, and probably see all vegans are being some type of extremists, therefore closing their minds to our real message.
The Rosa Parks comparison is apt and excellent. One of the things we must not participate in is the deadly direction of hype, spin and manipulation. If people become vegan because someone finessed or manipulated them into doing so…they are fair game for more adept finessers or manipulators. Veganism is about truth and justice, not hype and bullsh*t.
All of it: a weight loss miracle, fodder for masterbation, or – dear god – a backdrop for a porn site – peta keeps going from bad to worse. They aren’t doing the victims a single bit of good. Only making it that much harder to get to the root of the issue. A disappointing handicap. With “friends” like peta – Who needs enemies?
It’s so depressing, it’s it Bea? With all their creative talent and good intentions, you’d think they could come up with something that would actually help animals, rather than this lewd Jerry Springer garbage. I find it troubling that the video doesn’t even mention animals. They are completely absent from the discussion. I don’t see how this has anything to do with veganism or animal rights, or even getting people to talk about wanting to reduce animal suffering.
People will talk about this ad, that’s true – but only to say what a bunch of offensive idiots PETA members are, or how pissed off women’s advocacy groups are. The animals, once again, will be left out of the discussion. So sad and ineffective. I know they are capable of doing so much better. I keep hoping they will have a change of heart and change their direction, because campaigns like this don’t help anyone or anything. And in fact, I believe they are only making matters worse.
Totally agree! Their misdirection and missed opportunities when they parted ways with Gary Yourofsky. I’m glad he was able to slough off his relationship with them to go on to much, much more effective advocacy.
BTW – In all the mentions of peta’s big fail – The dog/cat killing-thing wasn’t even mentioned… That in itself ought to merit banishment from animal justice issues. (imho)
Hi Jo
, I’m going to chime in here with my dissenting opinion (just started going through your site here … nice job!!). I don’t have that much of an objection to the PeTA ads (this is part of a series … some are kind of funny). It’s crude and crass and not all that humorous (to me) and not something I would produce myself, but I don’t think portraying behavior between two consenting adults is making a mockery of anything or exploitative of women.
The idea that women should be soldiers and Wall Street purveyors of destruction and so on is exploitative and harmful and, imo, but I honestly don’t see anything wrong with showing women as strong sexual partners. And that’s what this ad does.
I understand what you’re saying, Lisa. While you (and I, btw) may see this ad as being about consensual sex, many women – particularly those who have experienced domestic violence – see it differently.
Here are a few perspectives I’ve read online:
http://brightgreenscotland.org/index.php/2012/02/a-vegan-feminists-response-to-the-peta-ad/
http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/i-wanna-knock-the-bottom-out-of-this-advertisement/
http://caroljadams.blogspot.com/2012/02/sigh-sexual-politics-of-meat-once-again.html
http://tinyurl.com/6v7wltu
My main objections to this ad are that it doesn’t even *mention* animals, it’s undignified, intentionally offensive (or at least insensitive) to women who may have been sexually abused, and worst of all – I think it trivializes the very serious topic of animal rights. People will talk about it, yes, but only to say how offensive or stupid animal rights people are. Will it inspire anyone to consider for one millisecond the plight of farmed animals? I doubt it. But I would be happy to be wrong.
It has become increasingly more and more annoying having to explain to non-vegans (during AR demos) that not all vegans support PETA or their advertising strategies. Rather than discussing why people should make the switch to a vegan lifestyle, I’m having to do damage control because of PETA’s inability to stop exploiting women’s bodies in the name of animal rights. We are animals too, PETA!
Still on the fence on this one. But I want to organize my thoughts a bit more (and check out your links) first. Will get back to you!