PETA is being slammed for comparing anti-animal language to racism and homophobia
5 December 2018, 16:48 | Updated: 5 December 2018, 16:50
PETA sent out two controversial tweets about speciesism and the internet is not here for them...
It's no secret that 2018 has thrown us some wild news stories and memes. Stormy Daniels compared Donald Trump's penis to Toad from Mario Kart. We're still recovering from this one. Bootcut jeans are allegedly making a surprise comeback. Who wants this? Reveal yourselves. And, perhaps strangest of all, "they did surgery on a grape" became one of the the biggest memes of the entire year. It slaps.
2018 keeps getting weirder though and it is all thanks to PETA. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is famous for its provocative animal rights campaigns and its efforts to promote veganism. Celebrities including Khloe Kardashian and Bella Thorne have got involved in its anti-fur campaigns. However, the organisation has just caused a huge controversy for multiple tweets about speciesism.
What is speciesism?
Speciesism is "discrimination in favor of one species, usually the human species, over another, especially in the exploitation or mistreatment of animals by humans". PETA sparked debate for its tweet about speciesist language: "Words matter, and as our understanding of social justice evolves, our language evolves along with it. Here’s how to remove speciesism from your daily conversations." Okay.
The list includes phrases like "bring home the bagels" instead of "bring home the bacon". It's their next tweet that went viral though. PETA wrote: "Just as it became unacceptable to use racist, homophobic, or ableist language, phrases that trivialize cruelty to animals will vanish as more people begin to appreciate animals for who they are and start ‘bringing home the bagels’ instead of the bacon."
Check out the controversial PETA tweets below.
Just as it became unacceptable to use racist, homophobic, or ableist language, phrases that trivialize cruelty to animals will vanish as more people begin to appreciate animals for who they are and start ‘bringing home the bagels’ instead of the bacon.
— PETA (@peta) December 4, 2018
It goes without saying that this is not okay. While there are perfectly valid arguments to speciesism, it shouldn't be conflated with racism, homophobia or ableism. They are in no way the same thing and shouldn't be treated as such. Unsurprisingly, the internet is not at all impressed by the tweets and people have been dragging PETA for them. Here are just a few of the reactions.
Some people are saying it pure and simple.
PETA is always conflating their work with the struggles of black people, queer people, and other people of color I’m so glad I just had steak for lunch
— Ira (@ira) December 4, 2018
Points were made.
Make it make sense.
*this* is why so many people have an issue with vegans - ofc we should all be eating less meat / none at all (I’m a veggie myself) but when you equate this to centuries of racism you make yourself a laughing stock?! https://t.co/ZzqUkhMg5P
— jack remmington (@jackremmington) December 5, 2018
Who okayed this?
When you put it in words it still sounds stupid.
PETA is really out here comparing someone being called a f*ggot to the use of the term ‘kill two birds with one stone’, ok https://t.co/OHyx6BZiLv
— matt horwood (@matthewhorwood) December 4, 2018
WTF?
Everyone is tired.
I’m going to bed. https://t.co/oDxTuKEc0T
— Susan Wokoma (@susan_wokoma) December 4, 2018
Come on.
Conspiracy theory Twitter is having a field day.
Convince me that PETA is not a disinfo campaign sponsored by Big Meat in an attempt to make vegetarians and vegans look foolish https://t.co/0a3DWTSxn5
— erin “⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️⬛️!” ryan (@morninggloria) December 4, 2018
Seriously though? They could be onto something.
And then there are those who are stuck on the idioms.
PETA has jumped the shark. https://t.co/0CnfIYsQ8U
— Awesomely Luvvie (@Luvvie) December 5, 2018
No comment.
It is all so bizarre.
The best part is how PETA assigns meaning here. So long as it rhymes, it is a suitable substitute. I love this shit.
— JuanPa (@jpbrammer) December 5, 2018
Like 'fetch' it's never going to happen, is it?
Now people are making up their own.
I wasn't going to read the responses to this but I suppose curiosity chilled the hat.
— The St. Pierre Snake Invasion (@TSPSI) December 5, 2018
Ffssss.
And last but not least there are those who are exposing PETA for some of the controversial things they do.
Just a reminder that PETA kills thousands of adoptable animals every year, has a crazy-high euthanasia rate (more than 80 percent some years) yet still has the gall to churn out this laughable nonsense. pic.twitter.com/xUZyqpct3J
— Brooke Rogers 🌻 (@bkerogers) December 5, 2018
Mic drop.