Veggie Pride UK

Veggie Pride parades probably send a worse message than an equivalent "Vegetarian Pride" parade would. 'Veggie' and 'veg' are disturbingly popular big-tent terms. They are so broad, admitting, and ambiguous as to mean almost nothing. They conflate and obfuscate two phenomena that, despite sharing some letters, are radically disparate. Veganism is the ethical perspective that rejects all exploitation of nonhuman animals. Vegetarianism is the diet that rejects the consumption of "meat" from one or more species of nonhuman animal.

At least with a parade that is explicitly and consistently vegetarian, the organizers would not be stepping on the ideological toes of people interested in taking a serious stance on human/nonhuman relations (i.e. vegans and proponents of nonhuman rights). It's tremendously unfortunate that vegetarianism managed to outlive the 20th century. Vegans don't help matters by participating in or promoting 'veggie' events. Vegetarians should skip these parades and spend that time investigating veganism.

But what if they were "Vegan Pride" parades? I would still demur, for the following reasons: Temporary satisfaction in becoming vegan is understandable, but pride in being vegan is unwarranted. Fulfilling our minimal obligation demanded by the rights of sentient beings should be expected. Most would find it peculiar, and probably inappropriate, to have parades for people who denounce sexism or racism. So why should we have them for those who condemn speciesism?

Furthermore, such an event could reinforce perceptions of vegans as self-righteous. Veganism isn't about you or me. Vegans are not heroes, nor the elite few. If we ever hope to have a serious justice movement oriented toward abolishing nonhuman slavery, our efforts must cultivate an external focus on nonhumans. Marches, rallies, and other demonstrations could certainly do this if carefully formulated. But I do not believe the 'Pride parade' model fits the bill.

That the LGBTQ community or another group subject to discrimination would have Pride parades is understandable. Such events can focus attention upon victims and their resistance to hegemonic societal norms (e.g. heternormativity), as well as challenge the moral legitimacy of society denying them equal consideration and respect because of whatever "defect" it has identified.

The vegan movement must begin to recognize that the fundamental problems are anthropocentrism and speciesism. Thus, the relevant victims are enslaved nonhumans. An appropriately analogous Pride parade couldn't even be organized without undermining our vegan principles!