Veganism

Veganism is a philosophy and lifestyle that aims to stop all forms of cruelty and exploitation of non-human animals. You don't eat, use and buy, as far as practicable, animal products. It is inherently an anti-speciesist movement based on the ending of harm and cruel practices that sees animals and humans with the same moral worth and need of the same protections and compassion. How is it then that this anti-speciesist movement is gaining momentum in the far right which is the opposite - racist, hierarchical and violent?

Diagonalism in left and right political leanings

People in the far left and far right are now starting to agree on some things - deep suspicion with government and power, anti-establishment ideas which reject science and preach conspiracy theories - 5G mind control, anti vaccine movement etc. These are becoming more mainstream and as they converge the meaning of veganism for some groups has changed. A focus on body purity and body needed to be protected from state is filtering in and veganism, often politically seen in 'lefty' circles, is making further in roads in far right communities.

Body purity and social decline.

Veganism, which has always been about the animals, is being co-opted by people who do it for the 'diet' and 'clean eating'. Many far right influencers are using this way of talking about veganism to talk about ideologies around social decline in society and bodies being the front line, some ERW (Extreme Right Wing) vegans (read here even people who may describe themselves as nazis) believe veganism, body purity and white masculinity part of an extreme far right way of living.

To reject the moral degradation they see in society and be the models of the pure race, they tie this to ideas of 'eco-facism' and the 'blood and soil' ideology or what some people call 'land and spirit'

Strategic anti-speciesism.

By rejecting cruelty to animals but not cruelty to humans who are of a different race/religion/sexuality is a very clever form of selective anti-speciesism, very clearly labelling black, brown and asian bodies as animals (worthy of punishment, exploitation and injustice) and the white vegan fascist as the saviour of white communities and animal kind under its stewardship.

Under this umbrella is also specific targeting of marginalised groups practice towards eating and animal slaughter. Undoubtedly, as a vegan, I don't believe there are any more 'humane' or 'spiritual' ways of slaughtering something living. However, I am self aware enough to realise that when some vegan groups target only kosher food, China town markets and Islamic slaughter and don't engage with discourse around fish farming, industrialised factory farming and local fishing practices there is something more going on.

This is not new. Looking back at the lessons from history, Hitler's positioning as a vegetarian and animal lover was used as a deliberate part of propaganda videos which focused on kosher slaughter practices, talking about it as 'illuminating' when understanding the Jewish people, videos of cows being slaughtered sliced with conversation about Jewish people sought to show Jews as cruel animal abusers and German slaughter as humane, normal and honourable. When vegans talk about ending this type of slaughter, and not just the slaughter of animals overall this should start ringing alarm bells.

The extreme right wing practice of veganism leans heavily into some aspects of veganism, twisting them enough to make some sense, but only if you close essential parts of the vegan philosophy, which at its core is anti-speciesist justice and liberation. A movement which was meant to be about equality and ending cycles of exploitation by expanding everyday lifestyle choices to filter out cruelty and harm is being co-opted by an ideology which focuses on authoritarian, hierarchical and oppressive ways of living.

Aware of this manipulation, those involved with veganism, must be more than aware. We must raise awareness of this within the animal rights movement, not to cause concern, but to show how extremists manipulate, use and abuse anything they can to further their aims.

Vigilence is key.