Firstly, why did I become Vegan?
I became Vegan after realising the pain and suffering caused to the animals inside the food industries. I had been Vegetarian for two years prior to this after seeing ‘Meet Your Meat’. I was talking to campaigners in my local town centre who were giving out leaflets regarding the egg industry. After a long discussion and a lot of Vegan cake, I went home and researched the disgusting egg industry – and then the dairy industry. From that moment on, I vowed never to consume, use or wear any animal product; I was Vegan from that moment on (3 years ago) and will be forever.
But it goes deeper than that – let’s take it back it bit.
When I was fourteen I became involved in anti-racism and anti-fascism campaigning with thanks to a certain teacher of mine. I have always rejected the idea that humans are superior to other humans and I have always found racism abhorrent and vile. As a result of this, I became involved in various other human rights campaigns; mainly Palestine and campaigns for the abolition of child slavery and sweatshops through a campaign known as the War on Want. The underlining reason for all of this is that I rejected the idea of people being superior to others. I believe that we are all equal – no one person is higher or better than another, therefore one has no right to exploit another.
When I turned sixteen, I began to think about this more and more – after I watched ‘Meet Your Meat’ I decided that I could no longer fund an industry that kills animals for no reason; it was evident that these animals feel pain and that they suffer for no reason other than to satisfy the human taste buds, and therefore I became a Vegetarian. Now, with my belief that no human is more superior then another human – I applied this to animals; why are animals considered lesser beings than humans? After all, it was Einstein who said, “Division is an illusion.” Biologically, humans are animals thus the concept of human supremacy and dominion over animals is a farce. A year or so passed before I stumbled upon a film called ‘Earthlings’, it took me about three times to actually watch it the entire way through. It played on my heart and resulted in me becoming Vegan – any exploitation of animals is wrong and should be opposed by any decent human being. I reject the idea that humans are the “top of the food chain” and that animals are here to serve us. To this day, I stand against speciesism – I believe that humans and non-humans are equal are therefore should be treated as such.
At the age of eighteen I started to become active for animals after becoming Vegan. I began campaigning against various industries that exploit animals – from food industries to vivisection to entertainment. Animal rights has become the most important issue to me, I spend most of time campaigning for animals but that does not mean that I have forgotten the human-animals that suffer – whether it be those that suffer from the institutionalised racism that exists within society, those who are hated on for escaping their war-torn countries or the children in third world countries that are exploited for the benefit of those of us in the Western World.
It is evident that animal rights and human rights are linked. I, personally, believe that once humans start treating each other with respect and equality in mind, they will also start treating animals as equals. One of the most compelling cases for the link between animal and human liberation is that over 70% of all grain used to feed livestock in the West is grown in third world countries – this grain could be used to feed those that need it in those countries. Therefore, more Vegans would equal less starving people in the third world.
I will always reject the idea that racists, homophobes, transphobes or any other fascist should be welcomed with open arms into the animal rights movement. If we are to achieve animal liberation, we must also achieve human freedom. Total liberation is the ultimate goal for most animal rights activists – that includes me. None are free until all are free.
No boarders! No cages! No Nazis!
One struggle, one fight!
Animal, Earth and Human Liberation!
TOTAL LIBERATION!
Veganarchy: One Struggle, One Fight. 
