I got it. I got it. I got it. I got it. Animal cruelty is bad. Yap. I don’t abuse animals. I love em. I care for animals. I treat my cat-friend as a queen but here’s my issues:

Most of the animal rights activists I meet are white. Whitey white and I feel like the whole white identity crisis has something to do with it (bare with me as I work this out.) I’m referring to the identity crisis that happens as a result of whiteness and multiculturalism. More on that here (page 94 - in the context of appropriation and swing) and here and in this book. This lack of identity obviously plays a role in white actions. I feel it specifically plays a role in what social issues white people choose to take on. I feel like they have to try to fight for environmental justice/animal rights because they can control that movement without being forced to recognize their privilege. They must answer to no one.

This might have something to do with the REALLY FUCKING OFFENSIVE approaches they take (I’m thinking hypermasculine deep ecology or the ever-so patriarchal eco-fem or Anti-human people in PETA.) This bothers me but it needs a lot more working out.

Anyways, I’m fucking poor. Until about middle school, my family was like dirt poor. We’re still struggling and as I’m coming into adulthood, I’m going to be struggling more. I can’t eat the healthy eco-friendly/green/animal-rights friendly/vegan way that these people expect me to. Sometimes we can barely afford our house or groceries. I try to do the best I can, but I don’t think it’s okay to demonize those who have a lack of accessibility or resources. It’s a lot cheaper for me to eat the way I have been than the way you do.

Also relevant, FUCK YALL. I know damn well yall don’t give a damn about my people’s struggles specifically. I’ll give you vegetarians and vegans a small lesson on where ya’lls precious fruits n vegetables from the store come from. Majority of the fruits and vegetables grown here in these beautiful 48 contiguous states are grown and picked by migrant workers. Migrant workers are usually illegal immigrants or children of illegal immigrants from mexico that are employed for SUUUUUPER CHEAP. You all are so eager to quit eating meat because of treatment of animals but you’ll buy vegetables from the store EVEN THOUGH SHIT LIKE THIS HAPPENS. Even though the migrant working people are living on under $1 a day, don’t receive basic healthcare because of state requirements, live in shacks where they develop nasty diseases like TB and work in dangerous conditions that frequently kill them, you don’t give a damn. Even though there are children working in dangerous conditions instead of going to school, you don’t give one single fuck. If you want me to support dat shit you care so much about, show me your knowledge on Chican@s and migrant workers. Show me your fucking cardboard sign. Show me the garden where you grow your own vegetables. Show me why I as a Chicana woman should give a fuck about social issues that you are oh so passionate about when you obviously do not give any fucks about the brown people.