Pro-intersectionality in the vegan movement
With the rise of pro-intersectionality as a topic in the vegan movement, vegans wonder what they can do to make the movement safer for marginalized people.
#1: People in the oppressing class of a given form of oppression need to have a "zero tolerance" policy for individuals who enact oppressive/bigoted ways toward others. For instance, white people need to have a "zero tolerance" policy for racist vegans. Men need to have a "zero tolerance" policy toward sexist vegans. It is ***far*** too common that when someone has been identified as oppressive/bigoted, *they* are given the benefit of the doubt instead of the victim.
Yes, people make mistakes and *may* need to be called in and given an opportunity to learn, but that timing is up to the victims. Period.
We need to understand that when we continue to *include* an oppressive person, we necessarily *exclude* oppressed people. We must consciously pick one or the other because we cannot have both.
Our movement would be radically safer if we did this.
- Sarah K. Woodcock, TAVS