Five Tips to Take Your Animal Activism to the Next Level
By Molly Elsdon, PETA Campaigner
The world is wonderfully diverse. Humans are motivated by a million unique things, which is important to remember when speaking up for animals. Just as each vegan cites a unique moment that helped them make the connection, those who are not yet vegan have the potential to be inspired by many different approaches to activism. While protests may sway some, for others, the way to their heart is via their stomach.
The only thing that doesn’t help animals is NOT taking action! Animals deserve advocates, and – as I will discuss at the upcoming Vegan and Animal Rights Conference (VARC) – everyone can polish their activism skills and lean into their niche to become the best animal advocate they can.
Here are five tips to help you feel confident speaking up for all species.
1) Play to Your Strengths
We each have a talent that can be applied to animal activism. Consider where your strengths lie and then channel them into helping animals. If you’re a great writer, start blogging about animals. If you bake beautiful cakes, do that – and brag to everyone how easy it is to do without eggs and milk!
If you have the gift of the gab, take to the streets for some vegan outreach, or, if you’re handy with a hammer, build a bee hotel or volunteer at a sanctuary. Whatever you do, you’ll be able to sustain it best if you enjoy it, so spend time brainstorming ways to amplify your passions and harness your hobbies.
2) Watch Your Words
As we know from how animals are misrepresented in careless insults, language matters. When speaking on behalf of animals, be careful not to refer to animals as “it”, but use they, he, and she, and upgrade metaphors that normalise animal use (for example, ‘kill two birds with one stone’ becomes ‘feed two birds with one scone.’)
When talking to people, be respectful, use examples from your own life (remember, most of us weren’t born vegan!), and try to find common ground. It can help to start by talking about the relationships many of us already enjoy with animals to help others realise that, in all the ways that matter, the dog they love is no different from the pig they may be planning to eat for dinner. Check out this page about speciesism for more.
3) Plan to Persuade
Being strategic is key to success. Whether it’s taking a little extra time to set up a photo that could grace the front page of a newspaper or organising a march through your city, planning well and keeping your end goal clear will ensure your action is polished and memorable for all the right reasons.
Don’t forget to take time to assess your success and tweak your approach. By critically reviewing what worked and what didn’t, you can strengthen your skills for the next time.
4) Take Advantage of Tech
Life is largely lived online nowadays, which can be used to help animals. Never before have we had such instant access to a wide and varied audience.
Whether you share inspiring videos on TikTok or post thought-provoking comments on Reddit, every seed you plant helps vegan ideas blossom. Learning how to tap into social media algorithms and creatively embrace trends and topics can keep your message fresh and engaging.
5) Be Consistent
While being a great activist means always looking for unique opportunities to include animals in the conversation, there’s also no ‘perfect’ time to stand up against cruelty and injustice. Grab the chances that come your way, and don’t be dissuaded by trolls or discouraged if change isn’t instantaneous.
Sometimes, the most vocal opponents to going vegan become the loudest voices for animals given time! Don’t forget to balance advocating for animals with self-care to ensure you avoid burnout.
Animals Need You to Take Action
I have plenty more tips on maximising your impact on animals and hope to share them with you at VARC in Manchester on March 29.
Meanwhile, millions of animals need a hero like you right now, and a great way to start is by joining PETA’s action team and taking our top 5 actions of the month!
