Ingrid Newkirk of PETA - feminist, activist, nudist
Posted by at Oct 16th, 2008 in Activism
Filed under: Food , Activism , Plants and Wildlife I seem to write a lot about PETA, partly because they’re always up to something wacky, and partly because that wackiness involves nudity, which is a big hit with you, our loyal Green Daily readers. It occurred to me, after reading this Mother Jones interview with Ingrid Newkirk , the president and co-founder of PETA, that I/we rarely talk about her , which is sort of a shame because she is one interesting lady. Ingrid was born in England, and moved to India with her family when she was six, where she and her volunteered at several charities, including the one run by Mother Theresa. In 1970, while living in Maryland, Newkirk’s neighbor abandoned some kittens. She took them to the local animal shelter, and what she saw there changed her life. She started volunteering in animal shelters, becoming more and more active in the fight for animal rights, until she finally co-founded PETA in 1980. LIke I said, I definitely tease PETA for some of their more “look at me, I’m crazy” antics, but they’ve achieved some amazing things under Newkirk’s leadership. For example, they got car makers to stop using baboons and pigs in crash tests. Can you believe that was ever okay? PETA campaigns have convinced hundreds of companies , including food and cosmetics producers, to stop using animal testing. Spaying and neutering pets is common sense these days, not even open to debate. Newkirk and PETA have absolutely changed the relationship between humans and animals, whether you agree with her views, or tactics. One of the questions Mother Jones had for Newkirk was especially relevant to all of the “Look, nude PETA activists!” posts I do here on Green Daily. MJ asked if all of the nudity in PETA ads is anti-feminist. And Newkirk had a great answer. She totally admitted that, yeah, they use boobs to bring in the traffic, because no one wants to come watch a slaughter house video. Once the eyeballs are on the site, PETA leverages the opportunity to introduce ideas and educate people. But as far as the nudity being anti-feminist or sexist, Newkirk turned the question around and said that it’s anti-feminist to even ask that, and sexist to say that women should put their clothes on . Sure, it’s sexual, but not sexist. No one forced any of the women to take off their clothes, no one paid them, and they’re exercising their right to use their bodies as “political instruments”. And as she points out, PETA is run by a woman — her — and she’s marched naked herself. I have to agree that most of the PETA ads are harmless eye candy. Some of the in-person naked demonstrations are more shocking, but to Ingrid’s point, the participants are there voluntarily. And the blood and drama? Well, you have to admit it’s effective, and no one actually dies — the only casualty of those demonstrations is good taste. On the whole, even though I may roll my eyes at some of the specifics, I applaud Newkirk and PETA for the work they do getting people to think about their relationship with animals. Vegetarian, vegan or omnivore, as long as you’ve made an informed choice, power to you. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
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