ShoutOut

This is a shout out to animal rights activists, who see so much pain around them, but are forced to bite their tongues in seemingly banal social settings, who are ‘not offended by the sight of meat’ when prompted -- the raw flesh of another living being, the scent almost carrying the image of slaughterhouse slashing down upon their genetically mutated bodies. But oh no, we don’t mind. We’re mainstreaming the movement, after all.

We lost a vegan voice in the movement last week: Dylan Ravenfox was an eloquent and intelligent voice for the animals. He reminded me how much we, too, are animals and how important it is to recognize our own animality. He reminded me of the importance of language and the intricacy of its structure to understanding the world we live in. The interconnectedness of social movements, and above all, the importance of art in social movements. With his loss, I feel compelled to tell you that we need to step it up a notch. He was a force to be reckoned with, and he’s gone.

Knowing that he was someone who struggled with depression for much of his life, I want to shout out to you animal advocates. The sadness that lingers behind the corners for us is real, and if you need a helping hand, I’d be happy to support you. As activists in a damaged world, we need to help each other along the path to healthiness. To healing. So that we can change this world of which we are so critical.

I feel much joy as an activist—I see the change in the world that I’m trying to create. Even though social change is slow, I see it, I see us making a difference, and it’s beautiful, invigorating, and always rejuvenating. I just wanted to take a moment to examine the shadow of this brightness – that depression is a real and serious illness and that you, me, we all must take it very seriously. Even if you’re just stumbling upon this blog, feel free to email me if you need anything at all. Sometimes having a little extra support is all we need.

Love,

Lauren

laolaughlin@vassar.edu