I do think Elaine makes some good points. We can illuminate veganism in an attempt to normalize it through these kinds of actions, which may have a dual effect: substantive improvements such as vegan lunch options and more latent messaging, perhaps saying that the oppression of nonhuman animals deserves to be challenged in the form of a “pride parade.” But we must always remember our reference point.

Kim — I appreciate your taking the time to listen so much. Thank you.

Elaine, I’m not sure why you posted the link to the hate mail — to show that anti-veg people were scorning the idea of veg*ns as an oppressed minority & thus those of us veg*ns who do so as well are aligned w/such people? (or are thus wrong?) I also had a thought about the issue of vegan school options (which I do think are a good idea) — if their lack makes veg*n children oppressed, are, say, gluten-allergic children also oppressed by lunches that exclude them?

As for a cultural identity for vegans, I like others in this thread am skeptical.

(Also, hi Jenna! I don’t know if Royce is a zinester either, alas)

And Esther — that’s sad that the French parade doesn’t sound as joyful.

Gnewvegan — thanks for the link. Glad to hear you enjoyed the parade too.

any way, great blog!!!

Pride is the antithesis of shame. Shame separates people from the social group. Healthy pride is the feeling of being affiliated with others. When social groups are not healthy, as almost no social groups are today, prideful national/ethnic/etc affiliation steps in to fill the void.

Back in the day (I was at the big 1979 NYC gay pride parade that really got the pride parade bandwagon rolling), shame was the primary weapon aimed at LGBT folk. Being queer was something you were supposed to hide. Even supportive straight folks urged us not to be too “flamboyant.” (When I was routinely harassed in high school, the school counselor explicitly blamed my refusal to hide as the cause of the violence against me.) In that context, a “pride parade” makes sense, as both an antidote to shaming and an assertion of the right to walk down the street being yourself.

While vegans are sometimes subjected to mockery, and young male veg*ns may face some homophobic jibes, I don’t really see shaming of vegans as a problem crying out for the antidote of a pride parade. Nor, I think, did the organizers of this event. They *appropriated* the pride motif as a catchy way to get attention. Since vegans are (mis)characterized as monolithically white and since white folks are known for misappropriating the symbols of other groups, I didn’t think that was a wise tactical choice, when it would have been just as easy to get the same kind of attention for the same parade without calling it a “pride parade.” Why possibly piss off potential allies if you don’t have to?

That said, it looks like the event was harmless and fun. Many of my friends attended. I didn’t and still don’t have a substantial problem with it, I just couldn’t get with it myself. If I had been in NYC that day, I might have gone anyway.

As to the question of whether it would be a good thing to inculcate some kind of vegan cultural identity, my own adventures in the often dangerous vagaries of identity politics leads me to be *very* dubious.

(As it happens, thefreeslave [who I believe at least tries to be vegan] just posted a very interesting meditation on cultural identity here)

I’ve corresponded with Noemi and bought zines from her and also have zines of Nadia’s. Is Royce a zinester, too?

http://invitationfrom-gnewvegan.blogspot.com/