Speciesism is the prejudice, discrimination, or oppression based on species designation. It is the belief that the moral value of someone is based on which species they "belong" to and are ranked in a hierarchy created by their perceived usefulness to humans. It's an insidious form of supremacy that considers humans as being most important above all others and therefore entitled to do whatever they want, no matter who it harms.
Being considered as less worthy is used to justify the oppression and atrocities committed against sentient non-human animals. Examples of speciesism include the use of animals as entertainment in bullfighting, elephant riding, and zoos; for clothing like fur coats and down jackets; in experimentation for beauty or skincare products; and the practice of factory farming and eating animals.
In short, to be anti-speciesist is to believe it is immoral to exploit or harm non-human animals simply because they belong to a different species. While anti-speciesism started as an animal rights movement, more recently it has extended its work in the fight against oppression in all areas of life; fighting for total justice and liberation for all. It's about unlearning our speciesist ideas, practices, and language to be more inclusive and less oppressive; actively incorporating non-cissexist, non-sexist, non-ableist, non-racist and environmental communication into non-speciesist advocacy.
The following reading list contains books covering animal rights, oppression, and anti-speciesist work. I encourage you to follow accounts such as @anti-speciesist @anti.speciesist.action @wakeactivism and @beyondspecies to learn more about speciesism and what it means to be anti-speciesist. The more you read the more nuanced your understanding of oppression will be.
Start Here:
Beyond Beliefs: A Guide to Improving Relationships and Communication for Vegans, Vegetarians, and Meat Eaters
by Melanie Joy
Eating Animals
by Jonathan Safran Foer
The Case for Animal Rights
by Tom Regan
The Secret World of Farm Animals
by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism: The Belief System That Enables Us to Eat Some Animals and Not Others
by Melanie Joy
Continue Here:
Animal Rights: The Abolitionist Approach
by Gary L. Francione, Anna E. Charlton
Animal Liberation
by Peter Singer
Animal Oppression and Human Violence: Domesecration, Capitalism, and Global Conflict
by David A. Nibert
Animal Rights/Human Rights: Entanglements of Oppression and Liberation
by David A. Nibert
Aphro-ism: Essays on Pop Culture, Feminism, and Black Veganism from Two Sisters
by Aph Ko, Syl Ko
Beasts of Burden: Animal and Disability Liberation
by Sunaura Taylor
Food Justice: A Primer
by Saryta Rodriguez
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle
by Angela Y. Davis
In Defense of Animals: The Second Wave
by Peter Singer
Protest Kitchen: Fight Injustice, Save the Planet, and Fuel Your Resistance One Meal at a Time
by Carol J. Adams
The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory
by Carol J. Adams
Speciesism (free PDF)
by Joan Dunayer
This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color
by Cherríe L. Moraga (Editor), Gloria E. Anzaldúa (Editor) , Toni Cade Bambara (Foreward)
Veganism of Color: Decentering Whiteness in Human and Nonhuman Liberation
by Julia Feliz Brueck
Veganism in an Oppressive World: A Vegans-of-Color Community Project
by Julia Feliz Brueck
We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast
by Jonathan Safran Foer
