Dear PETA, You’re irrelevant.

"Move Over, Mudflap Girl"

Most feminists, radicals, thoughtful vegetarians/vegans, and legitimate animal rights activists have given up on PETA long ago, so harping on them seems a little superfluous, but after their most recent “direct action” campaign, I couldn’t resist.  Not only is it completely offensive in the sense that the image is of a faceless woman whose only notable features are her breasts, butt, and high heels, but it’s incredibly sophomoric.  Why not just paint giant tits in the middle of the road that read, “LIKE BOOBIES? GO VEGAN!”

Of course, this is just a fraction of PETA’s blatant objectification of women, and only a minute example of their complete disregard for the cause of animal oppression- capitalism, DUH.

I have to admit there was a time when I felt the need to defend PETA.  It was probably sometime in high school during a stage of staunch vegetarianism when I would stand up for basically any organization attacked by conservatives.  It was also a lot easier to be an apologist for an organization that mostly just showed video and pictures of factory farm atrocities.  However, my sympathies had to end when PETA started to prove itself to be one of the most heinous single issue cause organizations.  It bore its anti-feminist and pro-capitalist teeth forcing any self-respecting leftist to abandon ship altogether.

The Onion did a pretty excellent job at high-lighting the feminist outrage with PETA.  Sadly, their parody is too close to reality to be funny.  A lot of the images and videos they used for their satirical story are ACTUAL promotional ads and videos for PETA campaigns.  And did anyone else see PETA’s Superbowl PSA that was deemed too racy for TV?  It’s a disturbing hybrid of Victoria Secret’s commercial and food porn.  PETA’s pathetic pandering to the patriarchy can leave many wondering, “PETA ad or Playboy photoshoot?”.    Are their staff and campaign strategists so brain-dead that they can’t come up with any better way to get publicity than chaining up a topless girl in public?  At least the Animal Liberation Front is destroying property, not women’s sense of person-hood.

PETA is also guilty of perpetuating the system that causes the animal exploitation they rail against.  Whenever a fast food chain comes out with a veggie burger or patty, PETA encourages all of their supporters to go out and buy that product.  They even put up buy-one-get-one-free coupons on their website.  Never mind the fact that Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King are STILL FACTORY FARMING their meat products and PETA’s precious KFC veggie patty isn’t keeping any chickens from getting their beaks ripped off.

As a direct assault on PETA, Gina Pea and I are going to film ourselves slitting cow’s throats and de-beaking chickens while wearing bikinis and high heels and dancing to Lady Gaga.  Our slogan is going to be “Factory Farming is M-O-N-E-Y: $O $EXY”.  Anyone else want in?

Tags: activism, animal rights, capitalism, exploitation, feminism, gender, lady gaga, oppression, organizing, PETA