Is 'Infighting' Destroying the Movement?

As individuals who have taken a critical stance of the mainstream vegan movement, we often hear that there's too much infighting in the activist community. "Infighting" is an interesting word, especially in the way it's used and wielded like a weapon. It's a silencing word, reminiscent of gaslighting.¹

Words like "infighting" and "divisive" are rarely if ever used to talk about the white supremacists, sexists, cissexists,² heterosexists, and other problematic individuals and organisations that have seemingly taken over mainstream vegan activism and are creating real division, but always those who denounce them.

There's this idea that everyone should fall in line, and that refusing to accept problematic behaviours is somehow harmful to the cause, to "The animals". Of course, we disagree.

Supporting problematic individuals or organisations and defending them when they come under fire is not only allowing those problematic behaviours to continue, it is directly enabling them and fostering them.³ Fascists know that within those organisations they will be safe and protected, and those who are uncomfortable with them are emotionally blackmailed into tolerating them and working with them with phrases like "We have to be united for the animals". And those organisations cannot be changed from the inside - it's been tried.

"Infighting", or as we call it, "critique", is important and we openly welcome it as all should; we at ASA practice accountability/answerability culture a powerful way to value critique and stay answerable as well be accountable. It's not destroying the movement as those who are targeted by the critique would claim, but rather helping it grow and putting it back on track as the radical liberation movement that it always was and should remain. Being an inclusive movement means being openly welcoming and being safe for marginalised groups, not forcing them to march alongside their oppressors.

While critique is important, action also is. What we would encourage others to do if they can is to support the existing grassroots, consistent anti-oppression groups in their area and learn from them. If there are none, to create their own independent actions or groups. Those large activism franchises are built to make it seem daunting in order to ensure that they will continue owning activism, it's not as difficult as it may seem.