Carol Adams, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat, came to speak at my college, Towson University. I was asked to set up a booth for The Vegetarian Resource Group at the presentation along with four other health and animal rights organizations. I was excited to be able to table for VRG while enjoying Carol’s presentation.

As the room filled up a slide of images began to play on the screen. They depicted the link between women and animals exploitation in advertisements. Each picture showed ads that are used to encourage and condone the consumption of meat. Carol’s presentation was very raw and powerful. Some of the images were disturbing and some were very revealing. Carol goes on to state that her concept of the “absent referent” separates the meat eater from the animal and the animal from the end product. The “absent referent” refers to the issue of advertisements in popular culture sending messages that animals, like women, are nothing more than a piece of “meat.” Rather it be a piece of meat that you eat or one you look at in a sexual sense, the lines have become blurred and society has become accepting of both the demeaning of women and the mistreatment of animals.

Carol did an excellent job presenting her position on the relationship between women and animals and got the crowd surprisingly interested. She was kind enough to answer questions and mingle with everyone after the presentation.

Some long time vegans visited the VRG booth and I had a lengthy conversation with someone who was interested in resources for vegetarians that had began to eat meat again but wanted to become vegetarian again. She mentioned the cost strains of being a vegetarian in college and I shared with her some tips of how I shop inexpensively and prepare quick meals and healthy snacks to get through a busy day of classes.

As Carol said, her book is older than most of the students she shows this presentation to, revealing how pertinent these topics remain.

For more information on The Sexual Politics of Meat, please visit Carol Adams website: http://www.caroljadams.com/

You can purchase The Sexual Politics of Meat here.

To learn more about eating vegetarian/vegan on a budget, please visit:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2006issue2/vj2006issue2mealplans.htm
http://www.vrg.org/blog/2011/11/08/vegetarian-and-vegan-living-in-your-twenties/

By Valerie Shore, VRG Intern

“Mainstream” and “Veganism” aren’t two words that people would always associate together, but Leilani Munter is working to close that gap. Leilani became vegetarian at only six years old and is now a newly reformed vegan ARCA racecar driver who is using her position to bring awareness to many environmental issues in her races. ARCA, the Automobile Racing Club of America, has a mix of both hobby and professional racers and is a regional stock car racing club, similar to NASCAR. Leilani advocates her issues of choice by having the outside of her car advertise them, so that they appear on-screen for all ARCA fans to see. It’s difficult to raise funds for advertising like this, but Leilani is determined to see her cars on the track.

Getting sponsorship is hard, Leilani claims. Since she is an activist who has such solid beliefs, companies shy away from supporting her. Leilani races maybe once a year, when she can get all of the different funds put together, because it does take a while. In February 2012, Leilani raced at Daytona with a race car decked out in messages about “The Cove,” the Academy Award-winning documentary about the dolphin and whale slaughter that is happening in Taiji, Japan. Leilani ended up having a tire on the car burst, but it actually ended up being a blessing in disguise – the downtime allowed the media to focus on her car and prompted discussion about the issue from the commentators. That’s why her newest project, a “Powered by Plants” race car, is so important for her. Essentially, the “Powered by Plants” race car will be a vegan-themed race car promoting a plant-based diet and bringing awareness about veganism to the fans of ARCA. Leilani hopes to be sponsored by vegan and Eco-friendly companies that agree with her cruelty-free message. She says she has always been more of an activist than just a driver, and refuses to sacrifice what she believes in for sponsorship.

In even more of an effort to dispel myths about the vegan community, Leilani also hopes to have a vegan chef present at the raceway when her “Powered by Plants” car races, preparing vegan food for all of the crowds at the stadium. She believes one of the best ways to getting through to non-vegetarians is through non-judgemental, friendly ways – and what’s more friendly than free food? Many of us have experienced times when someone will scoff at the idea of “vegetarian meat,” but the truth is that it’s good. When she was married, Leilani had an entirely cruelty-free reception, with all vegan food. She says that many of her guests were apprehensive, but afterwards came up to her and were surprised by how much they actually enjoyed the food. Leilani hopes that the crowds at her race will experience a similar epiphany, and perhaps reverse some of the stigmas they have about the vegan/vegetarian community.

However, one of the problems she’s facing is the fact that some vegan companies, according to her, aren’t willing to sponsor her pro-plant car because the audiences at ARCA aren’t in “their demographic.” “How else do you reach new customers if you don’t go outside of people who are probably already eating your product?” Leilani asks. But, she is not giving up on her “Powered by Plants” car. Leilani wants people to know the impact of what they choose to put on their plate and how meat alternatives can be sustainable options. To learn more about Leilani’s “Powered by Plants” race car, check out her website at http://leilanimunter.com.

Starting a vegetarian club in high school is a powerful way to spread the word about the nutritional benefits, animal rights issues and the ecological advantages of vegetarianism. Bringing together individuals with similar ideas and interests makes advocating more enjoyable and productive. When it comes to activism, numbers are important. Every person brings something new and different to the table. Having a multitude of diverse perspectives and skills is valuable when it comes to formulating and executing successful advocacy efforts.

The first step in starting a vegetarian group is to identify the purpose of the club; it could be as simple as educating your peers about the benefits of a vegetarian diet. Later in the process, when you meet with school administrators about starting the club, it will be helpful to be prepared for the questions they will ask. If you can, seek out a core group that can help you start the club. If you do not already have people in mind, you could hang up posters with your contact information around school asking for volunteers who are interested in helping start the club.

Next, you should speak with a school administrator about the necessary steps in starting an official school sponsored club. When I started a vegetarian club in high school, I went straight to the principal to get the necessary forms. Many high schools require that the student interested in founding the club finds a teacher who is willing to serve as the sponsor. In some cases this means that the teacher should also be willing to hold the club meetings in his or her classroom, but this is not always the case. If you do not have a teacher in mind, try asking your friends if they have any ideas. Some schools require signatures in order to demonstrate that students are interested and willing to attend the club’s meetings; these should not be difficult to gather. Kitty Jones, a recent high school graduate, says that her high school required 5 primary members, a mission statement, and the completion of a small form.

The following list includes vegetarian club activities and projects initiated by Kitty’s animal rights club and my high school’s vegetarian club:

• Contact a vegetarian organization and ask for them to send you free flyers, pamphlets, and stickers, or print the PDF handouts that can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/.
• Vegan bake sales are a great way to raise money for animal rights or vegetarian organizations, and for letting people taste how delicious vegan food really is. You can even have a group baking party so everyone can be involved and become better acquainted.
• Give away free vegan samples at school or in the community; you can also attach a vegetarian pamphlet to the food.
• Movie screenings are a great way to educate and bring people together. Forks Over Knives, Earthlings, Food, Inc. and The Cove are great movies for those interested in vegetarianism and animal rights.
• Organize a group work day at a local animal sanctuary or shelter.
• At a local fast food or other type of restaurant give out flyers or coupons promoting their vegetarian options; for example a veggie burger at Burger King, a vegan burrito at Chipotle, or the testing of a vegan sandwich at Subway.
• Hold a cat toy and dog treat making party for local shelters.
• Conduct a supply drive for local animal sanctuaries.
• Start a school-wide petition against dissection.
• Petition for the school to offer more vegan options, such as soymilk and veggie burgers in the cafeteria. For more information, see: http://www.vrg.org/teen/high_school_cafeteria.php.
• Campaign for district-wide Meat Free Mondays.
• Host dinner nights where members of the club can cook a vegetarian meal together, relax, and hang out.
• Organize a raffle fundraiser to raise money for the club in order to cover the cost of food handouts and bake sale supplies.
• Promote a “kindness to animals week” where students can sign pledges of kind things they will do for animals (like go vegetarian for a day, week, or forever, boycott the circus, etc.) and post them all over the school.
• Prepare a discussion topic or theme for every meeting to help keep things structured.
• Take turns bringing in vegetarian-related articles to promote an environment of collaborative learning.
• Take group photos holding signs that address a particular company, followed by “stop testing on animals,” and mail it to that company.
• As a group, host an animal rights information table in the student lounge or other area with a lot of student traffic.

Invite guest speakers such as local activists in your community or leaders in local animal rights organizations.

• Make animal shaped posters advertising the club, meeting time, and location.

If your school uses video announcements, make a creative video to promote your club. If you do not have a video camera, use photos to create a stop motion video using fruits and vegetables. For inspiration, check out the one I made in high school: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vHDneuS4vY

• Prepare PowerPoint presentations to help inform the club about issues such as animal testing and the hidden animal ingredients that vegetarians sometimes overlook.
• Ask your librarian if your club could create an animal rights library display complete with vegetarian books, cookbooks, and vegetarian pamphlets.
• Ask the activities director at your school if you could sell vegan snacks at school events, and be sure to include a sign indicating that the food is cruelty-free and vegan.
• Use some of the club’s earnings to purchase an animal suit to wear to help bring attention to your campaigns and advocacy efforts.
• Organize events to celebrate World Vegetarian Day on October 1st and National Meatout Day on March 20th.
• Create a design for a club t-shirt and take it to a local shirt screening business. Wearing cool vegetarian shirts around school is a great way to make the group known.
• Create a Facebook page for you student group where you can post up-to-date information about the vegetarian movement and send out invites to activities and events.
• Contact local vegetarian/vegan restaurants and ask if they would be willing to donate food to your group meetings. A bakery near Kitty’s school donated over-baked vegan donuts which helped boost the meeting turn out.
• Start a vegetarian mentoring program within your school. Interested club members can serve as mentors to those looking for guidance as they make the transition to a vegetarian diet. This program is also useful for vegetarians who are looking to become vegan.

Be creative about the promotion of your club and the activities you plan. Feel free to think of things not listed in this article and be sure to ask your group for ideas. An important thing to always emphasize is the inclusiveness of the club; an open membership is the best way to reach the most people. Never exclude someone from your club because they are not vegetarian. It may be helpful to hold elections at the second or third club meeting. It is a good idea to elect a president who will lead the meetings, a vice president who plans events, a treasurer who handles funds, and a secretary who records and reads minutes. If your club is smaller, you may want to combine officer tasks to only a few positions; if your club becomes larger, you may want to add additional officers, such as a publicity officer.

Remember that even when only a few people attend, you are still making an impact. Even on days when nobody showed up at meetings, Kitty sat by herself writing letters urging companies to be more compassionate toward animals. Independent projects such as this are still tremendously helpful, and Kitty’s friends later told her how her dedication inspired them. Starting a vegetarian club is hugely rewarding and easier than you would think. A single vegetarian holds great potential in terms of who he or she may influence; a group of vegetarians working together holds even more. Vegetarian clubs are a powerful force for the vegetarian movement. Though you may get frustrated at times, remember that if you work hard enough, your group will only gain momentum, the going will get easier, and you will accomplish more than you ever thought imaginable.

For more information about starting a student group, see: http://www.vrg.org/activist/student.htm and http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/06/25/how-can-you-start-a-vegan-club-in-high-school/.