A short guidebook to understanding and discussing privilege among vegans and vegan organizations in the wake of #metoo, including how to establish accountability while honoring dignity and ways to communicate effectively.
In The Vegan Matrix, psychologist, longtime vegan advocate, and organizational head Dr. Melanie Joy explores a serious problem in the vegan movement—unexamined privilege—and looks at the struggle to communicate effectively about this problem in a way that helps offset it. Using simple, straightforward language and a compassionate tone, Joy explains what privilege is, why it’s so important for vegans to become aware of it, and how to talk about it in a way that deepens understanding and helps transform it. In so doing, Joy unpacks some of the many privileges that must be acknowledged and addressed, and calls for more inclusivity and diversity within vegan organizations and the movement as a whole. The Vegan Matrix is a call to awareness and action, empowering vegans to reach a broader audience and to help create a more compassionate and just world.
“Building on her seminal work with carnism and powerarchy, in The Vegan Matrix Melanie Joy offers another vital treatise that provides crucial guidance for vegan advocates, especially those of us who are privileged. This cogent book encourages humility, learning, and the radical empathy necessary for healing and for helping to build a powerful vegan movement.”—Gene Baur, Cofounder and President of Farm Sanctuary
“Rather than entrench divisions, Melanie Joy aims to create a stronger movement, literate in the issues of privilege and oppression, and empowered to create change. Everyone looking to transform the world for the better should read this book.”—Leah Garcés, President of Mercy for Animals
“This book is an easy primer for people to learn about privilege through clear examples, and it provides easy references for people who want to learn more.”—Christopher Sebastian, author, researcher, and Columbia University lecturer
“The Vegan Matrix is practical, focused on impact, and completely accessible to anybody who wants to grow as an advocate and do more for animals. The book provides an outline for how we can lead and communicate effectively to create the strongest movement possible.”—David Coman-Hidy, President of The Humane League
An example of Melanie Joy’s work and insights in The Vegan Matrix can be found in this video.
