The latest dust-up in the feminist blogosphere serves to remind us all why PETA will never win the hearts and minds of the masses, and how self-important moralizers - be they vegans or religious fundamentalists - excel at creating a kerfuffle.
It's also got me thinking about abuse. And not the kind that the "owning pets equals slavery" crowd is trying to conjure up.
Late to the drama, as always, I read the derivative blog posts long before I read the initial thread, and comment that started the whole ball rolling. When I backtracked, and arrived there (dig if you feel like it, through the links above), what struck me was not thoughts about animal abuse, but thoughts about abusive relationships.
That's right. Abusive relationships. It looks like "mean girls," and the emotional punch radiates like a destabilizing stab of power from very close. "Happy about that new puppy? Here, let me remind you how you suck. And how the people around you think you are no better than a slaveholder. Let me show you how you should doubt yourself, and your decisions. Here's a little poison for your sunny day." Asking for a feminist analysis of pet ownership and lobbing fundamentalist judgemental fireballs in the middle of a cute overload? Just a friendly little question, feminist to feminist? Riiiiight.
It's also a reminder that not everyone who claims to be in a struggle with you is really with you, that the toxicity of the big fight isn't the only - and might not even be the most pernicious - negative force out there. Ultimately each has to live her own life with her own standards. And anyone who does not respect the right to make your own decisions shouldn't be the one casting stones about oppressive behavior. Fundamentalism, is fundamentalism, is fundamentalism.
Having a (big) blog means having a thick skin, I suppose. And I suppose at the end of the day the final word on the matter belongs to the cute pup licking his (huma)ma's face.
Posted by binky at September 8, 2007 12:01 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Gender and Politics