WTF is Speciesism?

ABOUT 

After over six years of being vegan, I have never seen an organised learning space dedicated to understanding (anti-)speciesism through an intersectional and holistic lens.

This course is for those interested in discovering more about veganism, animal rights, (anti-)speciesism, and related topics. The oppression of animals is a long-ignored and dismissed experience. Abolitionism, de-colonialism, anarchism, and any “leftist” perspective is incomplete without a thorough understanding and inclusion of animal oppression. Many people on “the left” critique the politics of veganism: but few take the time to truly investigate what they really are. This course offers you an opportunity to do so.

This course is for those who are looking for a thorough 101 introduction to politicised veganism and will be beneficial to those who:

• are completely new to veganism/anti-speciesism
• have some understanding and want to take their learning further
• have been exposed to “white veganism” or the mainstream movement but would like to radicalise themselves

FEEDBACK FROM ALUMNI

“Aiyana is wonderful about saying things directly as they are without apology, while also holding compassionate space for our unlearning and growth. The presentations were great. Appreciation for engaging us with questions to share our reflections and for the resources provided for our further learning.”

“The course was amazing; very informative, had important reflection questions, and many resources to engage with. Aiyana was a fantastic facilitator; friendly and understanding while also pushing people to do better. I appreciated that people could either talk, or write in the chat, making sure that people feel comfortable sharing."

“For a course with a focus on teaching people about (anti)-speciesism who may or may not have had any prior knowledge, I think it fulfilled exactly what it set out to do. Concepts were explained in a passionate, comprehensive way, the encouragement to engage with resources and reflect with one another was motivating, and I was able to come away from it with multiple radically different outlooks. I was initially going to rate the course as a nine because I feel like there’s usually always room to improve, but when I actually tried to think of things I would change, I honestly couldn’t think of anything, which I think in itself says a lot. All in all, I think the course was executed incredibly well.”

“The facilitator was highly knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. The way the workshop is set up is rather brilliant. Each week we build upon our understanding and intersections we learn about. Everything is very clear and concise. As a person who is hearing impaired I found it to be very accessable."

“This the most impactful and well done trainings I have ever been to. You are amazingly brilliant and committed and you impact people who share space with you through your authenticity!”

SCHEDULE & ACCESSIBILITY

The course will run over five weeks, on Thursdays at 6pm BST. Sessions will be held on Zoom.

Each session will be 1.5-2hrs long. Automated captions will be available and breaks are scheduled into the workshops. Sessions will be partially recorded for reviewing purposes, but this should not be considered another way to access the course: your live attendance shapes the space.

Our schedule:

1. 10th October 2024 - Part One: What the F*ck is Speciesism? An introduction to speciesism and the animal exploitation industrial complex.
2. 17th October 2024 - Part Two: What the F*ck is Humanity? Exploring the connections between speciesism and other social oppressions.
3. 24th October 2024 - Part Three: What the F*ck is Animality? Building relationships to human animality and the animality of other species. 
4. 31st October 2024 - Part Four: What the F*ck is Anti-Speciesism? An overview of the direct action roots of the animal rights movement and what it means to be an animal ally.
5. 7th November 2024 - Part Five: What the F*ck is Next? A group discussion where we cover what other topics haven’t been addressed and look towards the future.

TICKETS

I use a sliding-scale for accessibility. Please choose the level most suitable for you: 

• Scholarship - Under 18s Only! Please get in touch directly. 
• True Cost (£200) - Regular cost of the course. 
• Balance (£300) - For those who would like to support scholarships.

FAQs

Q: Who is this course for? Are there pre-requisites to joining?

A: Anybody, of any age, can join this course, as long as you have an open-mind and interest. It will be helpful to have some understanding of terms like ‘patriarchy’ or ‘white supremacy’, however I have curated the course so that it will be both accessible to beginners and enlightening to those who already have a solid understanding.

Due to the legitimisation of misinformation, the de-politicisation of veganism, and it’s general misrepresentation many of us (including those who have practiced veganism for years) are not particularly aware of it’s true meaning. Furthermore, among the ‘left’, the oppression of animals is a long-ignored and dismissed experience. This course will be valuable to so many people with varying levels of experience and knowledge.

Q: Isn’t all this information available somewhere else?

A: Definitely! Practices of veganism have existed for thousands of years and anti-speciesism is a politic people have lived, died, and been imprisoned for. There are books, videos, pamphlets, zines, podcasts, and much more on the subject. However, my offering is unique: not only is speciesism a highly under-discussed system of oppression, but my perspective as a Black “British” vegan enables me to better critique this movement as well as notice how intertwined speciesism is with other forms of violence. 

After over six years of being vegan, I have never seen an organised learning space dedicated to understanding (anti-)speciesism through an intersectional and holistic lens. I am a strong believer in “create the things you wish to see in the world” which is the driving force behind all my many projects, hence why I created this course and wrote my first book Radical Companionship.

Q: Can I book for my community group, organisation, or family?

A: If you are looking to book for multiple people (e.g., as a family or organisation) OR if you would like this course – or parts of this course – to be personalised for your company, organisation, or community group please contact me.