Scan barcode
savaging's review
4.0
Sunaura Tayler 'crips' animal liberation and critiques speciesist trends in ableism. The result is beautiful.
I've never encountered such a thoughtful, caring critical theory about other species. Those who care about other species need this: we need new ways to think about dependence and worth. I don't want to slide into that eco-theory that hates all domesticated beasts for being dependent. I don't want to slide into that veganism that idolizes thinness and health. And I also don't want to slide into an anti-ableism that carefully segregates us as superior to all other species out of fear that disabled people will be treated 'like animals.'
Instead I want this care, humility, open-mindedness, and fierce commitment to solidarity across difference.
I'm so happy this book exists.
I've never encountered such a thoughtful, caring critical theory about other species. Those who care about other species need this: we need new ways to think about dependence and worth. I don't want to slide into that eco-theory that hates all domesticated beasts for being dependent. I don't want to slide into that veganism that idolizes thinness and health. And I also don't want to slide into an anti-ableism that carefully segregates us as superior to all other species out of fear that disabled people will be treated 'like animals.'
Instead I want this care, humility, open-mindedness, and fierce commitment to solidarity across difference.
I'm so happy this book exists.
illtakethenightshiftx's review
informative
5.0
Beasts of Burden by Sunaura Taylor examines the interconnected, yet different, issues of disability rights and animal rights. Throughout the book, Taylor examines this while taking care to highlight their differences by using both historical, contemporary, and personal contexts. Throughout her analysis, Taylor pulls the curtain back on many of the historical and dominant views on both animal and disability rights which are rooted in white supremacy, heteronormativity, patriarchy, ableism, and capitalism.
There were many instances reading this where my jaw dropped and I marked, starred, and underlined passages multiple times because Taylor’s words helped me to articulate things I believe and try to convey to others, but somehow always come up short in my attempts. She dismantles the ideas of human exceptionalism, anthropocentrism, among others, and forces us to think critically about so much - including factory farming, treatment of disabled people, conscious and unconscious biases, language, and the historical and systemic reasons behind them.
Taylor doesn't shy away from addressing gaps in her analysis and framing and poses thought-provoking questions that are left unanswered, which is something I appreciated. Some questions don’t have an answer, or have an uncomfortable answer, and that’s okay. She challenges us to sit in our discomfort and really think critically about what is being asked.
Beasts of Burden is an urgent call and a critical lens to reframe what it means to be vegan and an intersectional approach to understanding the connections between disability justice and animal rights. This book was published prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I think it’s thesis and message need to be spread because the pandemic disproportionately affected the disabled community and is a disabling virus; long COVID is real and the full extent of the effects of the pandemic are yet to be realized.
All of this is to say - read! this! book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Ableism
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
bisexualbookshelf's review
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
In Sunaura Taylor's groundbreaking work, "Beasts of Burden: Animal and Disability Liberation," readers are invited into a realm where the intersections of disability justice, animal rights, and environmental activism converge. Taylor's poignant exploration sheds light on the parallels between ableism, speciesism, and capitalism, urging us to reconsider our perceptions of normality and challenge the systems of oppression that underpin our society.
The book delves deep into the intertwined narratives of disability and animal liberation, offering a critical analysis of the inherent ableism and anthropocentrism embedded within our language, culture, and institutions. Taylor deftly navigates complex topics with a blend of introspection and emotive language, inviting readers to reevaluate their understanding of cognition, agency, and autonomy.
One of the most striking aspects of Taylor's work is her ability to draw parallels between seemingly disparate struggles. Just as the queer community grapples with the need to assert and validate their identities, individuals with invisible disabilities often find themselves unseen and unrecognized in a society that privileges able-bodiedness. Through insightful anecdotes and reflective commentary, Taylor challenges us to confront the limitations of our perceptions and embrace a more inclusive understanding of humanity.
Throughout the book, Taylor presents a multifaceted examination of the environmental and ethical implications of our treatment of animals. Drawing on historical examples and contemporary realities, Taylor exposes the insidious ways in which profit-driven motives prioritize exploitation over empathy. Through powerful storytelling and incisive analysis, Taylor urges readers to reexamine their relationship with capitalism and advocate for a more equitable and compassionate society.
Central to Taylor's thesis is the recognition of the interconnectedness of all forms of oppression. By interrogating the intersections of race, ability, and species, she uncovers the underlying power structures that perpetuate inequality and exploitation. Through a lens of anti-capitalism and disability justice, Taylor advocates for a more compassionate and equitable approach to our interactions with animals and the environment.
"Beasts of Burden" is not merely a critique of the status quo but a call to action for readers to challenge entrenched systems of oppression and advocate for radical change. Taylor's accessible prose and insightful commentary make this book a must-read for anyone interested in the intersections of disability rights, animal liberation, and environmental justice.
In conclusion, "Beasts of Burden: Animal and Disability Liberation" is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the interconnected struggles for justice and liberation. Sunaura Taylor's impassioned advocacy and rigorous analysis offer readers a compelling vision of a more equitable and compassionate world.
📖 Recommended For: Advocates for Disability Justice, Animal Rights Activists, Environmentalists Engaged in Intersectional Advocacy, Those Seeking Nuanced and Interconnected Perspectives.
🔑 Key Themes: Intersections of Disability and Animal Liberation, Critique of Capitalism and Industrialized Agriculture, Reimagining Notions of Normality and Agency, Collective Struggle for Justice and Liberation.
The book delves deep into the intertwined narratives of disability and animal liberation, offering a critical analysis of the inherent ableism and anthropocentrism embedded within our language, culture, and institutions. Taylor deftly navigates complex topics with a blend of introspection and emotive language, inviting readers to reevaluate their understanding of cognition, agency, and autonomy.
One of the most striking aspects of Taylor's work is her ability to draw parallels between seemingly disparate struggles. Just as the queer community grapples with the need to assert and validate their identities, individuals with invisible disabilities often find themselves unseen and unrecognized in a society that privileges able-bodiedness. Through insightful anecdotes and reflective commentary, Taylor challenges us to confront the limitations of our perceptions and embrace a more inclusive understanding of humanity.
Throughout the book, Taylor presents a multifaceted examination of the environmental and ethical implications of our treatment of animals. Drawing on historical examples and contemporary realities, Taylor exposes the insidious ways in which profit-driven motives prioritize exploitation over empathy. Through powerful storytelling and incisive analysis, Taylor urges readers to reexamine their relationship with capitalism and advocate for a more equitable and compassionate society.
Central to Taylor's thesis is the recognition of the interconnectedness of all forms of oppression. By interrogating the intersections of race, ability, and species, she uncovers the underlying power structures that perpetuate inequality and exploitation. Through a lens of anti-capitalism and disability justice, Taylor advocates for a more compassionate and equitable approach to our interactions with animals and the environment.
"Beasts of Burden" is not merely a critique of the status quo but a call to action for readers to challenge entrenched systems of oppression and advocate for radical change. Taylor's accessible prose and insightful commentary make this book a must-read for anyone interested in the intersections of disability rights, animal liberation, and environmental justice.
In conclusion, "Beasts of Burden: Animal and Disability Liberation" is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the interconnected struggles for justice and liberation. Sunaura Taylor's impassioned advocacy and rigorous analysis offer readers a compelling vision of a more equitable and compassionate world.
📖 Recommended For: Advocates for Disability Justice, Animal Rights Activists, Environmentalists Engaged in Intersectional Advocacy, Those Seeking Nuanced and Interconnected Perspectives.
🔑 Key Themes: Intersections of Disability and Animal Liberation, Critique of Capitalism and Industrialized Agriculture, Reimagining Notions of Normality and Agency, Collective Struggle for Justice and Liberation.
11corvus11's review
5.0
Edited to add Sunaura and Astra's important and amazing manifesto here: https://lux-magazine.com/article/our-animals-ourselves/
Original review: This book is spectacular. Carol Adams told me about this book about a year before it came out when I was talking to her at a conference. I mentioned that I don't know a lot of people who write about the intersection of disability and animal liberation and she told me that "Beasts of Burden" was in the works. I also read Sunaura Taylor's contribution to the Ecofeminism anthology which completely rocked my world. From that point forward, I eagerly awaited the release date of Sunaura Taylor's book. So, I went into this with very high expectations that were difficult to meet. This book surpassed them.
Sunaura tackles topics of disability and animal liberation without separating them from each other or many of the other oppressions that are intertwined with them like race, class, gender, and so on. At the same time, she give the topics and members of these groups the individualized attention they deserve. One of the best parts about this book is that Taylor does not shy away from the difficult conversations such as forced nonhuman animal research for human health issues, abolitionist rhetoric of rewilding animals and the extinction of domestication (and in turn- the maligning of (inter)dependence), some animal rights activists seeing themselves as "voices for the voiceless," the barriers to accessing vegan food for some people with severe health struggles, and so on. She tackles these topics head on, having discussions about issues where nonhuman animal liberation and disabled human liberation seem to collide- and often shows that they are connected rather than at odds with each other. Taylor also does not shy away from directly and honestly addressing the works of people like Peter Singer and Temple Grandin who represent famous and damaging representations of animal liberation in relation to disability and disability in relation to animal liberation. She is able to parse out the things that have merit while effectively calling attention to the things that do not.
I really hope this book becomes one of the staples of animal liberation discourse and disability discourse. Sunaura Taylor argues quite well that the two and intertwined and that ableism is at the center of nonhuman animal oppression and that speciesism is part of the ammo used to demean people with disabilities. It is an invaluable contribution that will hopefully help us create more connections between our movements.
Original review: This book is spectacular. Carol Adams told me about this book about a year before it came out when I was talking to her at a conference. I mentioned that I don't know a lot of people who write about the intersection of disability and animal liberation and she told me that "Beasts of Burden" was in the works. I also read Sunaura Taylor's contribution to the Ecofeminism anthology which completely rocked my world. From that point forward, I eagerly awaited the release date of Sunaura Taylor's book. So, I went into this with very high expectations that were difficult to meet. This book surpassed them.
Sunaura tackles topics of disability and animal liberation without separating them from each other or many of the other oppressions that are intertwined with them like race, class, gender, and so on. At the same time, she give the topics and members of these groups the individualized attention they deserve. One of the best parts about this book is that Taylor does not shy away from the difficult conversations such as forced nonhuman animal research for human health issues, abolitionist rhetoric of rewilding animals and the extinction of domestication (and in turn- the maligning of (inter)dependence), some animal rights activists seeing themselves as "voices for the voiceless," the barriers to accessing vegan food for some people with severe health struggles, and so on. She tackles these topics head on, having discussions about issues where nonhuman animal liberation and disabled human liberation seem to collide- and often shows that they are connected rather than at odds with each other. Taylor also does not shy away from directly and honestly addressing the works of people like Peter Singer and Temple Grandin who represent famous and damaging representations of animal liberation in relation to disability and disability in relation to animal liberation. She is able to parse out the things that have merit while effectively calling attention to the things that do not.
I really hope this book becomes one of the staples of animal liberation discourse and disability discourse. Sunaura Taylor argues quite well that the two and intertwined and that ableism is at the center of nonhuman animal oppression and that speciesism is part of the ammo used to demean people with disabilities. It is an invaluable contribution that will hopefully help us create more connections between our movements.
hagbard_celine's review
4.0
Was not expecting the author to have a go at Temple Grandin's nonsense, but boy was i happy for it.
sugar_on_your_soul's review against another edition
Co za zmieniająca w głowie rzeczy i przestawiająca schematy doskonała książka!!! Nie wiem co by się musiało stać, żeby nie była w mojej topce roku
drewboo's review
5.0
Absolutely necessary, approachable, and nuanced interrogation of the way ableism and speciesism interconnect in assumptions of value, labour, self-determination, and ethical consideration.