Developing a healthy, positive and inclusive animal rights movement is one of In Defense of Animals' key goals. We run the Sustainable Activism program which is entirely dedicated to supporting animal activists through challenging times. Since the dawn of #ARMeToo, we have been working hard to ensure the animal rights movement grows in this new and positive direction and learns from past errors. Now, on International Women’s Day, we want to share more details on In Defense of Animals’ contribution to making the world a more equal place for all, regardless of sex or species.

In Defense of Animals is a female-led organization with staff who have individually participated in the #MeToo movement. We stand against sexism, racism, discrimination, and harassment while promoting tolerance and respect for all beings. We are not perfect, but we strive to constantly improve and evolve, and always do what is in the best interest of animals, people, and the environment.

Humans have the potential for boundless empathy, and we challenge you to open up your circle of inclusivity to recognize all victims. This includes women and men who have experienced sexual abuse in the movement, and exploited animals whose fates are rigidly defined by sex from the moment of birth or hatching. On behalf of all the animals who cannot put into our words the institutionalized and normalized sexual exploitation that they suffer at the hands of the farming and zoo industries, we stand by #ThemToo.

In Defense of Animals is proud to be made up of a diverse group of campaigners, activists, staff and volunteers. We embrace and value the diversity of all our team members. It is the policy of In Defense of Animals to be inclusive and mindful of this diversity in our procedures, programs, and interactions with others. As an organization, we affirm that those around us and within our community are all individuals deserving of dignity and respect regardless of their species, age, culture, disabilities, ethnic origin, gender, gender identity, marital status, nationality, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. We are committed to providing and promoting a bias-free environment by addressing issues of equity and justice in our community through our research, publications, and interactions.

Behind-the-scenes, we have been providing our expertise to key organizations in the movement to encourage peaceful dialogue and professional mediation to truly overcome sexism within the animal rights community.

Our strength and success as an organization, and as a movement, is built on the foundation of a wide range of perspectives and experiences. We encourage all members of the animal rights movement to engage with each other respectfully and to be open to exploring and learning from experiences different than our own. We stand united against sexual harassment, repression, and abuse of all humans and animals.

If you have been affected by any of these issues, please reach our trained counselors by phone, text, email, or online chat: www.idausa.org/activistsupport