This week we bid a fond farewell to The Bearded Vegans. We’ll discuss why we came to this decision, reminisce about the past 6 years, and talk about what’s next. If you haven’t listened to all of Episode 299 yet, give that a listen before you dive into this one. All episodes will remain available in perpetuity, and bonus episodes can soon be found at TheBeardedVegans.com/bonus Find a full transcript of this episode here! Thanks everyone! Want to keep the conversation going? In addition to the work of all previous guests of the podcast, we also recommend: Watch The Cranky Vegan on Youtube Follow and engage with Vegan_Abolitionniste on Instagram Follow and engage with Anti-Speciesist Arts Collective on Instagram Read Aphro-ism: Essays on Pop Culture, Feminism, and Black Veganism from Two Sisters by Aph Ko and Syl Ko Read: Racism as Zoological Witchcraft: A Guide to Getting Out Book by Aph Ko

We seem to spend so much time talking about the things we don’t like, and the things we don’t want to see in our idealized world, that we thought it was high time we devote a discussion to exploring some of the things we actually DO want to see in that future, and more importantly, actions we can take to start honoring that future right this very second. Plus, a big announcement! TRANSCRIPT  Connect with us: Email TheBeardedVegans [at] gmail [dot] comLeave a voicemail: (323) 7BEARDOVisit TheBeardedVegans.comSupport the podcast and get bonus episodes and merch HERE.Follow on Instagram and Facebook

With the mainstream movement placing so much emphasis on learning marketing techniques and social psychology in order to most effectively convert individuals to a plant based diet, we ask if manipulation is an inherent part of this type of activism. If it is, is that a bad thing? We’ll also talk about the difference between manipulation, persuasion, influence, and coercion, and how do they play into the struggle for justice.  Plus we talk about this absolutely bizarre marketing campaign, touting a podcast playlist purporting to use hypnotherapy to get people to stop eating meat. We’ll ask, what the hell is up with that, and why did so many outlets report on this as if it was a real thing? A transcript of this episode is available here. Connect with us: Email TheBeardedVegans [at] gmail [dot] comLeave a voicemail: (323) 7BEARDOVisit TheBeardedVegans.comSupport the podcast and get bonus episodes and merch HERE.Follow on Instagram and Facebook Get Off Meat Hypnosis. 

We’ve got a jam packed episode today. First we talk to Jamila Alfred of the Afro Vegan Society to learn all about the upcoming National Afro-Vegan Conference Virtual Summit.  Then we are joined, once again, by lauren Ornelas, founder of the Food Empowerment Project to ask if non-profit chapters are a form of colonization. This is a topic she spoke about at the 2019 Animal Rights Conference and we were curious to pick her brain a bit more about why she came to this conclusion the implications it creates for activists. We discus why FEP decided to disband their Washington chapter as well as prohibit the formation of any new chapters. And ultimately we talk about strategies for moving forward.  A transcript of this episode is available here. The Links: Food Empowerment Project – Website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Youtube  Afro Vegan Society – Website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter  National Afro-Vegan Conference Virtual Summit  Nov 13th, 2021 Episodes referenced: Episode 2 – Living In A Non-Vegan World w/ lauren Ornelas Episode 143 – Should Vegans Support Corporate Campaigns? w/ lauren Ornelas Episode 162 – Vegan Food Justice w/ Brenda Sanders Bonus Food episode – Darë cheese, Paul’s visit to Pittsburgh, Purple Carrot, Haunted hayrides, fostering kittens, and more! Connect with us: Email TheBeardedVegans [at] gmail [dot] comLeave a voicemail: (323) 7BEARDOVisit TheBeardedVegans.comSupport the podcast and get bonus episodes and merch HERE.Follow on Instagram and Facebook

About a year and a half ago, the pandemic was just getting into full swing in the United States and we were just starting to see the seeds of COVID conspiracy being sewn within vegans and plant based dieters. We did an episode speculating on whether or not vegans are more susceptible to falling for these conspiracies than the general population. Of course, the episode was filled with wild, barely-substantiated speculation (as we’ve been known to do). Flash forward to today and we have a year and a half worth of anecdotal evidence to base a follow up episode on. The big question lingers; have things gotten worse?  Instead of merely speculating, this time we turn to the inimitable Christopher Sebastian, whose job working in media studies involves monitoring and documenting trends in social media engagement. We’ll talk about how social media is being utilized by pseudoscientific grifters and far right ideologues to radicalize vegans into conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers, and worse. Is this a problem of our own making? And most importantly, is there anything we can do to reverse course?  A transcript of this episode is available here! Connect with Christopher Sebastian via his Website, Instagram, and Patreon. What Do Vegans And Conspiracy Theories Have In Common? (EuroNews) Connect with us: Email TheBeardedVegans [at] gmail [dot] comLeave a voicemail: (323) 7BEARDOVisit TheBeardedVegans.comSupport the podcast and get bonus episodes and merch HERE.Follow on Instagram and Facebook Episodes referenced: Episode 288: Vaccines And Vegan Ethics w/ Dr. Priyumvada Naik.  Episode 228: Are Vegans More Susceptible To COVID Conspiracies? 

As we’ve spent the last few weeks talking about some legislative measures that have the aim to greatly hinder the animal agriculture industry, we received an email asking what responsibility the vegan activists bear for potentially harming the mental health of farmers (specifically those exploiting animals). Whether it is targeted harassment campaigns, the looming threat of their industry shrinking, or smaller farms constantly being consolidated into industry giants, there is certainly plenty that could cause distress and mental anguish. We’ll ask if this is really a problem or merely disingenuous claims meant to turn public favor against vegans. If it IS a problem, what responsibility do we bear to mitigate it?  A transcript of this episode will be available here on October 13th. Connect with us: Email TheBeardedVegans [at] gmail [dot] comLeave a voicemail: (323) 7BEARDOVisit TheBeardedVegans.comSupport the podcast and get bonus episodes and merch HERE.Follow on Instagram and Facebook Episodes referenced: Interview with lauren Ornelas of Food Empowerment Project Are Your Taxes Cancelling Your Veganism? w/ Connie Spend and Laura Reece of Agriculture Fairness Alliance.  The Links: Donate to Donate to Lilith Fund 2017 Census Of Agriculture How a simple CDC error inflated the farmer suicide crisis story—and led to a rash of inaccurate reporting (The Counter, 2018) USDA statistics Coalition of Immockalee Workers Factory Farm Workers – Food Empowerment Project Prevalence of serious psychological distress among slaughterhouse workers at a United States beef packing plant (National Library of Medicine) Key Risk Factors Affecting Farmers’ Mental Health: A Systematic Review Online abuse and farm protests: the vegans impacting on farmers’ mental health Veganism row breaks out after Joaquin Phoenix is told: be kinder to farmers (Guardian Feb 2020) Put veganism into perspective (NFU March 2019)

This week we continue our discussion about legislative tactics that might help animals. Starting with a brief look at the Plant Based Treaty and then moving on to welfare measures such as Prop 2 and Prop 12. With Prop 12, which requires specific square footage for animals exploited for food, about to take effect in CA many farmers are feeling the ripple effects of the measure. As they tell it, this new move could cost the industry millions and destroy their ability to profit off the death of animals. Could that possibly be the case? We’ll conclude by looking at a few bold initiatives that have the potential to go far beyond the mild welfare measures currently in place. A transcript will be available here on October 6th. Connect with us: Email TheBeardedVegans [at] gmail [dot] comLeave a voicemail: (323) 7BEARDOVisit TheBeardedVegans.comSupport the podcast and get bonus episodes and merch HERE.Follow on Instagram and Facebook Links and images coming soon!

This week we are taking a look at a recent run of various globe-spanning legislative developments relating to legally establishing animal sentience. What do these moves actually mean for animals? It’s time to speculate wildly! A transcript of this episode is available here. Connect with us: Email TheBeardedVegans [at] gmail [dot] comLeave a voicemail: (323) 7BEARDOVisit TheBeardedVegans.comSupport the podcast and get bonus episodes and merch HERE.Follow on Instagram and Facebook The Links: Animal rights groups sue over latest Iowa farm trespass law (Agrinews) S.Korea to grant legal status to animals to tackle abuse, abandonment (Reuters) Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill Action Plan For Animals Welfare

What’s up, beardos?! This week we bring back a classic interview that is quite possibly our most referenced. Of course, nothing can truly “cancel out” one’s personal vegan practice, but a lot of the potential practical good being done by a vegan population is consistently undermined by our taxes dollars. You know how every year we hear about less and less people drinking cow’s milk, and yet every year we also hear about massive dairy bailouts?  We talk to Laura Reese and Connie Spence of Agriculture Fairness Alliance and Liberation 360 about the subsidies and bailouts that keep animal agriculture afloat. Most importantly, we talk about the creative strategies they are implementing to do something about it.  TRANSCRIPT of the original episode. Want to get involved immediately? Check out the Agriculture Fairness Alliance’s call to action page HERE. The Links: Agriculture Fairness Alliance – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – YouTube Liberation 360  – Instagram Connie Spence on Instagram Connect with us: Email TheBeardedVegans [at] gmail [dot] comLeave a voicemail: (323) 7BEARDOVisit TheBeardedVegans.comSupport the podcast and get bonus episodes and merch HERE.Follow on Instagram and Facebook

This week we’ve got a surprise film review of Eating Our Way To Extinction, which releases on Sept 16th. Andy backed this film on Indiegogo back in 2017 and since then it has grown and gathered a number of celebrity endorsements and participants. Now narrated by Kate Winslet and featuring appearances from Tony Robbins and Richard Branson, among many others. We’ll see if this celeb narrated, environmentally focused documentary can stand out in a now very crowded field.  Eating Our Way To Extinction releases to the public on Sept 16th. Connect with us: Email TheBeardedVegans [at] gmail [dot] comLeave a voicemail: (323) 7BEARDOVisit TheBeardedVegans.comSupport the podcast and get bonus episodes and merch HERE.Follow on Instagram and Facebook