Animal rights activists from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) have urged their Twitter followers not to use animal names as insults. In their opinion, this is a manifestation of specialism – discrimination based on biological species.
“Calling someone an animal is an insult that reinforces the myth of the superiority of humans over other animals and justifies violence against them,” the organization's post says. Attached to it is a picture with the usual swear words, which can replace “animalophobic” insults.
In subsequent posts, representatives of the organization claim oppression, which is intensified by the fact that people attribute negative human traits to animals. Such statements, they say, make people insensitive, and killing animals – something normal.
“Spessish language is not just harmful, but also inaccurate,” insists PETA, and says that pigs are actually intelligent and empathic, and snakes enter into family relationships. Finally, activists call for completely abandoning curses and being kinder.
Many social network users ridiculed PETA's statement: they recalled that animals do not have a speech apparatus and they are not familiar with the concept of words, and their names are directly related to their signs.
Among those who criticized the organization's posts were vegan, animal rights advocates with years of experience: they felt that PETA made their entire community look ridiculous. “Sometimes I think you're doing this kind of thing to help the opponents of vegans. I think PETA has an agent provocateur with a sense of humor, ”wrote a user named Lauren Dudley.
