All Animals Have Rights

One of the oldest tenets in human civilization is the Golden Rule; it is expressed in virtually all religions, and is seen as one of the most fundamental truths. That is, do unto others as you would have them do unto you — or, in simpler terms — treat others as you would like to be treated. While the vast majority of people would agree with this sentiment, when it comes to the treatment of animals, only some find themselves able to extend this circle of compassion.

As a result, the animal rights movement has been an important step in ensuring that this sense of compassion is given to animals. So what are animal rights and why should animals have them? Quite simply, animal rights refers to the idea that all animals deserve to have control over their own lives, and that they should be able to live their lives free of human cruelty and exploitation. Every day, innocent creatures are subjected to unspeakable horrors at the hands of humans, often because there is something to be gained economically. Because animals are unable to advocate for themselves, it is up to humans to stand up for their protection. This is the basis of the animal rights movement.

The animal rights movement is a social movement that seeks to eliminate the use of animals as property, and that questions the distinctions between humans and animals. It asks, are animals truly all that different from humans? Are they not simply other living creatures coexisting on this planet? And do they not deserve the right to thrive, just as we do? These are important philosophical questions that fuel the animal rights movement. Through activism and consciousness-raising, animal rights advocates fight for animal liberation in the political, economic, social, and even ideological realm.

Animals are sentient and conscious creatures that demonstrate striking similarities to humans. Although they may not express them identically to humans, any pet owner can easily tell that each animal is unique, precious in its own identity, and its life should be cherished and protected. Many people believe that certain animals cannot feel pain, or because humans express higher intelligence than certain animals they should not be concerned about animal welfare, but these notions are easily refuted when we consider the cognitive and paradigmatic biases from which they arise.

Speciesism is the discriminatory practice of giving certain rights and privileges to individuals based solely on the species group to which they belong. Like sexism, racism, or ageism, it is a flawed system of belief that does not take into account the basic rights to life that all animals deserve. Anthropocentrism is a similar term that denotes a set of beliefs that places humans above all other animals; again, it makes a moral distinction between humans and animals. Finally, sentiocentrism is the belief that if an animal cannot feel, sense, or experience the same things that a human can, then that animal should not be awarded the same status as a human. All of these belief systems are borne of a false sense of righteousness and entitlement. Once these cognitive biases are overcome, the reality that all animals do have rights becomes salient.

Another right of animals that must be respected is the right to thrive in a clean, safe, and sustainable environment. It has grown increasingly clear that human behaviour has wreaked unprecedented havoc on some of the most sensitive ecosystems in the world, turning what used to be lush rainforests into flat plains, and bustling coral reefs into ocean wastelands. By destroying the environment for human gain, we are also destroying some of the only places our animal relatives can call home. Thus, the environmental or ‘green’ movement is also closely linked with the animal rights movement. Because the two are inextricably connected, it is clear that in order to protect and ensure animal rights, we also have to become stewards of the earth and fight for environmental sustainability.

The use of animals for products is perhaps one of the most disconcerting displays of human greed that has grown in popularity. When there is an economic incentive, many people disregard morality altogether. For example, poachers, shark finners, and black market participants often view animals solely as commodities. Quite disturbingly, the basic rights of a life are discarded and replaced with a dollar sign. Given that animals have the right to live free of suffering at the hands of humans, it is crucial that we consider the many viable alternatives to animal products. By voting with our dollars, so to speak, we can make an impact on the global animal trade. We must also hold those who manufacture animal products or conduct animal testing publicly accountable.

Ultimately, animal rights activists have a strong sense of core beliefs guided by an unwavering morality. Some of the primary things that animal rights advocates believe are:

non-human animals are conscious beings, not machines or objects

non-human animals have interests of their own

human beings should respect the interests of non-human animals

human beings should not exploit non-human animals

human beings should not treat non-human animals as objects

human beings should not kill non-human animals

Although the topic of animal rights is one that could span volumes, it is my sincere wish that this article has sparked some interest and will generate discussion about the basis of the animal rights movement and why it is important. I firmly believe that it is up to each of us to be courageous enough to stand up for animal rights, as it is a progressive movement that will ultimately result in a more compassionate and equitable world.

SHENITA ETWAROO © All rights reserved.

Fur Farms-Stop the Cruelty!!!

 

You wake up in a filthy, cramped metal cage, surrounded by dozens of others who are all as confused and scared as you are. You don’t know why you’re there, but others around you keep disappearing.You don’t know where they’re going, but their agonized cries tell you their destination is a place of death and suffering.

One day, someone grabs you from your suffocating prison and takes you against your will. You know you’re about to experience the same horrors as the others who have been taken. The air stinks of blood. You are hung from your feet, and before you can scream in protest, you feel the searing pain of a knife cutting into you…

If this disturbs you, be aware that this is the fate of thousands of animals globally, who are often skinned alive for their fur.Eighty-five percent of the fur industry’s skins come from animals on fur factory farms.We must ask ourselves: why are animals subjected to such inhumane treatment, and what can we do to put an end to such cruelty?

While it is true that humans have been wearing animal fur for millennia, what is unprecedented is the severe abuse that animals experience solely for economic and materialistic indulgence. In early human civilization, animal fur was used for sheer survival and necessity, but this is clearly no longer the case today. As human technology has progressed and created a diverse range of clothing options available, there is no reason to wear animal fur other than for conspicuous consumption and monetary gain. In a capitalist and competitive global market, fur farming methods are designed to benefit only the bottom line. In the end, innocent animals pay the ultimate price.The true bottom line is that fur-farming is a shamefully inhumane practice, and it is our responsibility to put an end to this cruelty.

What kinds of animals are killed in fur farms?

According to Born Free USA, more than 36 million animals die on fur farms around the world each year. Thirty-one million (or about 90 percent) of these animals are mink. Foxes account for another 4.5 million, while chinchillas, sable, ferret (usually marketed as “fitch”), coypus (an aquatic mammal also known as “nutria”), and raccoon dogs (not to be confused with the North American raccoon), account for most of the remaining half-million animals. Due to the recent drop in pelt prices for mink and fox, some of U.S. fur farms have attempted to ‘diversify’ by raising bobcat, coyote, raccoon, and beavers, along with coypus and rabbits — all in equally abhorrent conditions.

What happens in fur farms?

When they see the term “farmed fur,” many people conjure images of a lush farm where animals are treated humanely, but the harsh reality is that this couldn’t be further from the truth. Although animal rights advocates have done a phenomenal job of raising awareness about the cruelties involved in fur trapping, little attention has been paid to the atrocities that take place on fur farms, sometimes also referred to euphemistically as “fur ranches.” A recent study conducted for the International Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies indicated that most respondents objected to trapping animals to make fur products and voiced a preference for furs from fur farms (Born Free USA). It is now time for the public to realize that fur farms are just as cruel as trapping.

Animals in fur farms often spend their entire lives in tiny cages that are stacked on top of each other, with feces and urine falling down through the cages into their food and water. They have nothing to stand on but cold, hard, wire mesh. In many cases, animals must share cages with each other in a single cage that does not allow for full movement.

Often times, animals are left with no protection from the elements.As a result, studies have shown that up to 85 percent of these confined animals develop behavioral abnormalities, such as rocking, head-bobbing, self-mutilation, psychosis, and infanticide due to anxiety, boredom, and an inability to live in a way that meets their instinctual needs.

As cruel as life on a fur farm is, the methods of killing used in these factories of death are horrifying to say the least. On U.S. and European fur farms, one of the most frequently used methods of killing animals is electrocution: the “farmer” puts a metal clamp in an animal’s mouth, a metal rod in the anus, and sends a high-voltage current surging through the body. Sometimes the power surge forces the rod out of the anus, so the procedure must be repeated to kill the animal. Other commonly-employed techniques include: homemade gas chambers, such as a box hooked up to a tractor exhaust pipe; lethal injection of various chemicals that kill through paralysis, which can result in immobilized animals being skinned alive; and neck breaking (Born Free USA).

China is the world’s largest fur exporter, and its fur farms have demonstrated some of the most harrowing abuses of animal rights to date. Before they are skinned, humans yank the animals from their cages, throw them to the ground, and bludgeon them. Undercover investigators from Swiss Animal Protection/EAST International found that many animals are still alive and struggling desperately when workers flip them onto their backs or hang them up by their legs or tails to skin them. Some of the animals’ hearts are still beating five to 10 minutes after they are skinned. Due to the absence of regulations, many animal furs (including cat and dog) are advertised as different animals. There are currently no penalties for abusing animals on fur farms in China.

What can we do to stop fur farming?

Fur farming, like any other industry, depends on the basic economic process of supply and demand. Consequently, the best way to stop fur farming is to ensure that you do not buy any fur products — including any products using fur trim — and take extra precaution even when buying faux fur. Because there are very few countries that have regulations or laws against fur farming, we must pressure our governments to end this cruelty for the sake of fashion, economic greed, and status. International laws are diverse in strength, but a few countries have strictly regulated or completely banned fur farms (Austria, the United Kingdom, and Croatia have bans, the Netherlands has a ban on fox and chinchilla farming, and New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland have strict regulations).

No federal laws regulate how the animals on the nearly 400 fur farms in operation in the U.S. are to be housed, cared for, or killed. However, recently, West Hollywood, California became the first city to ban the sale of wearable fur in the form of any article of clothing. Let us follow in their footsteps and put pressure on our government leaders to set a global example. It is clear that no living creature deserves to be treated this way, and if we are to make any strides as a compassionate society, we must abolish fur farming.

SHENITA ETWAROO © All rights reserved.

The Time to Help Animals is Now: The Groundbreaking Film Cry of the Innocent Makes Us Think Before We Buy

It has been said that all art seeks to explore and understand the human condition. What distinguishes us as humans? How do we differ from our fellow animal companions? Is it our proclivity for self-reflexivity, our ability to acknowledge our place in the universe, and our endless desire to expand our knowledge? Perhaps. Yet, it is my firm conviction that it is our inherent drive for empathy that is what renders us truly humane. It is this aspect of our consciousness that director Kathleen Lowson wants us to explore, and her film Cry of the Innocent: The Voices That Can’t Speak is a call to action, urging us to ask and answer the question: who are you wearing?

Taking a unique soul perspective, the film is a psychological and spiritual study of the human condition focusing on the cruelty, absurdity, and frivolity of the modern fur trade. This unnecessary practice is a symptom, a sign that as a species, we are in need of elevating our consciousness, expanding it such that all life forms are treated with the dignity, love, and respect they deserve. Lowson impresses upon the viewer that “when we disconnect from the suffering of sentient beings, we disconnect from our own suffering.” This is a statement that merits deep reflection, as her words could not ring more true.

What makes this film so accessible and unique in its approach is that it does not employ shocking and gruesome imagery to communicate its message; rather, it unveils the reality of these innocent animals. It asks the viewer difficult questions, inspiring us to delve beyond our egos and into the deeper aspects of our psyches, to demand why it is that we as a species have tolerated the abuse and slaughter of animals in the name of fashion and temporary economic gain. It illuminates the reality that we have little to gain from such deplorable acts, and so, so much to lose. Namely, if we cannot recognize the pain and irreparable damage that occurs when we so callously end the life of an innocent, not only to the animal, but to our own humanity, how can we hope to bring about true peace and change in this world?

Lowson delivers this message with a conscious, gentle, and philosophical touch. She presents the viewer with the disturbing reality that countless animals must endure at the hands of certain humans. The film begins with the Canadian seal “hunt,” the largest mass slaughter of marine mammals in the world. Appallingly, it is subsidized by the Canadian government, bringing Kathleen to encourage us to boycott the Canadian seafood industry. By empowering an industry that profits from death and cruelty to animals, we are only perpetuating a stagnation of the human spirit, rather than stimulating its growth.

She also brings to light the deplorable and unspeakably repugnant conditions in China, where dogs and cats are killed for their fur to create trinkets and trim on clothing. It may come as surprising to some readers, but Lowson stresses that even items labelled as “faux fur” or “synthetic fur” may actually be dog and cat fur. Depicting these beautiful creatures crammed by the dozen into stifling cages, these images are heartbreaking and difficult to watch, but it is crucial that we open our eyes to the horrific crimes that take place in these fur factories. Kathleen Lowson calls on each of us to question why we invest in China, and to demand that laws be put in place to protect these vulnerable and defenseless animals who are unable to speak for themselves.

Over 50 million animals, from baby seals, dogs, cats, foxes, minks, rabbits, raccoons, and other innocent creatures are killed in the name of profit and fashion. And due to the globalization of the fur trade, it is virtually impossible to know the countries in which fur products are made. Even if a fur garment’s label says it was made in a European country, it is likely that the animals were raised and slaughtered elsewhere; in a majority of the cases, on an unregulated Chinese fur farm. These facts make clear the urgency of establishing laws that will put an end to these acts of cruelty, abuse, and murder. The time to help animals is now, and Cry of the Innocent: The Voices that Can’t Speak is a monumental film and call to action that is a magnificent contribution to the animal rights movement.

SHENITA ETWAROO © All rights reserved.

Be Kind and Cruelty Free to Animals and Humans

 

When it comes to life, pain is somewhat inevitable. We can try to escape it all we want, but we will always encounter it when we least expect it.Whether it’s the passing of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or stubbing your toe on a wall — pain is something which touches all of our lives.Although we cannot eliminate pain altogether, we can certainly take steps to reduce it in ourselves and God’s creatures, humans and animals. Although some negative things which happen in our lives are inevitably due to “acts of God” and freak accidents, many are put in place by people with poor morals and motivations.

Sometimes we may find that we are hurting our loved ones, whether obviously or in more subtle ways. If you have a light-hearted relationship with someone, it can be easy to “tease” them and “insult” them without thinking too much of it, prodding them constantly with microaggressions and insecurities.People who wear their heart on their sleeve are likely to inform you if you’re bothering them excessively.People who hide their emotions, however, are more likely to bottle their pain up inside until it reaches a critical mass.The latter type of person is plentiful, and you may not realize it until it’s too late.

Treat your neighbour as you would like to be treated is one of the cornerstones of human civilization which epitomizes how we have become so advanced as a species on the planet.Human beings are social animals who need to interact with one another and help one another in order to survive and thrive in the long-term. Though there are inevitably problems and exceptions, being considerate of our fellow humans has allowed us to get to where we are today.

Although we have generally learned that treating other humans with contempt is wrong, especially if unjustified, many of us still abuse and show hatred to animals nonetheless. Although growing trends of veganism, vegetarianism, and cruelty-free products are emerging in recent years, more has to be done in order to protect the well-being of animals. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a meat-eater, a vegan, or anything in between, we can all still get behind the humane and compassionate treatment of animals.

It’s easy to jump to meat-eating when it comes to animal rights, although there are many other things to consider too. For example, some people are abusive and mean to their pets, striking them and causing them severe distress.We should always remember that the animals we share this planet with have just as much right to be here as we do, even if we can be deemed the “smarter” species of the two. Being smart and/or superior to other animals does not give us the right to be mean or abusive to them! If someone said this about powerful humans and weaker humans, they would be immediately chastised for it.

The sad thing about animal cruelty is that animals are 100% innocent and don’t deserve to suffer. Animals can only try to act out physically, something which often sees them being retaliated against.Even though animals fight naturally in the wild, this is simply part of the food chain process; they do not fight one another in the name of a sick kind of pleasure. As a result, humans should do the same, treating them with respect and avoiding confrontations with them at all times.

SHENITA ETWAROO © All rights reserved.

Animal Adoption Rocks

 

You’ve heard a lot about rescue animals, but what are they, really? At the park, you’ve probably met more than one friendly face proudly smiling at their pal and proclaiming them a ‘rescue’ baby.The term is endearingly sweet, and very meaningful to the parent, but the implications of the meaning may be very grave and shocking to you.

You see, for a pet to be considered a rescue animal, this means that they will have to have been literally rescued from a situation or shelter in which they otherwise would have been subjected to euthanasia.

A rescue baby and a parent can create a lifelong bond of unconditional love and trust.

Some animals are also considered rescues when they are taken from abusive or neglectful homes and rehomed to a responsible pet owner.Whatever the case, a rescue is an animal saved from a horrible fate by a kind-hearted person.

Just hearing all of that underscores one of the most important reasons there are to adopt or rescue rather than buy a pet: individuals selling the litters of their animals are not only committing an act that is morally ambiguous on its own, but saving an innocent creature from being killed is the obvious and superior choice.

Some people may turn up their nose at an animal that doesn’t have a pedigree and is not purely bred, but ask yourself, does a thing like that really matter?

Our pets are here for us to love and take care of them, period, and whether or not they have papers to prove a pure bloodline have nothing to do with that.

Our animal companions love us in turn for providing them with safe and loving homes, along with the occasional treat and new toy, and this is what truly matters.You can love a rescue pet just as easily as a pedigreed pet, and they can return your love just as easily, too.

You may have to prove that you have accommodations necessary for the animal that you’re rescuing, and you may also have to pay a fee.Usually these fees are important contributions that help feed the animals that have yet to be rescued, and keeps these innocent creatures from being sheltered in a place that would euthanize if they were not adopted after a certain period of time.

The amount you pay to adopt your rescue pet is worth much less than the life of the animal, of course, and the love and bond you’ll experience with your pet over the years will outshine that paltry dollar sign very quickly.

SHENITA ETWAROO © All rights reserved.

Help Needy Animals with Your Support Today!

The world is full of animals in need, and far too often, their cries for help are left unanswered. Every so often, an advertisement seeking funding for needy animals will come on the television as I work on my articles and I’ll turn to my rabbit Neon and cat Pippa, resting in their nest of cozy toys and pastel pink blanket, and remark to them that I love them. Just recently, in fact, I was hit with this random, gut-wrenching feeling at the simple thought of my rabbit and cat feeling sad, or perhaps scared. There’s no doubt that I love my rabbit and cat, just like there’s no doubt that virtually all pet owners love their pets, but how often do we turn a blind eye to the sad commercials? How often do we walk past a stray cat on the street?

It’s easy to feel defeatist, especially in the current climate of animal rights. Which of our victories are real victories when vivisection is still a very real experience for some of our poor fellow earthlings? It’s important, however, to stop and think about how seemingly microscopic actions make an enormous difference to those that we’re helping.

About two years ago, a friend of mine went to go and teach English to schoolchildren in South Korea. There is a specific breed of dog there that is bred for the purposes of consumption, and my friend was well aware of this before she left. I asked her how she felt about this before she left at the time and she shook her shoulders.

“I don’t know. . .” she said. “Is it really all that different from thinking tea cup pigs are cute, and eating bacon?”

Fast forward several months. My friend has settled into her new life in a major South Korean city and uses public transportation to get to her different schools. She is happy, and posts about her adventures on social media. Late at night, however, she sends me a message. She revealed to me that her bus route takes her straight by one of the restaurants that serves cat and dog as a meal, and that earlier that day, she had seen a shipment of cats and dogs arrive.

“I couldn’t breathe,” she said to me, obviously still emotionally shaken. “It was everything I could do not to break down on the way to the kindergarten.”

Later on, my friend met an old man who kept one of those dogs as a puppy, and she would walk past him and the pup daily. She would exchange pleasantries and pet the dog, and one day, she asked what his name was. The man replied with a bright laugh and the Korean word for dinner, again shaking my friend deeply.

Days later, my friend returned to that old man and offered him payment in return for the puppy.

Now, a year later and back on US soil, my animal companions and my friend’s dog play together every now and then.

What my friend did did not halt the industry that so disturbed and hurt her on an emotional level. What she did, however, made a world of difference to one sweet little dog.

Think about this the next time you wonder what difference you, as an individual, can make. Please Help Needy Needy Animals Today!

SHENITA ETWAROO © All rights reserved.

Stopping Horse Abuse

 

 In the 1877 classic novel Black Beauty, audiences learned to empathize with the sufferings of a horse forced to pull cabs through London. Yet 137 years later, horse-drawn carriages are still popular in a number of cities around the world, including New York City. Even horse lovers will go for a horse-drawn carriage ride in the city, thinking of it as romantic and fun. Most people do not realize the hardships and suffering that horses working in New York City go through. The harsh reality is that horses are not meant to work long, difficult hours in an urban environment, and this work constitutes nothing less than animal cruelty.

There are about 220 horses in NYC who work drawing carriages. They usually work about nine hours a day, seven days a week. At the end of the day, instead of being turned out into pastures as is healthy for horses, they are placed in stalls near the Lincoln Tunnel and West Side Highway. They do not have a chance to run around, roll, eat grass, or socialize as is normal for horses. Then, at the end of a long and tiring career, carriage horses do not get to retire out to a pasture somewhere. Instead, most worn-out horses are either slaughtered for dog food or sold to overseas slaughterhouses that will sell their meat to people abroad.

Horses are simply not meant to live their entire lives in an urban environment like NYC. The carriages they must pull are a very heavy load, and they must pull them all day across hard pavement, which is bad for their hooves and joints. Many drivers force their horses to work even in high temperatures, which have caused a number of horses to collapse while pulling carriages. The horses breathe in exhaust from all the surrounding vehicles, which can lead to respiratory problems. They can be spooked by the many loud sounds characteristic of a large city. In addition to harming themselves, the horses can cause harm to their drivers, passengers, and nearby pedestrians.

In fact, there have been a large number of accidents involving horse-drawn carriages in NYC. In only the past two years, there have been over twenty reported accidents. These include horses spooking, crashing into taxi cabs, and falling to the ground. These incidents are dangerous to the people around and are clearly dangerous for the horses. It is simply not worth it to endanger so many beautiful animals and the people nearby in order to have horse-drawn carriages.

Luckily, there are a number of great activists and organizations who are working to ban horse-drawn carriages and help NYC’s horses. Ashley Byrne has led efforts by PETA to educate the public about the condition of carriage horses and bring an end to their suffering. The great activists at NY Class, including Allie Feldman, have maintained a growing list of incidents involving horse-drawn carriages and encourage people to take action. The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, led by Elizabeth Forel, is organizing to affect a ban on the cruel treatment of horses. In addition, Friends of Animals, a fantastic organization led by Campaigns Director Edita Birnkrant, has been organizing protests and keeping pressure on the Mayor to enforce a ban.

There are things that you can do to help as well. If you’re visiting New York City or another city that has horse-drawn carriages, do not pay for a ride in a carriage. It may seem like a memorable experience, but you are only contributing to the cruel treatment of that horse. If everyone were to stop taking carriage rides, the industry would soon collapse on its own. If you live in NYC, you can contact your local legislator and encourage them to support a ban on horse-drawn carriages. In particular, NYC mayor has claimed that he will ban horse-drawn carriages from New York City’s streets. You can call his office by dialing 311 and ask him to keep his word.

Horses are suffering every day, and many cannot afford to wait much longer to be freed from animal cruelty. There are many cities, including Key West, Palm Beach, Camden, and Biloxi that have already banned horse-drawn carriages. More and more people are recognizing them as animal cruelty, and enforcing a ban is certainly possible. It’s time that the residents and politicians of NYC care for their fellow creatures and take steps to end the cruel suffering of the city’s carriage horses

SHENITA ETWAROO © All rights reserved.

Conquering Anxiety At Bedtime

 The alarm clock is the hated, mortal enemy of millions of Americans, from college students to busy executives and everywhere in between. People have relied heavily on crutches like caffeine to keep them going throughout their exhausted days. Special alarm clocks to combat the inability to wake can be found in droves on online web retailers such as Amazon, including some that require you to step out of bed onto a pressure-sensitive mat in order to stop the shriek of the alarm.

What lies at the heart of this issue is the fact that insomnia is a downright epidemic in this country and indeed many worldwide. In an article published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, their estimation puts 50 to 70 million Americans the victims of sleep or wakefulness disorders. This is an especially frightening figure in consideration of the dangerous effects of sleep deprivation on the human body. With a population of just over 300 million, this is also a sizeable chunk of the citizens of USA. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders. They also report that the majority of these 40 million Americans experience anxiety that affects their ability to sleep, and of these, three-fourths experience stress or anxiety because their stress or anxiety keeps them from sleeping. Americans are sleeping less and less, and anxiety is a common, destructive thread.

People suffering from anxiety-related sleeplessness are wont to have received the same advice countless times as they seek to battle their affliction. It’s true the same information is pervasive because they are effective ways to battle the night time wakefulness that so many Americans face. Regardless, there are many still scouring the web and consulting their doctors for methods to get more Z’s. Below are some thoughtful and medically informed approaches appropriate for nearly every sufferer of insomnia, but be sure to listen to your body and mind the guidance of your physician.

Creative Activities

One recurrent complaint related to insomnia is that people just can’t turn their minds off at night. Anxiety commonly sets in at night because, as we lie in bed and try to close our eyes, little else is happening to distract us. Whenever this happens to you, it could be beneficial to engage in a creative activity to help shut your mind off. The recent adult coloring book trend has become wildly popular because the practice is calming, while also producing beautiful pieces of art. This tiny accomplishment and the peace it offers to troubled minds has shown to be an effective solution for a busy night time mind. If coloring just isn’t for you, there are more alternatives still. Choose something quiet and still, maybe your snoozing cat, and do a quick sketch. If you’re not artistically inclined, you can distract yourself with assembling haikus. These traditional Japanese poems are only three lines, so they aren’t a daunting or overstimulating task.

Mindfulness

Meditation doesn’t come easy to everyone, but mindfulness is a very simple form that has grown in popularity in recent years. One of the chief goals of mindfulness is to focus on positive thoughts and achieve a sense of peacefulness. Mindfulness has become a popular and effective strategy to manage anxiety problems in many Americans. Part of clearing the mind is realizing that troubling thoughts are fleeting, and that you have power over them. There are many available methods to study and learn about mindfulness and the techniques that can be employed. You can find mindfulness guides and journals at your local bookstore or an online retailer in order to learn and hone your practice. Another widely used technique to practice mindfulness is through a plethora of apps available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, and other mobile stores. Calm is an app available for iOS and Android that offers a comprehensive guide as well as mindfulness meditation techniques, and even a nifty feature called the body scan practice.

Pre-Emptive Strikes

If you anticipate that you will have trouble sleeping long before it’s time to hit the hay, there are a lot of things you can do to help beat out your anxiety before it sets in for the night. Physical activity is a popular resource because it promotes the release of endorphins in the brain and helps you feel overall more tired, but be aware that you need to pick the activity that’s right for you. Just like with an overall exercise regimen, it’s important to choose an activity or activities that you actually enjoy, in order to stick with it. If you hate runs, for example, hang up the athletic shoes and have a twenty minute dance party in your bedroom before your nightly shower, for example. The movement and good vibes will promote positivity and help you come down from a long day of studying, working, parenting, or whatever combination. Stick to your bedtime routine and remember to never slack on taking proper care of yourself, including nutrition and hygiene.

Anxiety is one of the most common problems faced by adults and teenagers in the United States, and insomnia is often cited as the most common complaint received by doctors and therapists. If you’re experiencing anxiety that feels inescapable, there is help. Talk to someone that you trust and seek medical attention. There’s no shame in treating an illness, be it diabetes or general anxiety disorder. Following the guidance of your health care provider can help reduce the overall amount of stress you experience from day to day, and help improve your ability to sleep at night. For all the gaps in between, the advice within this article can fill them and provide a margin of supplement. Getting a good night’s rest is absolutely vital to our health and happiness of human beings, so buy yourself a mandala coloring book, eat properly throughout the day, and practice excellent self care.

SHENITA ETWAROO © All rights reserved.

My Vegan Glow-Up

 Truth be told, I have never been all that worried about the fashion or beauty industries — except for where animal rights are concerned. I’ve written countless articles and reports about animal cruelty within these industries as they relate to animal testing, the fur trade, and other very unpleasant facets of fashion and beauty. I spent a lot of time researching who was using truly vegan ingredients in their products as well as which companies I, and by extension the animal rights activists and vegans within my sphere of influence, should avoid and refuse support monetarily. When I say a lot of time, I mean a lot of time. We’re talking years, here.

A lot of us animal rights activists have fought long and hard for there to be cruelty-free options for men and women in both clothing and the products they apply to their bodies. It wasn’t until quite recently, though, that a vegan gal or guy had a complete range of options that they could feel confident were 100% cruelty-free and without animal by-products. There’s been such an explosion of new vegan beauty companies and clothing lines that I have begun research into these businesses for a new book to help vegans and animal rights activists make the best choices for themselves — and the animals.

If you’ve ever done research for such a project, you probably know that there’s an inevitability of using yourself as a test subject. I wrote to dozens of online vegan beauty vendors to ask for samples for the purposes of researching and writing a how-to book on ethical beauty and sartorial options. My PO box could hardly keep up the demand from the generosity of these companies, and I soon found myself with a cluttered bathroom counter, standing before my mirror thinking ‘crap, how does one contour?’.

Now, I’m not saying I never wore makeup before this time — I’ve always had a cruelty-free powder on stand-by and have previously purchased ethical lipsticks and the like for special occasions like the birthdays of loved ones and the odd New Year’s Eve gathering. Standing in front of my mirror with all my unpackaged samples, however, I realized I had no clue what I was doing. What in the world is eye brightener? Why does one need to prime one’s face?

What happened next was me grabbing my iPad and a bar stool from the kitchen island and watching dozens of YouTube instructional videos. Hesitantly, I would pick up a fragrant cruelty-free primer and apply it under my eyes the way the fellow on the video showed me. I picked up the delicate brushes I’d purchased on my own from a reputable business and carefully introduced nuance and mystery to my features simply by tracing them along various parts of my face with appropriate color choices. When I was done, I locked my tablet and stared at myself for a good full minute.

I looked like a clown. I smiled and giggled at myself and used my fingertips to try and blend this better, nip this away, etc. The results were more comical than beautiful, but my heart swelled with emotion, because I’d met my goal. I had done what I’d intended to do. I’d proven to myself that anyone could wear a full face of beautiful, cruelty-free products, and that, my friends, is empowering, even if you do look like a clown.

It wasn’t the fault of the products, of course. I took a shower and tried again. I began to put a little bit of natural-looking makeup on before going to work in the mornings, and soon learned how to even accomplish such a thing. Within a week, I had grasped the basics. Over the past several months, I’ve gone from garish to glam, if I do say so myself, when I do have the desire and take the time to apply a full face of makeup.

My friends were so floored at first that I didn’t know whether to be incredibly flattered or a little offended. I didn’t need to wear makeup, of course, and they assured me of this themselves even while admiring my YouTube inspired looks — pulled off by a vegan, using vegan products.

The stereotypical image of the female vegan/animal rights activist is a cruel caricature summoned by people who have a regrettable propensity to ignore what harm they may cause. I’ve heard many women and men defend their usage of ethically irresponsible (if not downright deplorable, depending on the company) products because there are no cruelty-free alternatives. When shown proof to the contrary, I’ve often gotten an impatient eye roll as they assure me that there’s no way the cruelty-free alternative could actually be as good as the “real thing”. When I ask them for reasoning behind this thought, I never (to this day) have received anything grounded in facts.

I feel comfortable with myself when I look in the mirror regardless of whether it’s my own “naked” skin, dark circles under my eyes, the odd blemish here or there, or whether it’s my “glow up” face, flawlessly applied hyper-pigmented lip color. I’m no model. I’m not even the type to want to put my face out there . What’s been most empowering to me as a vegan and animal rights activist is that I’ve proven to myself that there are hordes of affordable and gorgeous alternatives to brands that exploit animals that anyone, no matter who you are, where you’re from, how you identify, what your preferred style is, etc., can make the switch. I always knew this, of course, but with looking at the scattered products on my bathroom counter and my own occasionally polished face, I’ve set out not only to prove it to myself, but to others, as well.

SHENITA ETWAROO © All rights reserved.