The Myth of Harmlessness: The Leather, Wool and Down Industries Are the Meat Industry

Before getting into the last in my series about the often hidden side of some animal use industries, I wanted to thank you if you’ve read my previous pieces about the dairy and egg industries, and, if you haven’t yet, please consider checking them out and sharing if you see fit. I also wanted to say that my intention with creating this series has never been about wanting anyone to feel guilty, powerless or in despair but to pull back the curtains a bit on some very opaque industries and their widespread practices. The intention was to write something I wished I’d read when I was still unclear on how I was contributing to animal cruelty so I could be better educated and make decisions that better reflected my values. Too often, I see activists sharing links to truly upsetting news with what seems to be an underlying motive of — I’m not sure. Shock and awe? A wink-wink, nudge-nudge kind of, “Humans: ain’t we awful?” shared experience? That’s not my goal here.

I feel it’s important to acknowledge that writers and other communicators have something of a responsibility to not add to the collective despair, especially during this really challenging time, when our cups seem to be more than overflowing. My overarching conviction in creating this series is something that is ultimately hopeful despite the…