Report from Abroad by pattrice jones

pattrice jones* è una nota ecovegfemminista ed attivista lgbtqi, cofondatrice del santuario per animali da reddito Vine Sanctuary e del progetto per la riabilitazione dei galli da combattimento Brave Birds.

Nell’ambito del suo impegno di incontri e seminari sulle corrispondenze filosofiche e politiche delle varie forme di dominio ed oppressione sugli esseri viventi (sessismo, razzismo, specismo, omotransfobia), pattrice jones ha tenuto recentemente un ciclo di conferenze in Europa (in Italia a Roma, Firenze, Bologna, Vicenza e Milano).

Intersexioni, in collaborazione con la trasmissione Restiamo Animali, è riuscita ad organizzare proprio l’unica data Toscana, il 18 Marzo scorso a Firenze.

Di ritorno negli Stati Uniti, pattrice jones ha riportato la sua esperienza europea nella News Letter del Vine Sanctuary. Con grande piacere abbiamo così scoperto che pattrice jones ci cita e ricorda come una “organizzazione particolarmente innovativa“, cosa che, detta da una persona di tale levatura ed esperienza, ci riempe di orgoglio ed è per noi una conferma eccezionale dell’importanza delle attività, su molti fronti pionieristiche, che portiamo avanti.

Riportiamo sotto la parte relativa all’incontro fiorentino. L’intera newsletter è invece qui.

Firenze

My talk in Florence was co-sponsored by a local animal rights radio show and a particularly innovative organization called “Intersexioni” — yes, the wordplay between “intersexed” and “intersectionality” is deliberate. Egon, a trans activist from that organization who has previously run a sanctuary, introduced my talk by explaining the importance of intersectionality and then going on to offer a passionate and heartfelt eulogy for a recently departed VINE resident. That empathy meant the world to me.

Here’s what the organization is all about:

“intersexioni, founded in the spring of 2013, is a group made by activists and academics (all volunteers) of different origins (even geographically) and experiences (professional and life ones), who all have in common an interest in topics interconnected with each other in various ways, such as: gender inequality and the intersection between discrimination and gender, ethnic and class/social inequality; the intersection of sexism, racism, and classism; gender-based violence, bullying and homo-transphobia; the rights for intersex people (or dsd, meaning difference in sex development); the rights for sexual minorities, for gay/lesbian and transgender people; new families, gay/lesbian and trans* parents. Our aim is to analyse and break up the logic of domination and oppression, with the goal of respect for every living being and the building of a better, more equal, fair and welcoming society.”

At the Florence event, activists from Intersexioni gave me a flyer for one of their upcoming events, a vegan birthday celebration for the organization. The brightly colored handout featured a rainbow and a snail, with the snail representing the diversity of sexes, sexuality, and gender expression among animals.

* Minuscolo per volontà dell’autrice.