The Vegan Matrix

Understanding and Discussing Privilege Among Vegans to Build a More Inclusive and Empowered Movement

In this short guidebook published in the wake of #metoo, Melanie Joy explains what privilege is, why understanding privilege matters, and how to talk about privilege in a way that deepens understanding and leads to a more inclusive, resilient, and impactful vegan movement.

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About the Book

In The Vegan Matrix, psychologist and longtime vegan advocate and organizational head Dr. Melanie Joy explores a serious problem in the vegan movement: unexamined privilege. She also explores the struggle to effectively talk about this problem in a way that helps offset it. Using simple, straightforward language and a compassionate tone, Joy explains what privilege is, why it’s so important for vegans to become aware of privilege, and how to talk about privilege in a way that deepens understanding and helps transform it. In so doing, Joy unpacks some of the many privileges that must be acknowledged and addressed, and calls for more inclusivity and diversity within vegan organizations and the movement as a whole. The Vegan Matrix is a call to awareness and action, empowering vegans to reach a broader audience and to help create a more compassionate and just world.

What People Are Saying

This book is an easy primer for people to learn about privilege through clear examples, and it provides easy references to people who want to learn more.

Christopher-Sebastian McJetters, author, researcher, and Columbia University lecturer

The Vegan Matrix is practical, focused on impact, and completely accessible to anybody who wants to grow as an advocate and do more for animals. The book provides an outline for how we can lead and communicate effectively to create the strongest movement possible. If we want to succeed in our shared mission, it’s critically important that we…engage with the ideas in this book.

David Coman-Hidy, President and Executive Director of The Humane League

The Vegan Matrix offers the ultimate blueprint to empower the vegan movement to become truly inclusive and unified so that we may live up to our core values of universal compassion and respect. This is the big leap on our journey to a vegan world. Every vegan needs to take a deep dive into Melanie Joy’s extraordinary work.

Jane Velez-Mitchell, Founder, JaneUnchained News Network

This is a very timely, challenging and convincing book, asking us to deepen and expand our thinking so that we are more effective in our efforts to create a vegan and more compassionate world.

Tobias Leenaert, author of <i>How to Create a Vegan World</i>

This cogent book encourages humility, learning, and the radical empathy necessary for healing and for helping to build a powerful vegan movement.

Gene Baur, Cofounder and President of Farm Sanctuary and bestselling author of <i>Farm Sanctuary</i> and <i>Living the Farm Sanctuary Life</i>

Rather than entrench divisions, Melanie Joy aims to create a stronger movement, literate in the issues of privilege and empowered to create change. Everyone looking to transform the world for the better should read this book.

Leah Garces, President, Mercy for Animals and author of <i>Grilled</i>

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