snoylna

I wanted to like this book more than I did. The perspectives of vegans of color (and particularly vegan women of color) are much needed in our overall discussion of animals and health and the environment. Unfortunately the amateurish writing in most of the essays was a major turnoff. I wish that Harper had been able to enlist more WOC with writing experience. I did appreciate the diversity of the contributors (even if I was bored to tears by discussions of religion, pregnancy, and other topics that have no bearing on my experience) and that they often didn't agree. On the one hand it was great to see WOC in a space where they could display a diversity of opinion, but on the other hand I felt some of the essays reinforced certain stereotypes about the black female experience. There was nothing at all to speak to any WOC who might be queer, areligious, or simply not at all into "traditional" cultural markers of black American identity. I would never discourage anyone from reading this book if they were interested, of course, I just wish it had been better. If nothing else, it has opened the door for more books on the topic. Hopefully those will be better executed.