If you’re against racism and sexism, why not speciesism to?

Let’s Meet: Ülgen Semerci

My first encounter with veganism was initiated as I became more aware of intersectional feminism and the abuse of female bodies in industries like dairy and eggs. 2013 was a turbulent year for Turkey. At the time, I was still living in Istanbul and, like many others, was feeling pressured in everyday life. Confronted with patriarchy in its many forms, I longed for community and solidarity with people who shared my values. Perhaps out of this need, I decided to undergo training at Mor Çatı Women's Shelter Foundation and volunteer there.

It was then and there that I came to understand how females, whether human or animal, were disadvantaged. In that space, surrounded by women deeply engaged in these struggles, I was first exposed to veganism.I gained insight into the nature of violence and saw that people inflicted harm on the less powerful not out of ignorance, but simply because they could. It was about power—political and economic. Violence against women was just as wrong as violence against animals, both rooted in the same system of domination. The more I explored these structures, the clearer it became just how widespread the exploitation, abuse, and cruelty were. The Sexual Politics of Meat by Carol Adams was a significant influence during this time.

Photo: Naz Genel

At first, I think I was afraid to go fully vegan. It doesn’t make logical sense, but sometimes we’re just afraid of change. I became vegetarian in 2014 knowing how terrible the animal industries were, but it took time for me to fully make the shift. Change can happen in stages. In 2018, after years of contemplating the switch from vegetarianism to veganism, I moved to the UK and opted for Veganuary as a trial run. My plan was to start on January 1st and see how it went. If it felt impossible, I’d go back to being vegetarian after a month.

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In discussions about women's rights, it became clear that ignoring animal rights was not an option.

Then, in December, I watched Dominion, and it shook me to my core. The images and stories stayed with me, making it impossible to see animal products the same way again. That same day, I went to E5 Bakehouse for lunch and found myself staring at the feta cheese sprinkled on someone’s meal, unable to disconnect it from the scenes I had just witnessed in the film. I realised I couldn’t wait for January 1st. I became vegan then and there, and I haven’t looked back since.

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The patriarchal system conditions humans to believe that animals exist for consumption simply because it has always been that way. This belief is reinforced by the anthropocentric view of many religions, which place man at the center of the universe, asserting that everything exists for his use. However, opposing movements, particularly within leftist activist circles, are challenging this notion.

For me, veganism is a political stance. That’s why I really struggle when someone identifies as a leftist, a human rights activist, or an LGBTQ+ activist but isn’t vegan. If you’re against racism and sexism, why not speciesism too? With right-wing individuals, I guess I don’t expect the same level of compassion or empathy for "the other." I’m a member of the Green Party, and most of the Hackney volunteers I know are vegan, if not all of them. The same seems to apply to groups like XR (Extinction Rebellion) and JSO (Just Stop Oil). Animal agriculture is the leading cause of the climate crisis, making this connection undeniable. For many activists, veganism is simply a logical extension of their commitment to environmental and social justice.

Ülgen, in Hackney.

Recently, I was sitting at a table with a mostly queer crowd. Plates of oysters and meat were being passed around, and once again, I found myself internally conditioning, not wanting to be “the difficult vegan,” to ruin anyone’s mood because I was vegan. Then, at the end of dinner one of them suddenly said, “What made you vegan?” I answered, “Feminism.” I backed my argument with a few more sentences about the exploitation of female animal bodies. The whole table heard. And I know they are the type of people who question power dynamics and forms of abuse. So I hope it reached someone, resonated somewhere.

Ülgen, at the studio. Photo: Abdi Cadani

It’s so important to have these conversations, not in a way that judges others, but also without being judged. When someone has already connected the dots: that discrimination, exploitation, and taking advantage of the vulnerable are wrong, I find it hard to understand why that logic doesn’t extend to non-human persons as well.

Discover more of Ülgen’s journey here

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