I recently moved from Florida to Massachusetts and did some vlogging along the way. In this video I talk about my experience being branded with a cattle iron and having my head shaved
While I was moving up the coast of the US recently from Florida to Massachusetts, I did some vlogging, as many of you, my dear readers and viewers, have requested more informal videos now and again. So, today’s is part of day two of my move, in which I expound upon my branding experience, my social media phobia, and possible prostitution among other things. If you know me, you know I mix the serious in with the ridiculous.
You can watch the video for the full adventure but here are some choice nuggets:
On my social media phobia:
If it wasn’t for Bite Size Vegan, I wouldn’t be on social media. I’m actually not even a technology person, I’m kinda tech-phobic. I’m really awkward in social situations, I have a lot of social anxiety. I don’t understand trends, I still don’t understand hashtags, if nothing else, you can follow me on social media just to make fun of my hashtagging. I have no idea what I’m doing with hashtags. I think I make up one.
But the reason that I’m on social media, the reason why I do all of that and challenge myself with technology is because with my activism, I want to do whatever I can to reach the most people and make the biggest difference for the animals. I’m willing to face my tech fears and to challenge myself and live in a constant state of anxiety. Whatever discomfort I’m going through about silly things like trying to figure out how to tweet properly, that’s nothing. When I think about what the animals are going through on a daily basis, I have nothing to complain about.” [tweet this]
I have a lot of challenges in my life, I think most people do. I continue to have a lot of challenges, but nothing I can ever go through will come close to what the animals are going through. [tweet this]
On my branding experience:
Even when I shaved my head and was branded with a cattle iron, that’s still the tip of the iceberg of what animals are going through. I choose to be branded. They don’t have a choice in the matter. And not only are they branded, but their lives are taken from them brutally. I was voluntarily branded, I was aware of what was happening to me and I got to go home and nurse my wounds. It was scary for me, it was very painful for me and imagine if that happened to you and you had no idea what was going on, you had no way to communicate your fear or to ask what was going on or basically, your communication wasn’t heard, it wasn’t acknowledged. Animals do try to tell us that they’re afraid. They cry out but we don’t listen to them.” [tweet this]
The funny thing too behind the branding experience and I wrote a whole article about this. The main reaction I got from people was ‘that’s so extreme!” It’s funny to me that people think it’s extreme for me to brand myself in a controlled manner after researching it, planning it out for four months is extreme. And what I pointed out was that I don’t think what I’m doing is extreme. The reason I did it is to point to the things that are extreme. It’s extreme that we do this to billions of animals every year, not voluntarily, we’re doing this to animals every single day, not giving them any choice in the matter. This is forcibly done to them, and this is just the beginning of what we do. Not only do we brand them, but we hold them captive, we torture them, we take them away from their families and then we kill them, we murder them violently. That’s extreme! and we���re doing it…for a meal? That’s what’s extreme. Separating a mother from her child, that’s extreme, so we can steal her milk. The milk we don’t even need and that is actually physically harmful to us. That’s extreme.” [tweet this]
I hope you enjoyed the informal nugget. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you think is extreme, or any other things you want to share!
— Emily Moran Barwick
Subscribe via Telegram
Dear Emily,
I enjoyed your video of your move north.
You are very brave to make a big change like this. I am from the North and want to move South.
I agree with your views about social media. I joined Face Book 2 years ago so I could keep in touch with fellow protestors. We protest the circuses and fur stores. Also it is a great way for like minded people to share ideas and help to end the suffering of all animals.
Sally Anne
thanks so much Sally Anne :) and maybe we can just switch places :)
I like these “informal” videos and look forward to more, when you have the time that is. ‘Cause who doesn’t love seeing more Ooby?! Do you mind much about the change in climate as a result of the move, or does that not really bother you? Well you sure are present across plenty of social media, so you’d never know there was hesitation in that arena. ;)
i’m all good with the temperature change. and glad you like the videos :) and also glad my social media ineptness isn’t super obvious!
Wow…awesome Emily…i love your “extreme”ness. Just like James Aspey went silent for a year, you branded yourself. Courageous and dedicated to the Cause. Big hug my sister.
thank you Juli :) big hug right back to you!