Students Opposing Speciesism (SOS) is a PETA-backed movement led by young people in cities all over the U.S. and Canada who want to take action to challenge the norm and help end speciesism. Our goals are to bring the social justice issue of animal rights to the forefront of people’s minds and create real change by influencing our peers. SOS is here to shape the future, and all young people are welcome to join in this effort. Oppression of any kind is wrong—no matter the species of the victim.
SOS DEMANDS
An end to speciesism
Speciesism is the misguided belief that one species is more important than another. Much as other ugly “isms” result in discrimination against and bullying of other humans based on arbitrary factors like skin color, gender, sexual orientation, or physical capabilities, speciesism assigns an inferior status to those who don’t happen to be human. If we want a more just world, we must work to end all prejudice, not just the kinds that affect us personally. We must rise up and challenge the notion of human supremacy.
Mass action
We will change the world for animals, and we will change the world for all of us—but we can only do it together. We must be active—we must revolt against injustice. To do this, we need to inspire others to work toward our goals. Action is vital if we are to reach the masses to initiate discussion and debate and change the status quo.
Responsibility
Animals are us. And we are animals. Like humans, all other animals feel joy, sadness, fear, and pain. We must see our fellow animals’ suffering as an extension of our own. Our differences don’t justify cruelty—and exploiting others simply because we can or because they’re different from us in some way is wrong. We have a responsibility to make the kindest choices possible and to do our best to reduce suffering of any kind.