Press release about 'The Running of the Nudes' and PETA

On the 5th of July 2007, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) organized a demo called the 'Running of the Nudes' as a protest against the so-called 'Running of the bulls' in Pamplona, Spain. It's the sixth time this PETA-organized demonstration has taken place, and every year this protest aims to gather together as many nude runners as possible, with the supposed intention of protesting against the use of bulls in Pamplona, but who end up showing their genitals in the media in some kind of carnival where the focus on bullfighting is lost.

The history of PETA shows their unwavering use of the types of marketing strategies usually employed by companies to sell their products (although these strategies are becoming increasingly rejected by the general public and several groups). The sexism found in PETA's campaigns is enough to make anyone conscious of the serious consequences of this prejudice reject this organization, when the consequences are discrimination, eating-habit disorders, psychological problems and violence against women. They convert women into objects for consumption and their bodies become advertising slogans to convince the viewer, whether they are part of an ad or behind a banner.

In the website 'RunningOfTheNudes.com' PETA claims that the main reason why people should take part in their demonstration is because "It's about babes - not bulls. Hardly-dressed hotties and nearly-nude dudes - need we say more?" [1] while the suffering and death of the bulls who are murdered over the duration of the festival in Pamplona remains practically unmentioned. This event is even promoted by Pamplona council(organizers of the 'Running of the bulls') as part of the attractions the city offers this week. This must be the only protest in the world against an injustice that becomes another tourist attraction for the injustice itself.

If there was any doubt about the kind of reaction this event provokes in the people of Pamplona and the Spanish public in general, a quick look at some of the reactions in the media is all that's needed. The size of the breasts of the activists is of more interest than the sad reality the bulls will endure just a few hours after PETA's carnival. From our point of view, it's an embarrasing event that greatly harms non-human animals and that also harms the image of the animal rights cause that the public associates PETA with. It's difficult enough in our current age to get society to take our claims seriously, and continuing on this pathway of trivializing their exploitation and suffering only adds to this.

As an organization dedicated to the promotion of respect towards non-human animals and centred on ending their exploitation, Igualdad Animal is opposed to the running of the bulls, the bullfights in Pamplona, and anywhere these terrible events take place. We also consider creativity to be a very important part of activism in defense of animals, but we must try to represent non-human animals as they would wish to be represented, that is with respect. We are fighting a terrible reality that needs to be exposed and must be treated seriously: mothers separated from babies, mutilations, confinement, worker abuse, uncountable hours of suffering, millions of murders daily at slaughterhouses, bullrings, laboratories... all happening with the complicity of a society immersed in consumerism and trivialities.

From Igualdad Animal / Animal Equality we would like to expose - in addition to the trivialization of the animal suffering that has taken place with the Running of the Nudes - the type of organization PETA is, the latter being the reason that requires us to reject not only the organization itself but also the demonstrations and events it organizes. Sadly, much of the media present PETA as a group of animal defenders or animal rights people and part of the so-called animal rights movement maintains and promotes this image of PETA. But the truth is that behind the media and the confusion, many organizations and individuals dedicated to defending non-human animals in different countries across the world are opposed to PETA, with Igualdad Animal / Animal Equality being one of them.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals supports animal exploitation and reaches agreements with the animal exploitation industry so both of them, PETA and the industry, can announce their achievements as 'victories' with the subsequent benefits attached. Animal rights organizations (not animal welfare) maintain that it's not acceptable to use animals for human benefit, and therefore reject any legal reformation of their exploitation. Such welfare reforms do nothing but legitimize the exploitation of sentient beings thus benefitting the industries, as has been repeatedly denounced by Igualdad Animal / Animal Equality. This has therefore happened when PETA supported Burger King [2], praised McDonalds for their 'animal welfare standards' [3], or presented awards to a flesh-selling company like Whole Foods [4] or to the slaughterhouse designer Temple Grandin [5]. If the industry that breeds and kills animals can show these victories to the public, we can hardly conclude that the animals will benefit from our activism.

If those who supposedly defend non-human animals give practical courses to slaughterhouse workers about how to do their job 'properly' [6], promote the systematic killing of feral cats [7] and pitbull dogs [8], claim that seals hunted in Canada should receive rifle shots instead of being brutally clubbed [9], or that birds should be murdered in gas chambers [10] - all these being part of the extensive repertory of grotesque decisions taken by PETA - we can only conclude that anyone who takes injustice against non-human animals seriously should display their inequivocal rejection towards this group and refrain from collaboration.

We especially regret that organizations who supposedly want to defend non-human animals support and promote PETA. Supporting their demonstrations also implies supporting and promoting their ideology. Their position is opposed to working towards respect for non-human animals and the abolition of their exploitation as they have proved. Opposing animal slavery implies not only not taking part in it, but also clearly expressing our rejection of anyone who legitimizes it and reforms it. It's our duty to show our rejection towards apparently more acceptable ways of enslaving our equals. Non-human animals deserve better.

Finally, we encourage the people from Pamplona and Navarra to openly oppose the running of the bulls and all animal exploitation. Those of us who also reject animal exploitation and PETA are with you.

References:
[1] Top 10 Reasons to Join the 'Running of the Nudes': http://www.runningofthenudes.com/top_ten_reasons.asp
[2] http://www.goveg.com/corp_murderk.asp
[3] http://www.peta.org/Living/AT-Fall2005/nokill.asp
[4] http://www.peta.org/feat/proggy/2004/winners.html#retailer
[5] http://www.peta.org/feat/proggy/2004/winners.html#visionary
[6] http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=116226
[7] http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=141
[8] http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/08/EDGDLD4G1S1.D...
[9] http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A25651-2004Apr19?language=printer
[10] http://www.peta.org/cak
[10] http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/onset?id=64182&template=article.htmls