Phoenixs impassioned speech about animal rights got mixed reactions

In the most tWisTeD win at the Oscars last night, Joaquin Phoneix won for Best Actor for Joker, a movie about a sad clown. He began his acceptance speech speaking on the many injustices in the world, be they gender inequality or racism or queer rights or indigenous rights or animal rights.

Phoenix, whos been a vegan since he was a child and has campaigned for PETA, spoke of how we feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakeable. Then we take her milk thats intended for her calf and we put it in our coffee and our cereal, and that humans should create change beneficial to all sentient beings. Hes used his platform to advocate for vegan causes before, whether its pushing the Golden Globes to serve a vegan menu, or attending a pig vigil in LA. PETA tweeted support of his message, and Kelsey Piper at Vox wrote that his speech elevated the moral worth of animals.

While Phoenix has used other speeches this awards season to call out social injustices, some people expressed frustration at language that equates drinking diary with injustices like racism or transphobia. PETA has been criticized in the past for co-opting the language of social justice in its work, and for doing things like comparing the Holocaust to factory farming. Vice said that, while his heart was in the right place, more than anything the speech was unhinged. Thats Arthur for you.

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Joaquin Phoenixs Oscar Speech Was About Animal Rights and Veganism - Eater