Billie Eilish has once again used her massive social media reach to shine a light on the realities of animal agriculture. After videos of an interview with Elle Magazine, the singer received some backlash when asked about a controversial opinion she held, to which she answered, “Eating meat is inherently wrong […] two things cannot coincide: ‘I love all animals so much’ and ‘I eat meat’. You just can’t do both, sorry!” She then posted a series of stories sharing graphic footage and calling attention to the suffering animals endure behind closed doors when used by the food industry.
Known for her longtime commitment to veganism and animal rights advocacy, Eilish has consistently spoken out about animal rights, environmental destruction, and the ethical consequences of animal-based food production. In fact, with her stories, she also posted a statement that read:
Go watch a documentary or two and some footage of what is done to the animals u claim to love and what it does to the planet u pretend to love as well. If that footage was hard for u to watch, I encourage u to pls take a look at urself. Like, I am so tired of standing up/having empathy for living beings being controversial. pls continue to live in a constant state of cognitive dissonance and denial, and try to convince urself that ur not living a lie. mwah
That straightforward, emotional, and brave story ended with a kiss emoji, and she told her followers she didn’t give “a goddamm fuck” if they stayed mad at her. The videos featured in her stories included horrific investigations from Animal Outlook, Vegan Bea, who we collaborate with frequently, and Fatih Durmus.
Animal rights organizations have long documented conditions inside farms, including overcrowding, confinement, mutilations without pain relief, and inhumane slaughter practices -all of these, and so much more, are the norm in places of business where animals are considered products, or “stock”. By sharing this content with such a large audience, Eilish is helping bring mainstream attention to issues that those of us who advocate for animals believe deserve far greater public awareness.
Celebrities speaking openly about respecting animals and not using them -meaning adopting veganism- can have a powerful cultural impact, especially among younger audiences. With millions of fans watching her every move online, Eilish’s message has the potential to inspire conversations about the reality that billions of animals endure every year in the food system alone.
