Ingrid Newkirk Is Animal Rights’ Provocateur In Chief

“Never doubt that one person can make a difference.”

INGRID NEWKIRK

A true force of nature, today's guest needs little introduction. Meet Ingrid Newkirk.

The original doyenne of animal activism, Ingrid is the legendary and infamous co-founder and president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a non-profit she personally shepherded into the largest animal rights organization in the world, currently boasting more than 6.5 million members and supporters.

Under Ingrid's stewardship, PETA quite literally put animal welfare on the map. Operating under the principle that animals are not ours to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way, PETA has a storied and often controversial history of exposing countless acts of gruesome and horrifying animal abuse, with it's media-savvy provocateur in chief grabbing headlines and creating significant awareness, policy changes and legal protections along the way.

Named a top businessperson of the year by Forbes, Ingrid has been profiled in countless publications -- including twice by The New Yorker -- and has appeared in seemingly every prominent media outlet including the Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King, Politically Incorrect, Crossfire, Nightline, and 60 Minutes.

Irrespective of your opinions about PETA, Ingrid is someone who has dedicated every breath to what she believes in. Combating injustice. Taking action to change what many of us simply want to deny or avoid. Looking suffering straight in the eye. And doing something about it. 

That level of purpose -- the courage to speak truth to power, tenacity to weather persistent criticism and stay the course for change -- is rare. It's impressive and laudable.

Behind it all, there is an undeniable sincerity to Ingrid. A fascinating, complex, and charismatic character, she’s also deeply sensitive. Quite self-aware. And surprisingly funny. Today Ingrid shares her story.

Note: This conversation was recorded pre-pandemic on February 18, 2020. Therefore there is no coronavirus discussion. However, I think Ingrid's message is profoundly of the moment given the undeniable role animal agriculture plays in fomenting disease.

The visually inclined can watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

In this moment of forced repose, my hope is that we reflect on humanity's misguided entitlement to dominion over all things. Our intelligence is not the gauge of the animal kingdom. And our relationship with the living beings with whom we share this imperiled planet is broken.

Ingrid is here to recalibrate that relationship.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Note: One of the best ways to support the podcast is to support the sponsors. For a complete list of all RRP sponsors and their respective vanity URLs and discount codes, visit my Resources page and click "Sponsors".

Show Notes

• Ingrid's New Book, Animalkind
• Connect With Ingrid: Twitter | Website
• Book: Making Kind Choices: Everyday Ways to Enhance Your Life Through Earth- and Animal-Friendly Living
• Book: Compassionate Cook: Please Don't Eat the Animals
• PETA: peta.org
• NY Times: I’m About to Eat Meat for the First Time in 40 Years
• Harper's Bazaar: How PETA has changed the fashion industry over the last 40 years – and what's next
• Los Angeles Times: PETA’s Ingrid Newkirk on doing whatever it takes to protect animals, both ugly and cute

Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy

• RRP #111: Lisa Lange's Vision For A Better World & Why It's Cool To Be Compassionate
• RRP #138: How To Live More In Alignment With Your Values With Gene Baur
• RRP #510: Leah Garcés On Turning Adversaries Into Allies — Leveraging Empathy To Change Animal Agriculture

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Thanks to Jason Camiolo for production, audio engineering and show notes; Margo Lubin and Blake Curtis for video, editing and graphics; portraits by Ali Rogers; copywriting by Georgia Whaley; and theme music by Ana Leimma.

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