An Update on Gelatin Top Restaurant Chains for Vegetarians

Vegetarian ActionNellie McKay By Bobby AllynNELLIE MCKAY IS A PRECOCIOUS, SWEETLYbrash, and unashamed singer-songwriter whoblends jazz, cabaret, pop, and rap into scathingballads about feminism and animal rights. Her almostindescribable genre-crossing musical infusions leavereviewers unable to fit her in any categorical boxes.Aside from her zest-filled eclecticism, McKay hasbeen a passionate advocate for animal rights from ayoung age, and she has not been afraid to express hermessage in her songwriting. “You can’t preach withveganism. You need to be funny and lively,” she said.“A lot of people treat veganism as a my-way-or-thehighwaytype thing, but it’s good tokeep a sense of humor. You can dothis while still moving toward amore compassionate world.”When McKay was 2, she andher mother moved from London toHarlem, New York, where they rescuedstray cats and attended PETAprotests. She said her mother’s universalcompassion toward all creaturesshaped much of her early lifeand became a facet of her worldlyperspective. “In Harlem, we saw somuch poverty and destitution onthe streets,” she said. “But evencompared to the people, the animalswere in so much worse shape.”McKay’s earliest memory of animal rights activismin New York involved imagery that strongly resonatedwith her: “I remember going to an animal rights protestat New York University and seeing photos of a monkeyall hooked up to electric wires; it gave me an instantfeeling of empathy. Everyone has true empathy; it justgets beat out of them.” Today, she continues to drawon her experiences in New York for her music and heractivism. Her sophomore album, Pretty Little Head,features the song “Columbia is Bleeding” aboutColumbia University’s controversial animal testing.McKay said a lot of progress has been made butacknowledges how much more needs to be done.“Now, there is an animal rights movement, but moreanimals are killed than ever,” she said. “The past couplegenerations have been so cynical; this has been a bigimpediment. There is a serious dearth of hope. We’reso aware that there are so many problems in the world,but the animal rights issue really affects so many things:factory farm workers, class, race, economics,.... It’s notjust a question of the animals. But it’s also the peoplewho work for these multi-billion dollar corporationswho make the bill.”Where would McKay like to see the future of thevegan market? In the Doritos aisle. “I think we needmore vegan junk food. Who hastime when you’re out in the worldto get something quick? Why can’twe have a dollar menu? So manypeople don’t respond to animalrights as a whole because theyknow they will have to changetheir lifestyle so drastically. Whynot make it easier for them?”McKay hopes that large nationalcorporations, despite being disapprovedof in progressive communities,will begin to embrace crueltyfreeand vegan products.“I completely understand whySinger-Songwriter Nellie McKaypeople are leery toward corporationsin any way because you can end upcompromising yourself into the ground and they win,”she said. “You can feel like you’re moving to a worldwhere animals are not exploited at all, so you end upshaking hands with the oppressor. I do think peoplecan be too puritan in their thinking and not realisticenough. But if the first thing is to inject humane ethicsinto your way of thinking, maybe it will lead to furtherconscious-making.”Bobby Allyn previously interned at The VRG office andcontinues to volunteer at VRG booths. He is currently studyingjournalism and international relations at American University.VEGETARIAN JOURNAL Issue Four 2008 35