Mainstream theories of social inequality frequently compartmentalize experiences, but inequality rarely works that way in real life. Instead, individuals are comprised of many different identities at once, and these identities will interact with one another in unique ways. Furthermore, multiple systems and institutions are simultaneously at work in a given society. This schema is known as intersectionality, and it is a concept that emerges out of Black feminist thought.

In animal studies, vegan scholars employ this framework to argue that one’s life chances will be shaped, not just by one’s race, class, or gender, but also by their species. Vegan scholars also recognize the influence of an additional system….human supremacy. Historical constructions of race, class, gender, and other identities shape how animals are thought about and how they are treated. Sociologists interested in human justice, meanwhile, would benefit from recognizing how human oppression is always shaped by processes of species inequality.

Given that species, class, race, gender, and other identity categories are all historically constructed using similar mechanisms (such as animalization, objectification, sexualization, depersonalization, denaming, and so on), it is important to apply an intersectional perspective to achieve a more accurate understanding of oppression for nonhuman animals and humans alike. In the fourth annual meeting of the International Association of Vegan Sociologists, we take on this important task, one that is fundamental to vegan sociological theory.