PETA Mixes Charity With Shame. Who's Surprised?

Dec 20, 2007 @ 10:48am

Kim Cattrall is the newest celebrity to take part in PETA's Fur Coat Donation program, having just agreed to donate all the furs she'll wear in the upcoming Sex and the City movie.

According to PETA representative Michael McGraw, "the only people who can be excused for wearing fur are the homeless - to keep warm during the winter," and that's exactly where Kim's furs will go in a few weeks.

The donations sound noble, except for one piece of information: The New York Post reports that the "donated skins will be marked with a red X on the back".

It's good to know that PETA's charity only goes so far - it's okay for the less fortunate to keep warm in winter, as long as they're stigmatized with PETA's self-righteous version of the Scarlet Letter, right?

posted by chic3

Dec 20, 2007 11:07AM

These people make me sick. The donation is fine of course, but the X on the back... COME ON! It's degrading.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 11:15AM

What is with you guys and PETA?!? This blog slams PETA every chance it gets. PETA does wonderful things, maybe the writers around here could be a bit more informed. Either way, I am not reading Fashionista again. I have had enough.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 11:47AM

I agree with the second guest. Yes, PETA has some issues with their PR and tactics from time to time, but their cause is beyond noble. And as a person who has had extensive experience working with the homeless and having had homeless family members, let me just say that the ONLY things cold homeless people care about is warmth and food, in addition to their safety. An X on the back of a coat is the LAST thing anyone with real problems cares about. Seriously Fashionista, you need to grow up sometimes. Its called real life.

posted by kimmi

Dec 20, 2007 12:04PM

the red x is completely degrading; just because the homeless are already low doesn't make it ok. PETA may do wonderful things for animals, but they obviously have no respect for their fellow human beings.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 12:11PM

Just because homeless people would of course be happy to get the coats....does not mean that it is ok to turn people with essentially no choice into walking propaganda for them, epecially because the red X is supposed to be a mark of shame. Just because someone who is starving would be happy to eat leftovers someone else has thrown out does not mean we shouldn't try to give them the same things everyone else has. the purpose of a charitable donation is to help the people you are donating to, with a minimum of self-promotion at their expense. Sorry. This is wrong.

posted by miss_k

Dec 20, 2007 12:14PM

I get tired of this blog slamming PETA as well. It just has the effect of strengthening my resolve to support PETA even more.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 12:46PM

I am really disgusted by the frequent bashing of PETA and the dismissals of evironmentally conscious choices that have been showing up in your blog lately. I LOVE fashionista but really am not into these sorts of posts. Does bashing PETA make you feel better about wearing electrocuted animals? I don't get the motive...

posted by adopt a shelter pet

Dec 20, 2007 1:14PM

I agree with the posters above. Just another post, slamming Peta. I am sick of the anti peta rambling myself. And the whole "women are degraded when they are dressed as slutty cops for peta" nonsense. This is a passionate group of people who are trying to help animals. End of story. I suggest that everyone go out and protest for a cause and try to make a difference in this world. Not just buying shopping totes. This business can suck the reality out of you. This is why I got into rescue. To balance out the bullshit and make a difference in this world that I could see right in front of my face. Do something.

posted by ImmaterialGirl

Dec 20, 2007 1:40PM

I support animal rights as well as homelessness relief, and I agree it does seem a bit harsh and self-serving to mark Xs on the coats. Homeless people deserve to be treated with some dignity.

FYI, fur coats can also be donated to wildlife rehabilitators, who use them to comfort orphaned, sick or injured animals. The Humane Society of US has a Coats for Cubs program that does this.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 1:44PM

Peta may do wonderful things for animals, but they sure do not think highly of humans. Did you know that when Peta went in and out of herion junkie's house 13 times to rescue some monkeys, that they didn't even look twice at the poor child, lying on her bed in casts that should have been removed months before in a puddle of her own waste?

Don't you think that the first thing the Peta representatives should have done was called Child Protective Services? No, because they don't care about kids.

Peta activists also went to a Nutcraker performance and handed out a leaflet to every child that had a parent wearing fur. On the leaflet was a picture of a woman STABBING a rabbit, and it said "Your mommy kills animals!"

What kind of tatics are those? Peta is a tasteless organization. They already do a pretty good job of giving themselves a bad reputation. This blog only reitterates the point they make.

I don't support wearing fur, but I can't believe that any sane induvidual would support Peta.

posted by adopt a shelter pet

Dec 20, 2007 1:47PM

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 1:51PM

http://www.petakillsanimals.com/

know about your charities before you support them. peta is a HORRIBLE organization that supports terrorist animal rights groups, puts to sleep the animals it can't save either, and tricks their supporters by not clarying what they really want. Are you a pet owner? PETA is against pets. Check out the website above to know what PETA really is about.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 2:18PM

Kudos to Natalie and guests 1:44 and 1:51. I doubt anyone is in favor of "wearing electrocuted animals" but the PETA's efforts are not, by any means, humane.

posted by miss_k

Dec 20, 2007 2:27PM

Guest at 1:51:

Know your links before you post them as credible. The people who run petakillsanimals.com (CCF) are a front group for a for-profit PR firm/lobbying who take direct donations from companies like tobacco giant Phillip-Morris. They have campaigns running against loads of charitable and activist organizations, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving, just to make money. Look into it, or you're just coming off as a hypocrite.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 2:48PM

People who think PETA is a legitimate organization disgust me.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 3:44PM

PETA are terrorists. They are horrible. Read up and do some real good for every animal.

posted by Jac

Dec 20, 2007 4:10PM

Um, where in this post did Natalie say "I love to kill baby animals and slather myself in their skins"? Nobody said that animal rights wasn't a worthy cause (I like animals better than people most of the time, personally lol). The issue here is whether PETA is doing the right thing or further detracting from their cause. I believe it to be the latter. Homeless people may not care if there is a red x on their back and I'd rather have them have coats than not, but the fact is that the red x DOES NOT HAVE to be there. PETA has a choice in this matter. Charities are a good thing, but they aren;t without their faults. By critiscizing the ineffective methods (slutting up women, scare tactics etc.) PETA is choosing to promote that cause forces a dialogue that I think is very necessary. I am for animal rights and it saddens me to see PETA on occasion cheapening that cause. They do some very good things, but it certainly wouldn't hurt if they redirected some of their funding/energy to publicity that actually helped save animals instead of showcasing the naked bodies of women who probably are only doing it or the exposure. (Has anyone stopped buying fur because they saw Eva Mendes's ad? Doubtful)Discourse like this encourages organizations to DO BETTER, so thank you Natalie.

posted by hannah

Dec 20, 2007 4:34PM

I agree with Jac. I am sick of people bashing Fashionista for "bashing" PETA. Sure, as a vegetarian and animal-lover I definitely support animal rights but I have zero respect for PETA. Their mission is good, but their tactics are absolutely abominable. Are the big red Xs completely necessary? I'll have to agree about the slutty cops and naked celebs in ads. It gets publicity, but it takes away from their message. PETA seriously needs to rethink their strategy.

P.S. I love the anonymous posters who are like "I am never reading Fashionista again!" Makes me laugh so much!

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 4:41PM

Ahh...so people want to leave Fashionista because other posters dislike this organization and it's tactics? Oh well...it just goes to show YOUR intolerance to the opinions of others. How can anyone hope to save the world if they can't tolerate dissent?

Anyway, good bye.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 7:10PM

Uhhhhhh the X's make sense. They are probably doing it so a) the homeless people can't sell them and make profit and b) so the homeless people don't got robbed for them. Jesus, I've seen homeless people and I, think a giant X is the lease of their concerns.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 8:03PM

PETA disguest me! i'm so glad they are not prominant over here! they degrade humans to try and get their point across. A red X! that is foul!

Celebrities that pose for PETA are simply trying to get good publicity! I bet if they heard half the the things PETA have done (such as the leader of PETA sanging he would save a drowning cat over a drowning baby, with a mental disability simply because it is a "special" shild is horrible!

I lose respect for anyone that think PETA is a postitive force in the protection of animals! give you money to the SPCA or you are wasting your time.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 8:49PM

If anyone is interested and has HBO on demand....there is a documentary on that I am watching right now about the founder of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk, and the organization. I recommend it! I fall in the "agree in general, hate their tactics" category, but this is interesting for anyone who wants to know what these people do and how they think about it

posted by endlessly

Dec 20, 2007 9:01PM

I love how so many posters act like PETA are so amazing. What about all of the terrible things that PETA has done? There are so many better animal rights groups around. I'm an animal lover and I HATE PETA.

posted by guest

Dec 20, 2007 10:18PM

Regardless of whether or not you think wearing fur is evil, PETA's tactics distract form their message to the point that everyone I know dismisses them entirely. If they would change how they go about publicity (i.e. not further degrading the homeless with red X's on their backs), maybe more people would be open to hearin gwhat they have to say.
The X's also serve another purpose--they ensure that the homeless can't sell the coats to get money for other necessities (food, not booze or drugs).

posted by phobelynn

Dec 20, 2007 10:37PM

i like peta. i also like fashionista. let's all take a deep breath

posted by astralgirl02

Dec 20, 2007 11:47PM

Like them or not, PETA has started a public dialogue, which for better or for worse, makes people think about their ethical choices.

I, for one, would never wear fur, because I do not like the means for which it is "harvested." But I admit that I am not completely vegan in my fashion choices, as I own leather shoes and bags.

But I agree that sometimes Fashionista.com attacks certain causes that seem to be too "do-gooder"... for example, I was slightly put off on the recent post that seemed to knock the good people at Rogan/Edun/Loomstate. Like PETA, Edun and Loomstate are bringing a sense of environmental awareness to the fashion community, and it's obviously hit a strong note, as numerous brands have followed in their footsteps.

But oh well... that's my two cents.

posted by guest

Dec 21, 2007 1:54AM

PeTA is way COINTELPRO. Trust.

Whenever it comes to anything political, Fashionista talks big but says little ... and could always use a proofer, and a factchecker.

posted by sam alex

Dec 21, 2007 3:50AM

Yes, PETA is opening a dialogue and encouraging conversation - through their obnoxious and demeaning tactics.

So is Fashionista - by posting polarizing opinions.

posted by guest

Dec 21, 2007 3:27PM

Wearing fur is fabulous and no different than wearing leather or eating meat. Obviously animal cruelty is inhumane, but it is ridiculous that it has become politically incorrect to enjoy wearing fur.

posted by guest

Dec 21, 2007 6:54PM

Peta are very contradictory, on one hand they say animals are beings which deserve to be respected and whatnot and then in the same breath say they believe in activities such as spaying neutering euthanasing etc

posted by aninnka

Dec 21, 2007 8:30PM

Peta doesn't do wonderful things, what they have is a wonderful cause to work for, but all they do is shameless things. They truly deserve being dissed.