When it comes to personal beliefs, I think that actions speak loudest. While I’m not really active enough to consider myself an “activist,” I try to live out my convictions to the extent I can without making a personal religion out of them or beating myself up about my shortcomings. In addition to concrete actions and the occasional demonstration, I put my thoughts and feelings on these issues into my music and writing. And I’m always open to reading or talking about ideas & ideologies.
Here are the causes & ideas I’ve been most engaged in:
I joined my first Gay-Straight Alliance in high school. Since then, I’ve advocated for equal rights in the Army and the State Department, and supported LGBT+ movements abroad.
I think that economic inequality is one of the most pressing social issues, and that labor organization is a key tool. I’m a current union member and former local union rep.
Contemporary society’s treatment of animals for food strikes me as unnecessarily cruel. I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 16, and wrote some vegan cooking zines to share ideas.
The climate crisis seems too grim to think about. But it can be fun to reduce our climate impact! Drive less, walk and bike more; buy less, make and repair more. (plus make corporations and consumers pay the true cost of pollution!)
I’m putting this here as an example of something that I think is important, but that I’m really not doing enough about, and a reminder to myself. I’ve been trying to read more about the issues and ideas, but need to work harder at living them.
Ok, so it would be absurd to call this a cause. I’m just putting it here because post-structuralist ideas continue to shape how I think about the world and influence my writing. I frequently shout about this in my punk songs.