In the past couple of weeks, we have seen a new dialogue starting in the sustainability movement: inclusiveness and tolerance.
This conversation came as a result of the global protests for Black Lives Matter, in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd. I have shared my thoughts specifically on Black Lives Matter and how I stand in solidarity with my black brothers and sisters here and here (I also share my thoughts on being an Asian-American here).
However, I want to take this discussion one step further and connect a few dots on why my brand of sustainable fashion has always looked different than the “traditional” form of sustainable fashion.
My brand of sustainability is focused on three key values:
- Inclusivity to all, regardless of socioeconomic status
- Inclusive to all body types and races
- Tolerant of all expressions of sustainability
I won’t pretend as though I am the first person to rethink sustainability in this way. There have been countless people and movements before me targeted at inclusivity and tolerance in sustainability. However, being inclusive and tolerant is, unfortunately, a view that I have not yet seen much of. I want to tackle a few problematic statements we typically hear in sustainability and show how I don’t believe we need to be limited to one brand of practicing sustainability.
Problematic statements made in sustainability:
- “Meat and dairy consumption are not sustainable.”
- “You are not sustainable if you buy clothes from fast fashion stores.”
- “Using personal care products that aren’t cruelty-free and zero waste is not sustainable.”
Here is the truth: those three statements above are true. However, what is missing from this picture is the empathy and awareness that not everyone has the means (or is medically able) to eat vegan. It is ignorant to assume that everyone can spend $50 on a plain white t-shirt or that the traditional sustainable fashion companies have clothes that will fit every body type and skin color. Expecting others to live a zero-waste life is simply ignorant.
Here are ways that we can tackle these three problematic statements:
- “To the best of my ability, I will buy meat and dairy from responsible companies that understand the environmental impacts of their actions.”
- “I will shop consciously and do everything I can to make fast fashion sustainable.”
- “Wherever possible, I will reduce my waste, reduce my consumption, and recycle.”
There will be those who think that my view on how we can tackle these problematic statements in sustainability is not truly grasping the urgency of how badly our planet needs change. However, what good is forcing others into a lifestyle choice they didn’t choose? That is counterproductive to the cause. You can lead a horse to the water, but you cannot force it to drink. All you can do is sit by its side, encourage it, and hopefully, the horse will eventually drink the water.
The first step to truly creating change on a grassroots level is to bridge the gap between the sustainability movement today to real people. We can tell all the doomsday stories we want, but unless we provide tangible solutions to helping everyone start becoming sustainable, we will lose the fight.
In short, the sustainability movement has a terrible habit of favoring those with privilege, forgetting those who do not see representation, and shaming those who express sustainability in different ways.
Sustainability needs to start being more inclusive now because even a small change in one person’s behavior can bring on a ripple of difference. If we have learned anything from the crazy up and down of 2020, it is that our own reality may not be the reality for other people. We cannot expect others to perfectly conform to our expectations because often, our expectations are unrealistic.
The sustainability movement as a collective need to reevaluate their stances and stop the cycle of shaming others who do not conform to their expectations. I will always be the first one to speak up for those who are often overlooked and will be the first one to accept any criticism if I am ever not inclusive or not tolerant.
If you liked this post, check out my Beginner’s Guide to Sustainability!
