The Oppression Tree was first developed by The Center for Community Organizations and is a way to identify, express, and visualize the forces that shape different oppressions as well as the tangible outcomes of those oppressions. Each of us can create our own version of the Oppression Tree and it is a useful exercise for anyone working for social justice.
Oppression Tree: Leaves, Branches, Trunk, and Roots
On the leaves of the tree, we name the outcomes and impacts of oppressions. There are countless outcomes, and the ones we chose may reflect our own priorities and experiences. They could include racist slurs, domestic violence, homelessness, slaughtering animals, polluting rivers, inaccessible public buildings, and many, many more.
On the branches of the tree, we list ideas and ideologies that give rise to oppressions. This could be the notion that humans are smarter than other animals or that nature was put here for humans to exploit.
On the trunk of the tree, we list the institutions that support those oppressions. That could include the police, politicians, bankers, and corporations.
And finally on the roots, we name the systems of oppression that have led to all the other outcomes. This could be colonialism, capitalism, speciesism, or white supremacy, as examples.
The Interconnectedness of the Oppression Tree
As in nature, all parts of the tree are connected, with the elements supporting and feeding one another. The outcomes (the leaves) are the most visible aspects and exist only because of the systemic oppressions (the roots). But leaves photosynthesise and in so doing, they reinforce the strength of the invisible roots, creating a strong system that is hard to dismantle.
Of course, trees are connected to one another. They support and feed one another, in the same way that oppressions support and feed each other. Speciesism, racism, sexism, ableism, and homophobia are all interconnected in that they drive the oppression of all those deemed inferior.
Lessons for Vegans From the Oppression Tree
As social justice activists, we may be tempted to focus our efforts on the leaves – the visible signs of oppression we see every day. And while it is important to do this, we should not think that we can ever end the problem that way.
So, rescuing animals from the horrors of factory farms is a wonderful thing, and yes we should make formal complaints about dodgy meat advertising and report instances of farm pollution. But these visible outcomes will never end unless we focus on the root of the problem, which in our case is speciesism: the system of oppression that says animals are worth less than people and exist only to be exploited. Longtime animal activist Mark Hawthorne must have known this when he named his practical guide to activism Striking at the Roots. This is reiterated by Professor Corey Lee Wrenn, who is an expert in the sociology of the animal rights movement, ecofeminism, and vegan studies. She says that social movements tend to focus on reform instead of radical social change, and that single-issue campaigns may make for easy victories and fundraising but they are not particularly threatening to elite interests and do little to dismantle oppressions.
Dismantling Oppression
In order to be effective at striking at the roots, Dr. Wrenn advises we engage in these practical steps:
- Acknowledge the intersecting nature of oppression
- Use single-issue campaigns with caution
- Hold nonprofits accountable
- Support grassroots efforts
- Build alliances across the social justice movement
- And whatever social justice movement we are involved in, go vegan
Why Go Vegan?
Dr. Wrenn says that veganism is the daily political act of refusing to engage with or participate in oppression. It is both a personal stance and a collective action, and — as all oppressions are connected — it strikes at the roots of all the other isms and obias we are seeking to dismantle.
The Tree of Liberation
To create in our minds a positive vision of the future we want, we might like to create a Tree of Liberation. Here, the leaves are things we would like to see in society (an end to animal farms and zoos, for example), and the branches are the ideas and ideologies that could help us get there (such as animals having legal rights). On the trunk we would write the institutions we would need to support this system (which could be a governmental department dedicated to protecting our animal brethren) and on the roots we would indicate the underlying systems we need to bring about this positive change. These are likely to be described as the antithesis to what we have — such as anti-speciesism, anti-capitalism for example — as we may not have the language to describe (or even the ability to imagine) how to bring about the future we want.
The NGO Healthcare Is A Human Right says: “If we were industrial workers 100 years ago in Europe, for example, we would label the roots of the Tree of Liberation “socialism,” if we were peasants in China in the 1940s we would say “communism,” etc. Movements in Latin America are beginning to use the term “21st Century Socialism.”
Knowing and naming what we need will help us achieve it.
Twelve Great Books To Help Us Understand the Roots of Oppressions
- The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism (& How It Came to Control Your Life) by George Monbiot and Peter Hutchison
- Why We Get The Wrong Politicians by Isabel Hardman
- Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts and the Death of Freedom by Grace Blakeley
- This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs The Climate by Naomi Klein
- Veganism of Color: Decentering Whiteness in Human and Nonhuman Animal Liberation, edited by Julia Feliz Brueck
- Capitalism and the Death Drive by Byung-Chul Han
- Sistah Vegan: Black Women Speak on Food, Identity, Health, and Society, edited by Breeze Harper
- Brotha Vegan: Black Male Vegans Speak on Food, Identity, Health, and Society, edited by Omowale Adewale
- Beasts of Burden: Animal and Disability Liberation by Sunaura Taylor
- The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory by Carol J. Adams
- How Did We Get Into This Mess? by George Monbiot
- Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala
- Cannibal Capitalism: How our System is Devouring Democracy, Care, and the Planet – and What We Can Do About It by Nancy Fraser
Conclusion
At GenV we recognize the interconnectedness of oppressions. We work towards a world where all humans and non-human animals are free from tyranny, exploitation, and ownership and where the natural world is protected and defended against the forces that seek to profit from its destruction.
The Oppression Tree not only allows us to visualize the impacts of speciesism in our own work, but it reminds us that all systems of oppression stem from the same root. We will continue to strike at that root.
