Going Animal Cruelty Free - personal manifesto.

Ever since I rescued my 3 cats, I've become more conscious about animal welfare. Not that I wasn't aware of animal cruelty before, I just never spoke as loudly as I do these days. And also, ignorance is bliss. I chose to ignore certain things because I like certain items. In terms of animal welfare, I sadly admit that I am nowhere near perfect. I still eat meat, for example. Not as much as I used to, but I do. I do imagine and see the future for myself that is free of animal flesh & fur. My conscience won't allow much longer for it. I know what the corporate farming does to cows, pigs and chickens. Do not google it....or do, maybe we can go vegan together. Cats and dogs might be considered pets, but the farm animals are just as sentient as the "cute," "fluffy" ones. Because I still eat meat, I can't judge anyone else who does. This post is not meant to be preachy or judgmental. I'm fully aware of the fact that veganism and vegetarianism are FIRST world choice. People across the planet cannot afford such luxury. I try to keep my privilege in check. This post is simply a reflection on a lifestyle I want to change & lead. Lifestyle free of animal, products, torture & cruelty. Those are the key words to keep in mind. It's not a change I can make over night but I'm willing to work on it.

Animal cruelty, with CRUELTY being the key word here, it does nothing to benefit a human. You can eat an animal without torturing it or experimenting on it.

Bottom line:

It's cruel to hunt for sport & fun.

It's cruel to test make-up on animals.

It's cruel to wear leather and fur.

It's cruel to buy animals.

I want to contribute somehow. I want to curb the cruelty in any way I can. I wish I can be more radical and bold and just say "fuck it all" but there is nuance to this. Its not as black and white and as simple as some may make it out to be. Hunting for food and population control, I get it. Testing medications on animals for cancer treatments, I get it. Testing for make up? Fuck no. Its absolutely unnecessary. Wearing leather and fur? The sheer cruelty these poor animals go through is unbearable. Technology and process has evolved so much that vegan leather and fake fur look as good as the real thing, but its a personal choice and you chose to be a fucking asshole. (The fur thing infuriates me.) Now, let me step back for a moment. I own a leather jacket, shoes and boots. All from Zara. Haven't bought real leather in years & don't intend to anymore. I find solace in Zara's ethically obtained leather though. but even this is highly questionable due to the environmental impact and collection of carcasses from slaughterhouses....I mean....I don't know. At least they are not killing these poor animals just to strip them off their skin, so I find SOME, completely bare minimum justification in that. Its not good enough though.

Ethical Consumer is a fantastic source if you are looking to make changes to your purchasing and life habits.

I have never bought or worn fur. I refuse to buy silk.  I'm trying to abstain from polyester as well, due to environmental impact. Cotton, linen and soy based fabrics such as cashmere and silk are all sustainable and biodegradable. Does polyester sneak into my closet? Sure. I'm trying to curb it as much as I can. 

For about a year, I've been changing up my skin and make-up routine and products to cruelty-free. 99% of my make up is cruelty free. 100% of my skin care is cruelty free. Hair care? This is my worst offence. Pretty much all of my hair products have been tested on animals. After make up and skin care, that's my next level of cruelty free I'd like to achieve. If it has the word L'Oreal, Estee Lauder, & Shiseido, I am NOT buying it. There are so many great make up  brands that are NOT sold in China (this is major indicate) and are cruelty free. My favorites are Hourglass. Marc Jacobs Beauty (separate company from the perfumes which DO test on animals) Kat Von D, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Becca, Cover FX - and TONS of other affordable & indie brands. There are thousands of fantastic companies NOT testing on animals and their products are TOP NOTCH. You can spend $13 on Loreal Infallible....or you can spend $5.00 on Wet'nWild which is far superior, cheaper and CRUELTY FREE. Its not just rats and rabbits that go through this process. Cats, dogs, monkeys....I mean. I didn't want to share any disturbing photos but...

I don't want this on my conscience. I already do enough damage by eating meat & eggs....but to contribute to this because of a fucking lipstick? I can do better.

So yeah. I've been ranting, facebooking, snap-chatting and discussing cruelty free for a while now. Its something I take seriously & other people's opinions on this matter are absolutely irrelevant to me. My goal is not to preach or tell you "go vegan"...I just want to discuss alternatives. I can't judge because I'm so far from where I want to be. I hope to start a conversation with this.

I want my lifestyle to reflect my conscience. Maybe not right now at this moment or even tomorrow, but I'm more than willing to make changes & raise my own humans one day to be aware of the planet and all its inhabitants.

Cruelty Free Kitty website is a FANTASTIC source for all things cruelty-free & vegan. Suzi updates her blog regularly with new products and ways. She also alerts when a company sells their soul to China (looking at you NARS.)

Resources are out there, products and ways are out there...they just need to be looked up, reached and researched. Ignorance is no longer a bliss for me. I'm not that boring anymore. And as always, TNR your neighborhood cats and ALWAYS ADOPT DO NOT SHOP. 

My shameful secret: I hate "Friends"

F*ck it. Its out and now I can breathe. Honest to God, I am not trying to disparage your favorite show or convince YOU how awful it is. This is MY account, my experience, my thoughts, my opinion. I will not tell you "Hey stop watching Friends! Quit thinking its funny!"

That's not why I'm coming out of my Friends-hating closet. I can be a salty bitch sometimes. Now that disclaimers are done and over with, my God, I hate Friends. It's just not funny. I watched it religiously in the 1990's like everyone else, I was a teenager and basic as fuck. While I loved and listened to Nirvana & Metallica, I secretly obsessed over Britney Spears but claimed otherwise because I was soooooo special & needed my special cookies. So yeah, I grew up with Friends and watched it mostly for Ross & Rachel drama. "Will they-wont they" is a trope as old as time and when done right, it can be magical (See Teen Wolf and The 100) but Ross & Rachel? Two rusty shovels make more sense together than these two self involved, whiny assholes.

Don't get me wrong, there are moments that are genuine and funny (like Monica proposing to Chandler), but faaaaaaaaaaaaaaar in between and this show ran for 10 seasons...236 episodes exist. Watching it today as a 31 year old adult in year 2017? Take those two shovels to my face and call it a day. "But why Jovana? Why so salty?" Because hindsight and adulthood. Because I can't be Mary f*cking Sunshine 24/7. I ain't got that kind of stamina. Plus, negative rants about dumb pop culture stuff is fun to me. Judging Friends by today's TV standards (which are astronomical) is absolutely unfair, I know but imma do it anyways because reasons. Comedy has evolved so much. How can I ever watch Friends again after being spoiled with Arrested Development, Parks & Recreation, Community, 30 Rock, Broad City, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Archer, Bob's Burgers etc? These shows are so fucking good, funny, real, intelligent and FULL of complex, interesting, FUNNY characters....I refuse to waste ONE second of my time on another Fat Monica joke because fat = funny. Just gross.

Where do I even begin? Lets just ignore the absurdities like living in New York near Central Park in MASSIVE apartments with either struggling, shitty or non existing jobs. Looking at you Phoebe. Masseuse who can afford Manhattan? GTFO. Ross & Chandler are the only ones with an actual income and are constantly made fun of because of it. Ross's fascination for dinosauruses and his PhD are a butt of many jokes because who the fuccccccccccckk needs intelligence and real income in Friends world? Chandler's job? Its so unimportant an entire episode was devoted to his closest friends struggling to figure out what he actually does for work. What shitty friends. I could live with the unrealistic aspects (according to Friends, everyone is white and straight in NYC) if the show as actually funny. The only character worth something is Chandler - the receiver of everyone's unflinching cruelty. Especially by Phoebe who is by all definition a complete psychopath that takes pride in being a jobless, homophobic criminal. Also, cue the never ending suicide jokes because dead mom stuff is HILARIOUS. But seriously...where are the black & Asian people? Where are gay people in NYC? Why was 9/11 ignored? I'm getting anger sweats.

1. Joey - the stereotypical Italian American who gets dumber and dumber as the show progresses. He starts off charming and fuckboy-ish at first and I can see why women would be interested but then he devolves into a caricature with borderline special needs. What makes Joey so funny? He likes sandwiches and stuffed penguins! How you doin'? Not good Joe. Not good.

2. Fat jokes - did you guys know Monica was fat? Poor fat Monica wasn't even a character but a device for gross jokes and punchlines. "That girl ate Monica!" Hahaha soooooo funny. At least she becomes skinny and hot and worthy for boys and our time. Thank God. Fat people are not like, real people.

3. Gay jokes - either directed at Chandler, coming from Chandler or used in slurs. His father is a homosexual man and a cross-dresser so naturally, Chandler is ashamed but mostly makes jokes and doesn't invite him to the wedding. This could have been a GREAT topic to dwell into, but no. "Chandler does something therefore its gay" cue the laugh-track.

4. Rachel's narcissism and bitchiness are central to her character. Who the f*ck travels across the world to stop a wedding of a supposed "best friend." Self involved bitches do.

5. Ross....oh Ross. Face & personality made for punching. Responsible, intelligent one is the biggest whiny manchild in history of any sitcom. Crying about a lesbian wife leaving him, crying about every other woman who left him.....dude, look at your life. Look at your choices. Bubonic plague wouldn't get near you. Emily should have smothered you in your sleep. It's not like your kid would miss you, because Ben disappeared all of a sudden. Phoebe probably killed him. 

If you were part of Friends, you would probably be Janice, "Ugly Naked Guy", Emily, Gunther...or slew of other seemingly normal people that these assholes lure into their web of selfishness & lunacy for their own amusement. 

I really could go on, but this post is already too long. Its really simple folks: this show did not age well. It does not fit into 2017 anymore. Its not funny or clever. "But Jovana, sometimes we need stupid humor."

The fuck we do. You are an adult.  Raise your standards and demand more.

Rant over.