Non-speciesist Language

Speciesism is a term coined by British philosopher Richard Ryder in 1970. It refers to the widely held belief that the human species is inherently superior to other species and so has rights or privileges that are denied to other sentient animals. 

We understand that much of the language used when referring to non-human animals is inherently speciesist. As we strive to not only change the systems that oppress non-human animals we must also unlearn the oppressive language our society has been indoctrinated with. We hope that this section of language suggestion adapted from Animal Equality Language and Liberation by Joan Dunayer will help to further advance our advocacy.

Terms to Avoid

Alternatives

Pronouns for Nonhuman Animals

that, what, which

who

it

she (female); he (male); he/she, she/he (hermaphrodite); she, he (particular individual of unknown gender); they (unspecified individual of unknown gender)*

Nonhuman/Human Terms

animals (excluding humans)

nonhuman animals, other animals, nonhuman persons

apes (excluding humans)

nonhuman apes, other apes

brutal

cruel, violent, harsh, severe

brutish

coarse, crude, insensitive

to calf, to foal, to whelp (etc.) v

give birth

even (as in “Even insects feel”)

also, too, including, as well (as in “Insects, too, feel)

feed on

eat

living things, organisms (excluding humans)

other living beings, other organisms

man, mankind

humans, human animals, 

primates (excluding humans)

nonhuman primates, other primates

Food-Industry Terms

abattoir, meat plant, packing plant, processing plant (in reference to a killing facility)

slaughterhouse

bacon, ham, pork (etc.) 

pig flesh 

beef, hamburger, steak (etc.)

cow flesh

beef cow

cow, captive cow, exploited cow

beef industry, pork industry, poultry industry, veal industry (etc.)

cow-flesh industry, pig-flesh industry, bird-flesh industry, calf-flesh industry (etc.)

broiler, roaster (meaning a chicken)

chicken, captive chicken, exploited chicken

cattle

cow, captive cow, exploited cow

cattle ranching

cow farming, cow exploitation

chevon

goat flesh

chicken, lamb, tuna (etc. meaning the food)

chicken flesh, lamb flesh, tuna flesh (etc.)

a chicken, a turkey, a whole bird, a whole fish (etc., in reference to remains)

chicken remains, turkey remains, bird remains, fish remains (etc.)

cutlet, fillet, meat (etc.)

flesh, muscle

dairy goat, milk goat

captive goat, exploited goat, goat exploited for her milk

dairy cow, milk cow

captive cow, exploited cow, cow exploited for her milk

milk (from cows)

cow milk, dairy milk

drumstick

chicken’s leg, turkey’s leg (etc.) bird’s leg

harvest, process (etc., meaning kill)

slaughter

head of cattle

cows

hog, swine

pig

layer, laying hen

captive hen, exploited hen, hen exploited for her eggs

livestock

exploited nonhuman animals 

livestock market

farmed animal auction 

meat animal

animal farmed for slaughter

meat-packer

slaughterhouse worker

mutton

sheep flesh

poultry (in reference to living birds)

captive chickens (etc.); exploited chickens (etc.); birds exploited for food

spare ribs

pig ribs

stockyard

slaughterhouse pens, live animal market, 

sweetbread

calf thymus, lamb thymus (etc.); calf (etc.) pancreas; calf thymus or pancreas; thymus pancreas; thymus or pancreas

veal

calf flesh

veal calf

captive calf, exploited calf, calf farmed for slaughter

fake meat, meat substitute, meat alternative

plant-meat, plant-based meat, vegan meat

Hunting Terms

bag, collect, cull, harvest, remove (etc.)

kill, murder

fowl, gamebirds, wildfowl

hunted birds

game preserve, game refuge, shooting preserve, wildlife refuge (that allows hunting)

hunting area

overhunting

hunting

sportsman, trophy hunter

hunter, nonhuman-animal killer

waterfowl (pl.)

hunted water birds

Sportfishing Terms

bait

animal used as bait

baitfish

fish used as bait

catch n.

caught fishes, killed fishes

fisherman, sportsman

fisher, fish killer

overfishing

fishing

Zoo and Aquaprison Terms

caretaker

captor

collection

captive animals

curator

captor

display animal, exhibit

captive animals

enclosure (in reference to a cage)

cage

habitat, home (in reference to a confinement area)

confinement area, cage, cell, tank, pool

pool (in reference to a tank)

tank

Vivisection Terms

euthanize, put down, sacrifice, (etc.)

kill, murder

researcher, scientist (who harms animals)

vivisector, nonhuman animal experimenter

Pet Related Terms

aquarium

small tank

companion animal

nonhuman companion, nonhuman friend

destroy

euthanize

discipline, punishment,

abuse

her cat, my dog, your parakeet (etc.)

her cat companion, my dog friend, your parakeet companion (etc.)

mongrel, mutt

mixed-breed dog

shelter (that kills healthy nonhumans)

kill-shelter

terrarium

glass case, small tank

Pelt-Related Terms

fox farm, mink ranch (etc.)

fox confinement facility, mink confinement facility (etc.); fox (etc.) killing facility

fur trapper

trapper, furred-animal killer

furrier

fur farmer

Other Terms of Speciesist Abuse

animal husbandry

nonhuman animal exploitation

work animal

nonhuman forced to labor

build, create, engineer (a nonhuman animal)

inbreed, genetically manipulate, genetically harm, insert genes into

bullfight

bull torture, bull murder

carcass

body, corpse, remains

cashmere

goat hair

circus animal

circus captive

domestic animal, domesticated animal

exploited nonhuman, bred nonhuman

domestication

nonhuman enslavement, nonhuman subjugation, forced breeding, manipulated breeding

gamecock

captive cock, cock forced to fight

hide n.

skin

leather

cow skin, dog skin, horse skin, crocodile skin, goat skin, sheep skin, pig skin, ostrich skin (etc.)

wool

sheep hair

nuisance animal, pest, varmint, vermin

resented nonhuman, persecuted nonhuman, targeted nonhuman

pest control

murdering nonhumans, extermination, nonhuman genocide, mass murder of nonhumans

predator control, predator removal

killing predators, murdering predators

produce v. (a nonhuman animal)

breed, breed for exploitation, breed for killing

racehorse

exploited horse, horse forced to race

renewable, surplus (in reference to nonhuman animal)

viewed as disposable

resource (in reference to nonhuman animals)

exploited nonhuman, targeted nonhuman

stock n. (in reference to a nonhuman animal)

nonhuman captives, exploited nonhumans

tame v. (a nonhuman animal)

subjugate, oppress

venison

deer flesh

vegetarian

non-flesheater

wildlife

free living animals

wild v. (a nonhuman animal living in the wild)

living in the natural world