Today we want to introduce you to a very special, interesting and inspiring woman. One of those women who help change the way we see things and, by extension, the things themselves. Her name is Marianne Thieme and she was born in the municipality of Ede (the Netherlands) in 1972.
Image: Partij voor de Dieren Instagram
Marianne is one of the founders of the animal rights party in the Netherlands (Partij voor de Dieren, founded on October 28, 2002) and was the first animal rights activist to gain parliamentary representation anywhere in the world. In other words, Marianne was the first woman in the world to become a member of parliament for an animal rights party. She achieved this milestone in 2006.
Sixteen years after its founding, the Partij voor de Dieren (PvdD) in the Netherlands has five members of parliament, two senators, one member of the European Parliament and 53 local representatives. It is a worldwide benchmark for all animal rights parties (12 around the world, including in France, Spain, Austria and Portugal), as well as for all organizations dedicated to animal protection.
For all these reasons, Marianne has a great deal to say. About the party's success, but also about the lessons learned over the years. It is important to listen to her.
Why the animal rights movement exists
For Marianne, the animal rights movement goes beyond ending circuses and animal testing. It is about stopping placing human beings at the center of the universe in order to create a fairer world for all species. It is a movement that is, in fact, necessary, since it arose to combat the devastation we are causing to the planet and animals through the traditional and destructive anthropocentric view. It also addresses the economic crisis, climate change and the famines ravaging large regions of our planet.
Thus, the issue is that unless we reconsider our priorities and try to create a balance between ourselves, nature and animals, future generations will not survive.
Key aspects of the animal rights movement
The member of parliament says that the animal rights movement has become a growing social movement . It draws on other socially established traditions, such as the struggle for women's rights, civil liberties and the fight against slavery. It stands as the only movement that shows compassion and solidarity toward all living beings and our home: Earth.
Animal rights
Thieme says that animal rights are human beings' obligations toward them. Therefore, we must avoid frightening them, causing them stress or letting them go hungry… In general, we must ensure that they live with as much freedom as possible, in accordance with their needs. Until this happens, we will continue to have a serious problem as a society.
Recently, Marianne Thieme visited our country to take part in an international gathering of animal rights parties from countless countries: from Albania to Australia, including our French neighbors, our cousins in Ecuador and Colombia, as well as Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Serbia, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Lebanon, Cyprus, Taiwan, Oman, Moldova, Ukraine, the United States and Morocco. The gathering was held at the Lázaro Galdiano Museum and, in this edition, focused on animal abandonment and the need to find political solutions. In fact, the leader of the Dutch party emphasized the importance of these decisions not only with regard to the situation of animals, but also to that of the entire planet. It was an inspiring talk that more than a few people should take note of…
If you would like to learn more about this extraordinary woman, her work and the animal rights movement, we encourage you to watch this talk she gave in Austria in May 2016. You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.