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Guidance for Grown-Ups
May 2007
Animal Rights and Wrongs
What Cost is Beauty? When our good looks mean bad news for animals
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This Discussion Guide contains the following Activity Sections:
- The Answers to Your Questions
- Problem Solving: Exploring Options, Giving Advice
- Make a Historical and Global Connection: Changing Options
I. The Answers to Your Questions
The purpose of this activity is to gain knowledge about the industries and companies that harm animals as well as companies that work hard to be cruelty free.
- In "Animal Testing in Cosmetics," Emma Mayberry writes, "behind the scenes of makeup production, scientists do many cruel things to animals in order to line the shelves with row after row of cosmetics." Before reading her article, open up a discussion about animal testing. With a show of hands, how many teens have heard about the harms of animal testing before? Why do they think companies use animals? How common is it? How do consumers know whether or not their products are cruelty free? Has anyone in the group intentionally purchased a cruelty-free product? Can consumer action make a difference? And, after reading the article: What do they think about Emma's take on the problem and solution? If they wanted to learn more about this topic where would they turn?
- For additional reading, direct the teens to "The Facts Behind the Fashion" by Taylor Daugherty and "Cuddly Cosmetics!"
- Ask the teens to bring their schoolbags/pocketbooks/purses to the circle. Can they pull out products that may or may not have required animal testing and place them in the center of the circle? They may have lip-gloss, lotion, hairspray, mascara, etc. Ask each person to examine each product closely. What company makes the product? Is there any symbol or evidence that this product is cruelty free? If the group has Internet access, ask them to find one of the product's policies about animal treatment on the company's website. (As a bonus exercise, suggest that the teens take an inventory of all products they use to get ready to go out and then find out how many of their products were tested on animals.)
- What does it mean to be cruelty free? Ask the teens to imagine themselves as entrepreneurs and draft a company policy that ensures the safety and protection of animal life. What would their company promise to do and not to do?
II. Problem Solving: Exploring Options, Giving Advice
The purpose of this activity is to develop and defend an opinion about animal rights both verbally and in writing.
- Ask the teens what other industries, in addition to cosmetics, may harm animals? (Suggestions could include the fashion industry, the food industry, or medical research.) Using one of the industries known to use animals as an example, ask the teens to choose one of three viewpoints: elimination of animal use; moderate or humane animal use; or unrestricted animal use. Teens must draft a persuasive paragraph on behalf of their viewpoint. Ask them to include five bullet points with evidence to strengthen their case.
- Share the following scenario with the group: While reporting on summer job opportunities for her high school paper, 16-year-old Melony finds out that a local laboratory houses bunnies in cramped quarters and tests chemicals on their skin for a cosmetics company. She publishes a hard-hitting story that rouses the enthusiasm of her classmates, who decide to organize a protest outside the laboratory. The laboratory claims it is doing no wrong and calls a press conference to defend its practices. Divide the group into protesters, press, and public relations. Give the groups 3-5 minutes to prepare what they would say in this situation, and then let the press conference begin!
- After the press conference, ask the teens to review the most compelling points made. What advice would they give to a group that is organizing a protest to advocate for animal rights?
- Ask the teens to think creatively about how to express their feelings about animal treatment. They can start by reading Katherine's poem, "The Unknown Angel," told from a cat's point of view. Give them time to write a poem from another animal's point of view.
III. Make a Historical and Global Connection: Changing Options
The purpose of this activity is to take action on behalf of animals, whether by preventing animal rights violations, educating the public, or promoting positive relationships between animals and humans.
- Ask the teens to read the interview, "You're Never Too Young to Help Animals," with teen activist Darcie Hancock and "5 Ways to Stand Up for Animal Rights."
- In response to the reading, ask the teens to write a speech to deliver to classmates about why they should select animal-friendly products. Can they include three tips on how to select those products?
- Ask the teens to think about what activities promote a positive relationship between animals and humans. Here are some examples: animal or pet adoption, animal companions for disabled persons, and hippotherapy. Ask the teens to write a 300-word "news" story about one of these topics. Who would they interview and what would those persons say? Ask them to include quotes in the news story.
Have you used Guidance for Grown-ups with your class or teen group? Tell us which ones you used and what kind of success you had with it. Did you put your own spin on it? Let us know.
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