Gary Yourofsky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gary Yourofsky
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Yourofsky in 2013
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| Born | August 19, 1970 |
| Occupation | Lecturer, activist |
| Known for | Speeches promoting animals rights |
Gary Yourofsky (born August 19, 1970) is an American animal rights activist and speaker. He has greatly influenced the modern veganism movement. Veganism means choosing not to use or eat any animal products.
Yourofsky worked with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) from 2002 to 2005. During this time, he gave many talks to encourage people to become vegan. In 2010, a video of his speech at the Georgia Institute of Technology became very popular on YouTube. Millions of people watched it, and it was translated into many languages.
Gary Yourofsky has been both praised and criticized for his strong views. He was arrested several times between 1997 and 2001. In 1999, he spent 77 days in a Canadian prison. This happened after he helped release 1,542 mink from a fur farm in Canada in 1997. He is not allowed to enter Canada or the United Kingdom anymore. On March 30, 2017, Yourofsky announced on Facebook that he was stopping his public activism. He said he would still help students and people starting their vegan journey.
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About Gary Yourofsky
Yourofsky was born into a Jewish family in Detroit, Michigan, United States. He grew up in Oak Park. He has a large tattoo on his right arm. It shows him wearing a mask and holding a rabbit.
Gary Yourofsky studied journalism at Oakland University. He also earned a degree in radio broadcasting. This helped him become a good speaker.
Working for Animal Rights
Early Years of Activism (1996–2001)
In 1996, Yourofsky started an organization called Animals Deserve Absolute Protection Today and Tomorrow (ADAPTT). This group was against any use of animals. By 2001, ADAPTT had about 2,200 members.
On March 30, 1997, Yourofsky and four others from the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) visited a fur farm. This farm was in Blenheim, Ontario, Canada. They released 1,542 mink from the farm. Yourofsky was arrested for this action. He was sentenced to six months in a Canadian prison in 1999. He served 77 days of this sentence. This experience made Yourofsky feel more strongly about animal rights. He said being in prison helped him understand what animals go through.
In 2000, Yourofsky received money from PETA. He used it to broadcast a TV commercial. The commercial spoke out against circuses that use animals. It was shown 69 times on a local TV channel.
Working with PETA (2002–2005)
In early 2002, Yourofsky left his role as president of ADAPTT. Soon after, Ingrid Newkirk, the president of PETA, offered him a job. By May 20, 2002, Yourofsky became PETA's official national speaker. He traveled and gave talks about animal rights and veganism.
Continued Activism (2005–Present)
In 2007, Yourofsky was invited to speak at the University of Southern Indiana. His talk was about "Ethical Veganism." At first, the university canceled his talk. This was because of a rule about outside speakers. However, after people spoke up for free speech, the rule was changed. Yourofsky was then able to give his talk.
A part of Yourofsky's famous speech on veganism was used in a 2012 movie. The movie was called The Superior Human? It was about being fair to all living beings, not just humans.
Yourofsky visited Israel in September 2012. He was interviewed by Israeli television Channel 2. Some of his talks planned for public schools were canceled by the Israeli Ministry of Education. Nobel Prize laureate J. M. Coetzee commented on this. He said that children are sensitive. He understood why schools might not want speakers like Yourofsky. But he also said that the way animals are treated in the food industry is very harsh. He felt that Yourofsky might be helping people understand these issues better.
See also
In Spanish: Gary Yourofsky para niños
- James Aspey
- Joey Carbstrong
- List of vegans
- List of animal rights activists
