PETA Presses Oxford English Dictionary to Redefine ‘Chicken’
PETA Presses Oxford English Dictionary to Redefine ‘Chicken’
Oxford – This morning, PETA sent a letter (available here) to the Oxford English Dictionary requesting the removal of its harmful entry for “chicken” – which the dictionary inaccurately associates with cowardliness. PETA points out that the derogatory definition fuels false perceptions about chickens and promotes speciesism, the human-held belief that all other animal species are inferior.
“Words matter and perpetuating negative, inaccurate stereotypes about chickens makes it easier to justify killing and eating these clever animals,” says PETA Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen. “PETA encourages the Oxford English Dictionary to reject mischaracterisations of chickens and update its definition to reflect their natural intelligence, communication skills, and empathy for others.”
In the letter, PETA points out that chickens are remarkably brave. Mother hens will put themselves in harm’s way to protect their young, using their wings to shield them from predators, while roosters are gallant guardians who defend their flock if threatened. They can also recognise the faces of more than 100 other chickens; communicate with at least 24 unique vocalisations; establish complex social hierarchies; and roost together companionably.
On British factory farms, chickens killed for their flesh are crammed into filthy sheds, where they’re forced to live in their own waste – and the runoff from these operations pollutes the environment and poisons local wildlife. At abattoirs, chickens’ throats are often cut while they’re still conscious, and many are scalded to death in de-feathering tanks.
PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat or abuse in any way” – points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a chicken is a dog is a boy. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk or follow PETA on Facebook, X, TikTok, or Instagram.
Contact:
Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327; [email protected]
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