I think the real reason that fur is considered evil and other animal products are ok is that furs were owned by rich people which made them an easy target as opposed to say leather which is more universally owned and therefore harder to turn it into a us vs them, good vs evil debate.
Many species of fur animals are bred just for the fur, whereas leather comes from animals that are bred for food and other purposes.
Wild animals that are hunted for their fur are another issue. There are also some species of birds that have beautiful feathers but are not good to eat.
Fur is more likely to be worn by women, often older ones. Leather is more likely to by worn by big, strong, young, aggressive men. If you scream insults at or throw red paint on the latter you’re likely to be beaten up; but you can generally get away with harassing the former.
I’ve never actually heard an anti-fur activist say that leather is okay. I thought most of them were opposed to both.
I think because you use the entire animal with leather. Whereas fur, you’re only after their coat. Plus (at least in the sources I’ve seen, the leather industry isn’t as nasty as the fur one)
One take on it is cows are already raised for meat and there’s a process in place that involves killing them and using the whole cow. So processing for meat already has skin as a byproduct. Furry animals, not so much. While all of it can be argued about being inhumane and cruel, I think there’s more cruelty documented in the fur industry. I’ve run across footage of fur animals being skinned alive without really looking for it.
Furry animals = cute.
Leathery cows = not that cute.
Yes, Janet, life’s pretty cheap to that type.
Leather is a by-product of the meat industry. There are no specialized leather-cows being reared just for the leather, and cows are well domesticated herbivore herd animals being raised in relative comfort.
Fur is generally a product of the fur industry. Nothing else useful comes from this industry other than fur and the animals being raised are barely domesticated predators and are raised in conditions that anyone who cares about animal welfare find appalling. And if they are not raised for fur they are shot or trapped exclusively for their pelts and everything else goes to dog food.
Simplifying it to the extent the OP has done misses this very basic difference and of course ignores that there are plenty of people opposed to both.
Rabbits are “barely domesticated predators”…?
I’ve yet to see an anti-fur person make a distinction between rabbit and other furs. Also, use of cat or dog fur in garments raises especial outrage in the western world although really there’s no practical, non-emotional, non-custom reason to not use them as such (and dog is considered food in some places).
I don’t think the issue is a simple as predator/domestic herbivore, or wild vs. domestic animals. Some element of that may be involved but it’s not the whole of it.
The fact fur is seen as a luxury probably factors into it, with class jealousy a factor. Leather is more ubiquitous and for some items, like shoes and belts, see as a practical material rather than a luxury.
Those who farm deer, rabbit, guinea pigs and many others for both meat and skin / fur would beg to differ. And you can buy crocodile and alligator meat, and we use crocodile and alligator skin.
Perhaps a more useful distinction would be that many of the fur-bearing creatures are predators and therefore not generally happy with the confined conditions of a farm?
The fur industry has a bad reputation, the cattle industry less-so. For a lot of people who use animal products, the perceived treatment of the animal during its lifetime matters. Think about the markets for cage-free eggs and free-range cattle.
Rich people wear fur so it must be bad.
What’s the current status of Sheepskin coats? – basically, leather with the fur left on the inside.
Yay that type!
Oh poor poor rich people. My heart breaks.
Anyway, as mentioned already this has nothing to do with it.
If you had the choice between throwing paint on a quiet, middle-aged woman or a Hell’s Angel, which option do you think has less chance of severe injury?
Leather and fur are both wrong, of course.
Silver star studs on my duds like a Harley in heat
When I strut down the street I could feel its heartbeat
The sisters fell back and said “Don’t that man look pretty”
The cripple on the corner cried out “Nickels for your pity”
Won’t someone think of the naugas?!
