Week 2: Autoethnography: Community Membership.
Prior to undertaking this module I had very limited knowledge of autoethnography as a method of social research and as a tool for data analysis. I now understand autoethnography to be a valuable tool for researchers to be able to consider their own experiences, values and norms against the backdrop of cultural variables.
Autoethnography uses 'autobiographies that....explore the interplay of the introspective, personally engaged self with ....descriptions mediated through language, history, and ethnographic explanation'
(Ellis and Bochner 2000). Autoethnography acknowledges emotions and subjectivity, and the effect that researchers own influences can have upon research being carried out (Ellis et al 2011).
Within this blog I will discuss the ways that the cruelty-free and ethical beauty movements have helped to shape my identity and my affiliation and use of exclusively cruelty-free and ethical beauty products. My initial interest in cruelty-free beauty started when I was about 12 years old, when I was a practising vegetarian. I had become a vegetarian after I saw a documentary on the slaughter of animals, which propelled me to take up a vegetarian lifestyle (this lasted for 12 years). A vegetarian diet had led me to understand the ways that animals are used in the testing of cosmetics and beauty products, and the ways in which, at least to me, such testing constitutes unethical and unnecessary treatment of animals.
I have become increasingly aware of the work that the BUAV (British Union Against Vivisection) has piloted in the effort to change British Laws against vivisection in relation to the testing of beauty products on animals. I support the BUAV's campaigns to end all testing of cosmetics on animals, and therefore, as an ethical consumer I am committed to using only BUAV approved products myself, and to further this, I insist that only BUAV products are used in my home.
The media and beauty industries are relentlessly bombarding us with new products that are often claimed to be 'bigger, better, and more effective than previous products that already saturate the consumer market. Unfortunately most of these products either as complete products or as ingredients are still tested on live animals, therefore large quantities of these products are 'off-limits' to me.
Irving asserts that 'the success of consumer boycotts addressing animal testing in the late 1980's still influences the tone of contemporary campaigns' (Irving et al 2002). In respect of this I have found that I am able to demonstrate my ethical beliefs through modifying my patterns of consumerism and boycotting certain products. Ethical spending and the decision to boycott specific products is effective and has been demonstrated previously with successful consumer boycotts of various companies. The choice to be an ethical consumer is often problematic for me at birthdays and at Christmas, as I often receive gifts that are not cruelty free, and therefore I am unable to use such products. While I understand that this may be seen as wasteful I am happy to give away the products to family, friends or colleagues in order for me to continue my ethical consumer regime.
My interest in the unethical treatment of animals in the testing of cosmetics and beauty products may be due to the fact that I find the argument for such testing untenable, with often unreliable results that are not comparable to the results and/effects seen in humans. The beauty industry has been condemned for its use of animals in product testing, as beauty products are often considered as 'unnecessary' luxury items, and because beauty product manufacturers tend to have significant public and media presence (Balls 1994).
The cost of BUAV approved products is constantly becoming more affordable, yet the cheaper beauty products on the market are often not approved by the BUAV. I have found this difficult in times of financial hardship to maintain my ethical opinions and strong belief in cruelty-free beauty, which has resulted in me 'going without' in order to maintain my beliefs and my affiliation with the cruelty free community and movement.
I have found, ultimately, that the BUAV strongly influences the ways in which I shop for beauty products, and I feel that their ideology and vision is one that I closely align myself with. This blog has shown me that my ethical beliefs and need to support the cruelty-free regime has shaped my life more than I realize in many ways.
