Are Your Parents Worried About Your Activism? Here’s What to Tell Them

Posted by Calvin on May 14, 2025

We’ll say this in the most unbiased way possible: Animal activism is 🔥🔥🔥. From leafleting outside a local store to joining peaceful protests, knowing you’re making a difference for animals is empowering. But when you bring it up to your parents, they might feel iffy, even if you’ve already talked to them about going vegan. That’s OK—parents worry—and you can ease their minds with these responses to their top concerns about your activism:

1. “I’m worried about your safety.”

Your parents might stress about your safety, especially if they’ve seen protests and activism misrepresented in the media. Real talk: Most events are peaceful, well-organized, and led by people who have experience keeping things safe and respectful.

How to address it:

• Let them know you’ll only participate in peaceful actions and never put yourself in sketchy situations.
• Share deets ahead of time, like where the action is happening, what time you’ll be there, who you’ll be with, and whether you should check in before and/or after the event.
• Ask them to attend an event with you to see how it works—you might even jumpstart their animal advocacy journey. 💪

2. “I don’t want you to get into legal trouble.”

Nobody wants to get in legal trouble, but this is extremely unlikely. By researching your rights as an activist, you can make sure everything you do is legal.

How to address it:

• Show your parents that you know what is and isn’t allowed in public spaces, like handing out flyers on public sidewalks or participating in permitted protests.
• Many groups also teach participants about their rights before events begin—let your parents know you’re attending those sessions.
• Tell your parents that if you’re unsure if something is legal, you’ll ask an adult organizer or opt out.

3. “Are you sure you’re not being pressured into this?”

Peer pressure is real; parents don’t want you to be swayed into doing something you don’t believe in. But since you’re reading this, we’re guessing you DO believe in animal liberation. 😉

How to address it:

• Share your reasons for caring about animals. Talk about how the exploitation of animals for experiments, food, clothing, or entertainment makes you feel.
• Let them know you made this decision on your own, not bc you feel pressured.
• Mention that our movement respects each person’s level of comfort. You can start small—like leafleting or sharing info on social media—and grow from there.

4. “Isn’t this emotionally overwhelming for someone your age?”

All social justice movements deal with painful truths. It can be heavy stuff for super empathetic people, but having the right support makes all the difference.

How to address it:

• Be honest. Acknowledge that yes, it can be emotional, but your activism helps you process those feelings. Taking action gives you a sense of purpose, even when the topic is tough.
• Let them know you’re practicing self-care—whether it’s taking breaks, journaling, talking to a therapist, or focusing on positive wins in the movement.
• Remind them that you’re not alone. Our movement is built on community support, and advocates often talk openly about mental health and burnout. 💕

5. “What if other kids judge or bully you for this?”

It’s ridiculous to bully others for anything, but for being kind to animals?? Gimme a break. 😒 Thankfully, you can follow this list of tips on how to deal with bullies if you find yourself in a similar situation. (Pro tip: Let your parents know that they inspire you and raised you to stick up for others, so you want to honor your voice by using it for some of the most common bullying targets—animals.)

How to address it:

• Be honest about what you’ve experienced so far. If people have been supportive, share that. If they haven’t, explain how you’re dealing with it healthily.
• Reassure them that being true to your values builds confidence over time in all areas of life.
• Talk about how you’re finding like-minded people who care about the same causes and who support each other. Animal advocates are high-key the best friends to have.

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A post shared by NYU Animal Rights Collective (@arc.nyu)

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One of the best ways to get your parents on board with your activism is by showing them what our movement is about. Watch one of these animal-friendly movies together!