Billie Eilish has fierce response to veganism backlash: ‘Stay mad’
Billie Eilish is doubling down on her most controversial take yet.
On Thursday, May 7, the Grammy-winning popstar took to her Instagram Stories to respond to the backlash she received after declaring in an interview last week that one cannot claim to be an animal lover while also eating meat.
Sharing multiple videos — some clipped from documentaries — of the animal abuse that occurs within the meat and dairy industries, the 24-year-old wrote “I really don’t give a goddamn f**k” about the backlash.
“Go watch a documentary or two and some footage of what is done to the animals u claim to love and what it does to the planet u pretend to love as well,” continued Eilish in the next Story. “if that footage was hard for u to watch i encourage u to pls take a look at urself.”
The WILDFLOWER hitmaker said that she’s “so tired” that something like “standing up” and “having empathy for living beings” is seen as “controversial.”
She added that her critics are in a state of cognitive dissonance, i.e., the mental tension when one’s thoughts and beliefs (in this case, loving animals) do not align with their actions (exploiting animals for food, entertainment, or clothing).
“pls continue to live in a constant state of cognitive dissonance and denial and try to convince urself that ur not living a lie,” she concluded, signing off with a simple kiss emoji.
The backlash erupted after Eilish revealed the “one hill she would die on” in an April 28 interview with Elle magazine. Raised as a vegetarian and becoming a vegan at age 12, Eilish’s answer was: “Eating meat is inherently wrong.”
She went on to explain: “Two things cannot coincide: ‘I love all animals so much and I eat meat.’ You just can’t do both, sorry! You can eat meat, go for it. You can love animals — but you can’t do both.”
As a huge environmentalist, Eilish has consistently put her own words into action. Her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour from 2024-2025 is often hailed for being eco-friendly, including the use of plant-based food and reusable water bottles.
