Jack Styles, Teen Activist Extraordinaire

Calling Jack Styles “enthusiastic” is like saying he just “likes” animals. He is consumed with a passion for animal rights and is a committed vegan. He is also just 16 years old and still attends school full-time.

Jack has been vegan since seeing a PETA US video online at the age of 11, when he immediately joined a Melbourne, Australia, animal rights group. By the age of 13, he was already a PETA activist. He recently spent time at the Australian Livestock Transporters Association’s 2011 National Conference, spreading the word about the horrors of Australia’s live-export trade while annoying cattle farmers. He promotes veganism and anti-dissection policies at his school, Mentone Grammar, and actively promotes alternatives to fur, leather, and wool to the fashion industry. He is also a member of several animal rights organizations, including Animal Liberation Youth and the Duck Army—a Victoria, Australia, group that works to stop duck hunting—and he runs a group called “Kindness Kids.”

He recently organized protests against Australian designer Arabella Ramsay, after which she pledged to be fur-free, and another against Scanlan & Theodore (who also sell fur), which was attended by more than 40 people.

And he’s not stopping there—his latest demo (just yesterday!) involved a group of naked protestors! Jack Styles is an inspiration to us all, a young man who thinks deeply about issues and then acts on his conclusions. If you would like to become an activist like Jack, join our Activist Network here.

Posted by Jason Baker