Whiteness in Veterinary Science

Veterinary science has consistently been one of the Whitest professions since at least the 1970s. In Australia this homogeneity reflects a largely invisible system of power (referred to hereon as “Whiteness”) introduced at the time of British settlement that benefits White people while disadvantaging non-White people. Whiteness impacts who aspires to be a veterinarian and who can gain veterinary qualifications through university courses. Whiteness also impacts who can and does access veterinary services and even how we define what constitutes good animal welfare and “responsible pet ownership.” The most important functions of the veterinary profession are to protect animal welfare and maintain public health, but we cannot protect the welfare of animals without also protecting the welfare of the humans who care for them. Hence, everyone in the veterinary profession has a responsibility to understand and challenge systemic contributors to inequality. Doing nothing allows this system of advantage and disadvantage to continue to operate as it was intended with White people benefiting at the expense of their non-White peers. This chapter explores how Whiteness operates within veterinary science and what we can all do to make the systems we live and work within more equitable.