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Radical Companionship: Rejecting Pethood & Embracing Our Multispecies World
Exploring the rarely discussed dynamic of pethood, Aiyana Goodfellow speaks of reimagined relations between species, starting with the seedlings, expanding into the roots and blossoming into growth. The relationships we have with animals that are 'colonised into pethood' reveal the kind of humans we really are. A balance of theory and practice, this book is a guide to unlearning the oppressive tendencies within all of us. Filled with the hope, passion and rage of a young Black, queer writer, Aiyana asserts that to be a radical companion is to connect with the animality in all of us.
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First published November 1, 2021
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April 7, 2022"What is a Radical Companion? We talk of Radical as in at the roots, the trunks, stems and leaves. Supremacy is egoistic and humanity would have itself act as the sun, but truthfully, we are as grounded and fundamental as the rest of nature. We are so small in this world: be comforted in the insignificant importance of yourself. A Companion is a friend, a comrade, an accomplice and animal."
A brief but quite encompassing book about antispeciesist relations and the way they relate to Political Queerness, decoloniality and antiracism. The main focus is our relationships with "animals colonised into pethood", as Aiyana is offering us a different path, that of radical companionship.
A brief but quite encompassing book about antispeciesist relations and the way they relate to Political Queerness, decoloniality and antiracism. The main focus is our relationships with "animals colonised into pethood", as Aiyana is offering us a different path, that of radical companionship.
July 14, 2023
"Pethood is a racialised, gendered, age-ed and species-ed dynamic, interlinked in that they force us into roles of hierarchy: the human, the man, the adult, the white person is an autonomous, decision maker with humanity and the ‘pet’, the nonhuman, the non-man, the child, the non-white individual is weak, passive and exists to be fetishised.
December 28, 2025
This book is an essay on Radical Companionship written by Aiyana Goodfellow, who admits that the theory is developing and should be flexible for us, as readers, to formulate our understanding of what Radical Companionship means to us.
I chose to read this book because I have been evermore conscious about the relationship I have with my cats. I'm conscious of my 'ownership' position with them which I try to challenge each day to bring them as much freedom and autonomy as I can. When I began reading the book, I did get a strong sense of guilt for participating in colonising animals into pethood but Goodfellow explains that this is necessary to come to terms with and use it to motivate us for a better future.
Goodfellow is really good at confidently explaining the interconnectedness of human and non-human oppression. With their own experiences within marginalized communities - they are able to pinpoint key elements of these experiences that give us an insight into the oppression of animals as well. I also really appreciate their use of quotes and references to bring more perspectives and voices into the essay - giving these powerful statements more levity.
While they talk of 'We are Utopia', they also acknowledge the clear challenges within Radical Companionship that arise when we move from such an oppressive system. But they do not faulter to bring hope and motivation to the cause - highlighting the many ways these challenges can be overcome and combatted.
It was validating to see much of Goodfellow's suggestions for Radical Companionship I had already considered myself - changing our language, understanding how animals show consent or trauma reactions and so on. But then there were a few suggestions that I hadnt considered too that I'm working to implement now: such a considering how my actions are actually saviourism or devourism, and even considering how our use of the term activist doesn't necessarily suit our work to support animals in their journey to liberation. Their perspective on victimisation was eye opening. My only fear now is s finding a better way to be an animal accomplice in their work and learning to really follow them.
My only struggle with this piece was the many many theories introduced into this small pocketbook. While Goodfellow does explain the majority of them - it was diffifcult to follow all of them and understand the terminology immediately. However, the essay has made me feel dedicated enough to keep returning to the book to understand it more in bitesize pieces.
Overall, I feel inspired to continue to work on my relationship with animals knowing that I am going in the right direction. I am thankful for people like Aiyana and publishers like Active, who bring out hard-hitting and passionate political works that have the potential to change people's minds, one read at a time!
I chose to read this book because I have been evermore conscious about the relationship I have with my cats. I'm conscious of my 'ownership' position with them which I try to challenge each day to bring them as much freedom and autonomy as I can. When I began reading the book, I did get a strong sense of guilt for participating in colonising animals into pethood but Goodfellow explains that this is necessary to come to terms with and use it to motivate us for a better future.
Goodfellow is really good at confidently explaining the interconnectedness of human and non-human oppression. With their own experiences within marginalized communities - they are able to pinpoint key elements of these experiences that give us an insight into the oppression of animals as well. I also really appreciate their use of quotes and references to bring more perspectives and voices into the essay - giving these powerful statements more levity.
While they talk of 'We are Utopia', they also acknowledge the clear challenges within Radical Companionship that arise when we move from such an oppressive system. But they do not faulter to bring hope and motivation to the cause - highlighting the many ways these challenges can be overcome and combatted.
It was validating to see much of Goodfellow's suggestions for Radical Companionship I had already considered myself - changing our language, understanding how animals show consent or trauma reactions and so on. But then there were a few suggestions that I hadnt considered too that I'm working to implement now: such a considering how my actions are actually saviourism or devourism, and even considering how our use of the term activist doesn't necessarily suit our work to support animals in their journey to liberation. Their perspective on victimisation was eye opening. My only fear now is s finding a better way to be an animal accomplice in their work and learning to really follow them.
My only struggle with this piece was the many many theories introduced into this small pocketbook. While Goodfellow does explain the majority of them - it was diffifcult to follow all of them and understand the terminology immediately. However, the essay has made me feel dedicated enough to keep returning to the book to understand it more in bitesize pieces.
Overall, I feel inspired to continue to work on my relationship with animals knowing that I am going in the right direction. I am thankful for people like Aiyana and publishers like Active, who bring out hard-hitting and passionate political works that have the potential to change people's minds, one read at a time!
July 31, 2022
Very inspiring brief pamphlet! As presented in the book, Radical Companionship is a visionary anti-capitalist perspective and practice to reimagine the interconnected and interdependent relationships between humans and nonhumans and the environment. Some of the building stones of the text are anti-speciesism, a radical political understanding of queerness, decolonialism, anti-ableism and anti-racism, as well as a feminist, anti-capitalist and multispecies understanding of care. I very much liked the broad analysis about pethood as a "racialised, gendered, age-ed and species-ed dynamic" that force us - both human and nonhuman - into roles of hierarchy.
I felt the author uses the idea of animality a bit superficially. The texts suggests that we embrace animality, both human and nonhuman, outside of the colonial and cishetero-patriarchal binary of human/animal, but then it never defines what would this type of animality be. I mean, I agree with the idea, let's embrace the world's animality, but how? Same applies to the concept of nature and naturality, I lacked a more nuanced approach to it. But after all this is a pamphlet, so it was meant to be brief.
This is a very-very good conversation starter, a comprehensive primer on anti-speciesist action and a great source of inspiration for further readings on the topics mentioned in it. And, at least for me, a very much needed accessible(!!) and militant writing which connects anarchism with anti-speciesism! I am grateful I could read it. <3
I felt the author uses the idea of animality a bit superficially. The texts suggests that we embrace animality, both human and nonhuman, outside of the colonial and cishetero-patriarchal binary of human/animal, but then it never defines what would this type of animality be. I mean, I agree with the idea, let's embrace the world's animality, but how? Same applies to the concept of nature and naturality, I lacked a more nuanced approach to it. But after all this is a pamphlet, so it was meant to be brief.
This is a very-very good conversation starter, a comprehensive primer on anti-speciesist action and a great source of inspiration for further readings on the topics mentioned in it. And, at least for me, a very much needed accessible(!!) and militant writing which connects anarchism with anti-speciesism! I am grateful I could read it. <3
November 21, 2022
Five stars is not enough to rate this book, these words, thoughts, concepts, theories, offerings and this mind. Aiyana Goodfellow has created one of those books that is truly a must-read. It's a book for us all.
Anything less than five stars indicates the reviewer has not really read the book.
I'm excited for more from this writer!
Anything less than five stars indicates the reviewer has not really read the book.
I'm excited for more from this writer!
October 13, 2022
Two stars for the effort and for the basic concepts. I'll leave it at that.
November 21, 2022
Thought provoking and eye opening. The ideas in this book have stuck with me in my interactions with fellow animals.
November 21, 2022
This book made my brain buzz with the possibilities it represents. Aiyana has an engaging writing style, with each concept and idea meshed out in detail. Thoroughly enjoyed 💚
December 12, 2025
An interesting and well written book on interspecies liberation, that I'm really glad I read. Handed to me by a fellow zinester and I'm passing it onto a friend.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews