Skeptics and “The White Stuff”: Promotion of Cows’ Milk and Other Nonhuman Animal Products in the Skeptic Community as Normative Whiteness

This article discusses a dairy advertising campaign featuring skeptic Derren Brown. I explore

the various health claims made in the ads as well as a report Brown featured on his website

that claimed consumption of cow’s milk is linked to longevity. I discuss how dairy consumption is largely linked to race and ethnicity. It is a practice enjoyed primarily by European

whites as most nonwhites are lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance is a normal biological

process associated with weaning, but it is medicalized and made deviant because it is not part

of the white experience. I also mention comments made by Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins

that normalize Western diets with unsubstantiated claims. This article takes a critical look at

skeptic leaders who have failed to address misleading information perpetuated by exploitative animal product industries.