People who say Nup To The Cup are basically huge hypocrites

The Melbourne Cup used to be the race that stopped the nation, and now it has become the race that divides the nation.

The slogan ‘Nup To The Cup’ has long been used to call out the race for cruelty to animals, but ironically people are usually reposting their ‘Nup To The Cup’ memes and then settling into a meat-based lunch. Do you see the irony here?

I’m not personally sold on The Melbourne Cup. It promotes gambling, excessive drinking, and a horse often dies. I can absolutely see why people are leaning away from horse racing.

However, I can also acknowledge that I’m being a hypocrite if I’m vehemently against the Melbourne Cup’s animal cruelty while still chowing down on meat every day. This is definitely up there with being inconsistent. Before we judge others, we should probably hold ourselves to the same standard.

It is like this; I have no right to roast Bec Hewitt for her 2012 shorts and a bra outfit at the Melbourne Cup because I’ve tried to make a dress over jeans happen.

I feel the same about the Melbourne Cup; it’s hard for me to loudly condemn people for embracing this race when I’ve absolutely bought eggs from caged chickens at the supermarket. Plus plenty of people that embrace horse racing also dedicate their lives to caring for horses. See, it is complicated!

There’s no denying that my choice to eat meat is hurting far more animals than the Melbourne Cup. The meat industry is one of the biggest in the world, and it is pretty much anyone’s guess if the animals I’m eating have been killed humanely.

Naturally, as someone that considers themselves an animal lover, I don’t like to think about this too much, but it is an uncomfortable reality (even writing this sentence probably means I’ll stick to a vegan-friendly meal tonight from sheer guilt).

So, I give people that attend the race the benefit of the doubt. I must admit I find myself slightly amused watching influencers proudly declare they aren’t going to the cup or even pulling an Abbie Chatfield and admitting she’s turned down, “Heaps of money!” to go. Because she’s likely made that declaration and then sauntered off to the kitchen and chowed down on a ham sandwich.

I can practically smell the irony from here. It’s as amusing as when Kourtney Kardashian became the sustainable ambassador for the fast fashion brand BooHoo. Sure, the intention is admirable, but the execution is entirely delusional.

My biggest gripe with this whole ‘Nup To The Cup’ business is, what are you doing every day to help animals? If the answer is “nothing,” and let’s face it, most of us battling a 9-5 don’t have much time to do anything else.

So, the answer is probably a loud nothing, and it is hypocritical to spend today judging or roasting influencers that turn up to Melbourne Cup.

You need to take a second and remember that you are also part of the problem. I can’t stand the self-righteousness the Melbourne Cup seems to bring out in people.

I’ll never forget two years ago when the co-hosts of Shameless, Zara McDonald and Michelle Andrews, got dragged in the Facebook group they’d created for their podcast for turning up at The Birdcage. People were bloody furious, and even at the time, all I could think was, you can only be this smug if you’ve never eaten eggs before.

I’m not against people being against the Melbourne Cup. However, I’m always against people being self-righteous and sanctimonious for no bloody reason. I’m sorry, but if it is Nup To The Cup, then it should be a hell no to Christmas ham as well.