Jade Chenoa

“To anyone on the fence about claiming vegan straight edge, look in on yourself and ask: “Do I want to better myself while simultaneously bettering the world I was forced into”? If your answer is yes, then do it.”

My name is Jade Chenoa (she/her) and I do vocals/bass in xmanifestox. i’m also the vocalist for Lips Like Sin and was previously in Lacerated.

What was the moment or experience that first pushed you toward veganism?
I was first pushed towards veganism when I was a teenager. From a young age I had already had a distaste for eating meat, and I eventually watched videos of what goes on inside slaughterhouses and how factory farming is mass murdering these innocent, voiceless creatures. It made me never want to consume animal products ever again.
Did your path into veganism come before or after getting into hardcore / straight edge?
Around the same time. I grew up listening to punk and learned about straight edge when I was a kid. I claimed vegan long before claiming edge. I eventually got into the hardcore scene when I was in my late teens, and became vegan around the same time.
Was there a specific band, record, or scene influence that opened that door for you?
One of my first exposures to vegan straight edge was through AFI, especially with how outspoken Davey Havok is about it. That opened the door to it for me for sure. Other than that I would say Earth Crisis was next in line for exposing the culture to me.
How did your friends, family, or local scene react when you made that shift?
When I first became vegan I had already had a number of vegan friends who were very supportive of it. It didn’t feel as big of an adjustment as when I claimed edge. I struggled with addiction for most of my life, so when I finally claimed edge it felt like the best decision for me, and most of the people in my life luckily supported me. Some others weren’t as supportive and tried to use my addiction/claiming edge against me, and that’s one of the reasons those people are no longer in my life.
Was it an immediate commitment, or something you grew into over time?
Both were something I grew into over time. I was vegetarian before I went vegan, and but that was a pretty quick transition. It took me a long time to claim edge, I had continued using up until almost 2 years ago, and I made the decision to claim edge on the day I was admitted into a rehab program.

For you, how connected are veganism and straight edge—are they inseparable or distinct choices?
For me, it just makes sense to be both vegan and straight edge. Both are inherently rooted in anti-capitalism and anti-consumerist ideologies, so they are linked in that way.
Do you see veganism as an extension of straight edge ethics, or its own independent stance?
Similar to what I said before, both straight edge and veganism are anti-capitalist in nature, so it makes sense that veganism would be an extension of it.
How do you respond to people in the scene who embrace one but not the other?
I try to look at it from a point of understanding. I know not everyone has the ability to go vegan, for someone in the scene to embrace straight edge and not veganism just seems odd to me. Like why not take that extra step to protect the lives of innocent creatures? There’s obviously exceptions like in certain cultures and indigenous communities, but if you have the means to go vegan, then do it.

What role did the hardcore/metal scene play in shaping your beliefs?
Hardcore played a huge role in shaping my beliefs. I grew up listening to punk, so I was already around DIY culture for a long time before I found hardcore. I had already been reading and studying communist/marxist literature around when I got into the scene, and being a trans woman as well helped shape my understanding of the world around me. I had already had my morals and beliefs sort of set in stone, but hardcore is what helped me find my voice and my strength to continue fighting and helping those around me.
Do you feel like the scene today is more or less aligned with vegan / straight edge values than when you started?
I think the scene today is more aligned with straight edge than when I first got into it. So many amazing straight edge bands have formed within the last 5 years it’s so cool to see. I think veganism still isn’t as aligned, but it’s slowly growing.

What kind of impact do you hope your band has on listeners?
I hope when people listen to XmanifestoX, they can find solace and solidarity with a message that resonates with them, especially those who have struggled with addiction like myself.
Have you ever heard from someone who changed because of your music?
In my old band Lacerated, I would get a lot of messages or people approaching me at shows to tell me they were very grateful to see other queers in the scene and the fact we were so upfront about it. I still get messages to this day from trans kids thanking us for representing them. Things like that really warm my heart, and make me want to continue doing this for as long as I can.
Do you think music can genuinely shift people’s behavior, or just reinforce existing beliefs?
I think it can do both. Music holds so much power, and I think someone can hear something so thought provoking that it can cause them to search inward. And of course if you’re straight edge/vegan you’re going to want to listen to bands that preach about those values.
Do you see veganism as inherently political?
Veganism is 100% political. It’s inherently an anti-capitalist movement that resists mass consumption and fights against the genocide of innocent lives. For one to deny veganism’s political philosophy is just absurd.
How do you balance music with direct action or activism, if at all?
Music is just one form of activism for me. It builds community and helps you find like minded individuals to help spread your message. Besides music, I encourage people to organize within their local communities/neighborhoods as well. Educate yourself and others while building solidarity and organizing against capitalism.
What issues within the broader movement do you think aren’t being talked about enough?
I think some within the movement have a tendency to forget about larger issues at hand. I see bands talk about straight edge and community and preach about these things, but that’s all they seem to do. What are you doing to address the root of the problem? What are you doing to fight against ongoing ICE raids, transphobia in the scene/society at large, the genocides in Palestine/Sudan/Congo, and just capitalism/imperialism in general? Words mean nothing without direct action.

Looking back, would you approach your message differently?
There’s not really much I’d change about our message. It’s loud and clear as is, and we have planted our feet down and are willing to fight for our beliefs.
What keeps you committed when it gets difficult or isolating?
When I feel like isolating, I have to remind myself that I’m not alone and that we’re all victims to this disease known as capitalism. Find community and build solidarity, take care not just of yourself but those around you as well. Like Throwdown said: “for myself, for my friends, for my family.”
Where do you see the vegan / straight edge movement going in the next decade?
I would love to see more people/bands embracing veganism as well as not being afraid to embrace the political roots of these beliefs.
What would you say to someone on the fence about embracing these ideas?
To anyone on the fence about claiming vegan straight edge, look in on yourself and ask: “Do I want to better myself while simultaneously bettering the world I was forced into”? If your answer is yes, then do it.

Final Thoughts:

First band that made you think differently:
AFI or Eighteen Visions.
A lyric you’ve written (or heard) that still hits hardest:
“I refuse to rest, Until every cage is empty”
One misconception about vegan straight edge:
That people who are vegan straight edge are close minded or that we’re all hardline, absolutely not true.
One non-negotiable value:
Not shaming addicts and people who continue to struggle with addiction.
One thing the scene needs to do better:
Better harm reduction tactics and not shaming people in active addiction/recovery.