The Silence as Injustice Framework

Sor Juana's silence—imposed by institutional power—represents injustice in her own life and work; she writes about those denied voice and agency. Animals cannot advocate for themselves in human discourse, yet their voicelessness mirrors the enforced silence of many oppressed groups throughout history. This framework positions animal advocacy not as charity but as justice work: we must become voices for those systematically excluded from moral conversation. The injustice is not animals' inability to speak human language, but our failure to attend to their evident suffering and needs. Sor Juana's own writings insisted on being heard despite attempts at silencing; by analogy, animal rights work must insist that animals' experiences and claims matter despite their inability to articulate them in human terms. This concept demands active intervention: through law, practice, and cultural change, we amplify animal interests that would otherwise remain unheard. Moral agency requires that the powerful speak for those rendered voiceless, an obligation of justice rather than mere kindness.