In this episode of Rising Anxieties, Mariann digs into the uncomfortable gap between what institutions say and what they do — starting with Harvard Law School’s baffling decision to shutter its fully-enrolled Animal Law Clinic. From there: the industry’s coordinated PR campaign against plant-based alternatives (spoiler: they’re scared), the ongoing farce of in-ovo sexing technology being “not ready” for the US market, and a children’s book about chickens that ends with a recipe. Listen in and then bring your spirits back up with five actual reasons to feel good about being vegan in 2026. Harvard Law School is closing its Animal Law Clinic despite full enrollment and a waitlist — raising serious questions about who’s pulling strings at one of the country’s most prestigious law schools The meat and dairy industries are playing offense against plant-based and lab-grown alternatives, and their own trade press admits it’s because they watched dairy lose 15% of sales to oat milk In-ovo sexing technology — which could end the mass killing of male chicks — is being dismissed by egg producers not because it doesn’t work, but because it might not be good enough forever A Saskatchewan chicken industry book for children promises “an accurate picture” of chicken farming and ends with a recipe — a bold choice Chris Bryant’s YouTube video “5 Reasons for Vegans to Be Optimistic in 2026” is worth watching immediately after this episode, as a palate cleanser We are thrilled to expand the accessibility of our podcast by offering written transcripts of the interviews! Click here to read this episode's interview. _____________________________________________ Thank you for listening to the Our Hen House podcast! If you enjoy our podcasts, believe in our mission to effectively mainstream the movement to end the exploitation of animals, find community and solace in our shows and resources, and would like to show your support for vegan indie media, please make a donation today.  Contributions of any amount will go towards our fundraising goal and are hugely appreciated. Our Hen House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so it’s tax-deductible. Thank you for helping us create quality content! Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or your favorite podcatcher, and don’t forget to leave a 5-star review! Check out Our Hen House’s other podcasts: The Animal Law Podcast, The Teaching Jasmin How to Cook Vegan Podcast, and the Antiracism in Animal Advocacy Audio Series. Follow us on social media! You can find Our Hen House on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or Bluesky. The Our Hen House theme song is written and performed by Michael Harren.