Yasmien Kurdi: Respect chicks go vegetarian
Singer and actor Yasmien Kurdi appears in two brand-new pro-vegetarian ads for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia-Pacific. In one of the ads, Yasmien poses on top of a cage under the tagline “Respect Chicks. Go Vegetarian.” The ad was shot by Niccolo Cosme; the stylist was Sidney Yap.
Kurdi was the first runner-up in the first season of the GMA Network talent show StarStruck. But her acting career really took off in 2006 when she won the role of Charming, the ugly daughter of Bakekang in the TV series of the same name. Her second album, Love Is All I Need, was released last year to acclaim from both fans and critics, and Kurdi currently stars as Shayne on GMA’s hit dramarama Saan Darating Ang Umaga.
Why does Kurdi want people to go vegetarian? For one thing, vegetarians are, on average, fitter and trimmer and have more energy and stamina than people who dine on fat-laden meat, dairy products, and eggs. And vegetarians have a much lower incidence of ailments such as heart attacks, strokes, obesity, and certain types of cancer. Eating meat is responsible for immense animal suffering as well. Pigs, cows, and chickens are confined to dark, filthy warehouses, where they are deprived of everything that is natural and important to them. Animals raised on factory farms routinely undergo debeaking, tail-docking, and castration — all without any pain relief.
”I’m asking people to liberate their diet and give vegetarianism a try,” says Kurdi, who ranked among the top contenders in PETA’s search for Asia ‘s sexiest vegetarian. “With so many delicious alternatives now available, it’s easier than ever to enjoy great food without causing animal suffering.”
