Music

Grimes denied doing ice bucket challenge because ALS charity tests on animals

by Mark Teo

The ice bucket challenge continues to be a viral sensation, and we’ll give it credit: While some have called the watery phenomenon a narcissistic stunt, it’s raised a reported $70 million this summer for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research. Indeed, plenty of musicians have taken the challenge—Geddy Lee dunked himself in icy water, and 50 Cent issued a $750,000 challenge to Floyd Mayweather to read Cat in the Hat—and have ponied up cash to the ALS Association.

But there’s one artist who won’t be taking the challenge on moral grounds: Grimes, a.k.a. Montreal-turned-L.A. electronic sensation Claire Boucher. Why? Because, she says, the ALS Association has been linked with animal testing.

Let’s rewind, though. After Richie Hawtin took the challenge on Instagram—while he was hanging out with Skrillex, Dubfire, and Paris Hilton, no less—he sent out a challenge to Grimes. Check Hawtin’s video below.

Grimes then took to Tumblr to issue her response. She accepted Hawtin’s challenge, but with a caveat: That she would not donate money to the ALS Foundation, but instead, she opted to done money to the Malala Fund, an organization that empowers girls worldwide through education. Then, she issued a challenge to Detroit Madness, Hana Pestle, and Blood Diamonds.

Here’s what she wrote.

Grimes isn’t the first to refuse the challenge. After all, eco-friendly Californians have created the #droughtshaming hashtag in protest, while noted animal rights activist Pamela Anderson also denied the challenge. “Recent experiments funded by the ALS Association, mice had holes drilled into their skulls, were inflicted with crippling illnesses, and were forced to run on an inclined treadmill until they collapsed from exhaustion,” the former Baywatch star wrote on Facebook. “Monkeys had chemicals injected into their brains and backs and were later killed and dissected.”

PETA, of course, gave Anderson daps.

Of course, Grimes is no stranger to animal welfare (and vegan) issues. But it’d be wrong to label her preachy: While she typically refrains from eating animal products, she’s said that she champions an “inviting and accepting” version of veganism, which allows for some dietary flex in social situations. “For the longest time I was vegan but I just wouldn’t say I was because of the bad reputation of veganism,” she wrote on her Tumbr. “Most of the vegans I know are dogmatic assholes, and it completely turns people off.”

So no, Grimes isn’t trying to be preachy by denying the ice bucket challenge—she just practises an eco-friendly lifestyle. And if you’ll believe her rider, she is an animal lover—it, after all, asks for a backstage chinchy.