Why Vegan Shaming Needs to Stop: A Rant (Rant post)

 

Greeting to all my loyal subscribers! For today's blog post I just really needed to get some thoughts and opinions off my chest about the huge controversy around my vegan lifestyle. I am sure my fellow vegan readers can agree with a lot of what I have to say, so let's get compassionate and ranting. 

Before I start I just want to state that these are just my personal opinions and you don't have to necessarily agree with me but I encourage comments and feedback so we can have an open-minded discussion. Also when I use the term "vegan-shaming" I am referring to those who are non-vegans who judge and critique vegans for their lifestyle. 

First thing that annoys me about the vegan lifestyle is being associated and put in the same category as raw veganism. The difference between veganism and raw veganism is that raw vegan is a diet eliminates all food products of animal origin, any food that is processed or altered from its natural state, and food cooked at high temperatures. I am not against those who decided to eat a raw vegan diet, but many associate the very restrictive diet of a raw eater to a vegan lifestyle. I think I actually have more in common with someone who eats meat and dairy rather than a raw vegan. It makes it seem like the whole vegan movement is very limited in what people can eat and a lot of the time this is what turns people off from this lifestyle. 

The second thing that annoys me about vegan shaming is there is this constant pressure put on vegans from non-vegans to always look healthy and be a shiny beacon of health. For example, I remember when I fully adopted this lifestyle my skin cleared up of most of my acne. Once a month I still tend to have some hormonal breakouts and my non-vegan peers are always quick to blame my diet for my breakouts. We are all human and our bodies have natural ways of responding to things like stress, our hair falls out. Yes, veganism can help reverse and cure many chronic illnesses but we still are allowed to have some health problems. 

The third thing that annoys me about vegan shaming is the constant judgement about the way we choose to eat and live our lifestyle. I don't think people realize this until they go vegan, it is so much worse on the side of the vegan. Reasoning being because we are constantly bombarded with people trying to give an uneducated opinion on how being vegan is boring, bad for your health, etc. They always assume we are vegan because we love animals and they usually will say how animals are meant to be eaten, or some response of that sort. We have to be sensitive to non-vegans needs because when we try to justify our reasons for why veganism is good we come off as being too preachy. Many of us who are on a vegan lifestyle do it to help the environment yet we are constantly looked at as the weird or odd ones out. It is weird to me that you enjoy eating animal flesh so much. People need to realize that just because something has been normalized by your culture it doesn’t make it okay.

The fourth aspect about vegan shaming that I hate is we are constantly looked at as an inconvenience. I enjoy going out to eat with my family and friends, so when we are a regular restaurant establishment and there is no vegan options or not fulfilling meal options like grilled veggie or salad. Just because I am vegan doesn't mean I don't enjoy a sufficient filling meal. This is also why I think many people associate veganism with the feeling of being hungry all the time. Sometimes we aren't eating enough because many restaurants don't supply sufficient vegan options. I remember going out to a restaurant in Chicago (not my choice) a few years ago and when I asked what vegan options they had all there was a salad with lettuce, onlion, olives, and shredded carrots with salad dressing. Then we are attacked with comments like "this is why I could never be vegan." 

The last aspect of vegan shaming I cannot stand is, I hate that I'm expected to know every argument in defense of veganism. Ever since going vegan, I feel like I'm supposed to have statistics and articles and all this other facts memorized for when someone inevitably argues. Yet, when you try to explain they think you’re wrong and they know about veganism better than a vegan. I always am questioned about the way I eat and feel like I have to constantly have to explain myself. I totally experience that double standard of why I should explain why I eat what I eat while people blather on about how they could never give up cheese or hamburgers or whatever.