Esteemed author and historian, James McWilliams, has written an interesting essay addressing what I consider to be one of the weakest arguments made against veganism. The argument goes like this: wild animals (such as rodents and snakes), are  inadvertently killed during the harvesting of crops. Since vegans eat plants, that means they are responsible for the deaths of these animals. Therefore, vegans are hypocrites, so I’ll just keep eating my cheeseburger, thank you very much.

People who make this point are asking us to believe that accidental killing is the same as intentional killing. But, as any reasonable person would acknowledge, there is a monumental ethical difference between unintentionally killing animals during the production of  necessary food, and intentionally killing animals during the production of unnecessary food. We don’t need to eat animal products to survive, but we do need to eat plants.

The whole point of veganism – at least to me – is to avoid causing unnecessary harm. And I believe that intention matters, too. We might ask ourselves: “Is it my intention to cause the least amount of harm and suffering whenever possible, recognizing that there is no ‘perfection’? Or is it my intention to try and selfishly justify the harm and suffering I can easily avoid?”

Just because we can’t realistically live in this world without causing some degree of harm to someone somewhere, doesn’t give us the right to breed, enslave and kill others for our profit or pleasure. I may not be able to prevent every child in the world from abusive labor practices (and by being a consumer in the first world, I may actually inadvertently contribute to such injustice), but that doesn’t give me the right to go kidnap the neighborhood kids and set up a sweat shop in my basement. Or to pay someone else to do it for me. Nor does it excuse child labor on the whole. Similarly, the fact that wild animals may be inadvertently harmed during crop production does not excuse or justify animal farming and slaughter.

I’m hopeful that crop farmers of the future (through creative vertical farming, greenhouse solutions, etc.)  will find a way to minimize or avoid harm caused to wild animals during the production of plant foods. But despite our inability to achieve total perfection here and now (or ever), I think that as ethical people, we ought to try to avoid needlessly harming and killing other animals whenever possible. And it’s clear to me that eating a vegan diet is really the very least we can do towards that end.

“There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.”
—Douglas Everett

I sat at one end of the table, listening, as the group at the far end talked about eating animals. Sure, they touched on a few other topics: weather, family outings, etc. But mostly they talked about eating animals. What they had for dinner last night, and what (or rather who) they planned to eat tonight. They talked about the big chicken wing sale at Stop and Shop and how good those wings would taste when grilled. One woman sighed in mock ecstasy while recalling the “unbelievably creamy” scrambled eggs she ate last weekend. Another brought up the new restaurant that was opening around the corner and wondered whether they would serve deli meats.  On and on it went: turkey…lobster… ice cream. Talking about the animals they ate seemed to unite them; it was a bonding experience.

Now, most people listening would find nothing unusual or objectionable about their conversation. After all, it’s the same sort of conversation being had right now at work places, malls, classrooms, bars, golf courses, waiting rooms, etc., all over our country. All over the world, in fact. It’s just what people tend to talk about. It’s “normal.” But to someone who has opened their mind and heart to the grim realities of animal agriculture, and how completely unnecessary it is, chatter like this is deeply disturbing. In fact, when I think of the ease and casualness with which people speak about eating the products of suffering and violence, the expression “banality of evil” springs to mind. And it occurs to me that unlike other moral wrongs (such as racism, sexism, slavery, etc…), eating animals is actually a greatly celebrated and treasured part of our culture. It seems to be an integral part of how many people view themselves and how they “fit in” socially. In other words, it’s about far more than just “food,” as Jonathan Safran Foer observes in his book, Eating Animals. It’s about identity – both personal and cultural. And that’s a large part of what makes our jobs as animal advocates so challenging.

Remaining calm, friendly and professional while surrounded by people who are relishing in the products of animal abuse can also be a challenge. Not every vegan has the luxury of living and working with like-minded people. In fact, most of us must interact with carnists on a daily basis; and we must listen to them talk about consuming (and often actually watch them consume) dead animals. For me, this is no easy task. Sitting at that table, I found myself growing increasingly distraught. My skin felt hot and tingly. I could hear my heart beat. I was not part of the conversation and there was no good opportunity for me to interject. I could neither close my ears nor open my mouth…I felt trapped. The only thing I could do in that moment was try to detach.

So I hummed a song in my head. I thought about an uplifting Open Rescue story I recently read. I reminded myself that I, too, once sat around casually talking about the chicken and cheese I ate that day (unaware of the suffering I was contributing to). I took a deep breath and thought of all the incredible, dedicated, brilliant, caring people I have met since going vegan. (And how our numbers keep growing every day!)  I thought of how hard you all work to create a more compassionate world even in the face of overwhelming apathy, ignorance, denial and resistance.

I envisioned each of you as individual, twinkling lighthouses standing tall in a dark sea of fog. I shut my eyes and felt a wave of hope and gratitude wash over my despair.

photo credit

How ironic is it that we protest against the abuse and exploitation caused by those in power while simultaneously abusing and exploiting those at our mercy. As the saying goes, “we get what we give.” Until we stop harming others for our pleasure and profit we cannot expect any better for ourselves.

Although I don’t have kids, I used to be one. And I remember how deeply I loved animals back then. I recall chasing after the baby ducks on the golf course in Palm Springs (probably terrifying them!), longing with all my heart just to hold one and touch her whisper soft feathers.  And then I would go home and my mother would serve me a chicken breast or leg for dinner. It was never explained to me that it was an infant bird I was eating, one no different from the duckling I adored. And I never made the connection.

I think most kids have an innate love of animals. Which is why it’s so disturbing that so many well-intentioned parents betray that love by feeding their kids the bodies of animals who almost certainly suffered in life and trembled before death. In the past, we may have been able to rationalize this behavior by telling ourselves that eating animals was “necessary” for the health and survival of ourselves and our children. But we now know that the consumption of animal products is not necessary, and may actually be less healthful than eating a plant-based diet. According to the  American Dietetic Association (which is the official authority on nutrition in our nation):

…appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes… This article reviews the current data related to key nutrients for vegetarians including protein, n-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium, and vitamins D and B-12. A vegetarian diet can meet current recommendations for all of these nutrients. In some cases, supplements or fortified foods can provide useful amounts of important nutrients. An evidence-based review showed that vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate in pregnancy and result in positive maternal and infant health outcomes. The results of an evidence-based review showed that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Vegetarians also appear to have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Features of a vegetarian diet that may reduce risk of chronic disease include lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, soy products, fiber, and phytochemicals.

 

Perhaps that’s why Dr. Benjamin Spock, the world’s most influential pediatrician and one of the best-selling authors of all time, recommends that children eat a plant-based diet for optimal health. In the seventh edition of his world-famous book, Baby and Child Care, he writes:

We now know that there are harmful effects of a meaty diet…Children can get plenty of protein and iron from vegetables, beans and other plant foods that avoid the fat and cholesterol that are in animal products…. I no longer recommend dairy products after the age of 2 years. Other calcium sources offer many advantages that dairy products do not have….Many families are using smaller servings of meat, trimming the fat and switching to low-fat dairy products. These are steps in the right direction. I would suggest, however, that you go a step further, drawing your family’s nutrition from plant foods rather than from animal products.

So if we don’t need to feed our kids animal products, and if in fact, it may be healthier not to, why do we keep doing it? I think it comes down to habit and tradition. We do it because it’s what our parents did. Because it’s what we “know.” But we can choose to create new habits and traditions. Ones that better reflect the values of ourselves and our children. Just as with other abusive and violent behaviors that are passed down from generation to generation, we can decide to break the chain.

Further Information on Vegan Parenting:

Vegan Health: Pregnancy, Infants and Children by Jack Norris, RD and Ginny Messina MPH,RD

Vegan Health: Real Vegan Children by Jack Norris, RD and Ginny Messina MPH,RD

Feeding Vegan Kids by Reed Mangels, Ph.D, R.D.

Raising Vegetarian Children by Joanne Stepaniak and Vesanto Melina

Vegan Mom Blogs

Pregnancy, Children and the Vegan Diet by Michael Klaper, M.D.

Basic Meal Ideas from Keeping Kids Healthy: A Pediatrician’s Guide to Your Children’s Health and Safety

Veg Family Magazine

Being A Vegan Kid by Ellen Green

I quickly slammed the book shut and returned it to the shelf.

But then, soon after, three things happened:

#1 I learned that the dairy industry drives the veal industry. Just like humans, female cows need to give birth in order to produce milk. So the dairy industry is, by necessity, a baby-making industry. But only female calves are useful to dairy farmers. The males are considered unwanted “byproducts,” and are typically sold at auction to veal producers. I’ve seen footage of terrified, days-old calves with wobbly knees and their umbilical cords still attached being dragged by their ears onto the auction floor and it’s something I’ll never forget.

Once sold, they are confined to tiny crates designed to restrict their movement so that their muscles won’t develop and their flesh will retain the pale, soft quality preferred by gourmands.  For a basic (non-graphic) overview of veal farming, click here.

At first, I believed this must only happen on large factory farms. My initial thought was that I might be able to avoid these cruel practices by buying “local” or “organic.” I did lots of research and even spoke in person with two dairy farmers in my community (hoping for reassurance). One told me that yes, they sold the calves for veal and acknowledged that it “upsets a lot of people.” Another told me she couldn’t bear to do it, so she bought an extra lot to allow the calves to just live there. I asked her how long she thought she’d be able to financially support those calves, since they consume a lot of resources and she would keep adding new calves every year.  And since cows can live for 20 years or more, I wondered how many “extra lots” was she prepared to buy in order to provide space for them all? She had no answers, and it was clear that her “solution” to this problem was unviable and unrealistic.

A friend in a more rural part of the country even told me about ads for “free calves” posted by local dairy farmers on craigslist. That’s what it’s come to. I’ve learned that there’s just no getting around it: when we’ve “got milk,” we’ve got dead baby cows. And dead mothers, too… eventually.

#2  I discovered that many cheeses are not even vegetarian since they contain rennet. Rennet is extracted from the stomach chambers of slaughtered young, unweaned calves. Ironically, the stomachs are a by-product of the veal industry.  (Although there are vegetarian forms of rennet, it is more commonly sourced from animals.)  So basically, cheese is made by mixing mothers’ milk with pieces of their dead babies’ stomachs.  If that’s not enough to turn someone off cheese, I don’t know what is.

#3 I learned how dairy cows are impregnated, and what happens to them once they’re “spent.” Their bodies are often so ravaged by the time they are slaughtered that their meat is only “good enough” for dog food, cheap tv dinners and stews. Many are lame with illness and disease, and have to be dragged or pushed to slaughter with forklifts. These animals are known as downers.

Once I learned all of this, I decided that as much as I loved cheese, I hated animal abuse even more. For me, it was a no-brainer and after a few initial cravings, I have never again desired animal cheese. Of course, it helps that there are lots of vegan cheeses on the market now (many more than when I first went vegan). Here are a few of my favorites:

1) Dr. Cow Nut Cheese – raw, gourmet cheese made from nuts. Expensive, but worth it for special occasions.

2) Daiya – wonderful for grilled cheese sandwiches, pizza and nachos.

3) Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese – My husband recently brought a tub to work and his coworkers chose it over the Philly that was in the fridge. It’s remarkably close in flavor and texture to animal-based cream cheese.

4) Sheese – this has to be ordered online, but it’s well worth the extra wait and expense. It’s wonderful on crackers and in salads or with a side of grapes. My favorite flavors are Blue Cheese and Smoked Gouda. I use the blue cheese to make an awesome homemade blue cheese dressing (which goes great with a side of buffalo seitan, btw!)

5) Homemade Cheese. Yep, that’s right. I think the very best vegan cheese can be made right in your own kitchen. Check out this delightful recipe for almond feta, this one for cheesy alfredo sauce, this one for  peppered-cashew “goat cheese”, and be sure to try the raw nut cheeses from Mimi Kirk’s Live Raw. You’ll love them! Jo Stepaniak has even written an entire book dedicated to making vegan cheese. Check it out!

There are lots of different vegan cheeses out there, so if you find that you don’t like one, don’t give up…just keep on trying until you discover ones you do enjoy.

I recognize that cheese is addictive and for many people, giving it up can be difficult. If you find yourself craving animal cheese, remember that it’s just temporary and it will pass. In time, you’ll likely find that you don’t miss it in the least. For me, what ultimately helped was changing my way of thinking. I didn’t think of “giving up cheese,” rather, I thought of “giving up animal cruelty.” And that made all the difference.

If a former certifiable cheese-junkie like me can go vegan, there’s hope for you, too.

Further resources:

Happy Cows: Behind the Myth

The Bizarre and Outrageous Cruelty Behind Every “Milk Moustache” (no graphics)

Truth Or Dairy

Ohio Dairy Farm Investigation

Behind the Mustache

Milk and The Veal Connection

Dairy, Pregnancy, Leather and Newborns: What Are You Funding?

Anyone who has been vegan for more than a few months is probably familiar with what I call “The Inuit Defense.” When presented with an argument for veganism, it’s common for people to bring up the diet of some remote indigenous population (usually the Inuit) as justification for why they should continue consuming animal products. “Well, the Inuit must hunt and fish in order to survive,” they say. The implication being that if the Inuit cannot be vegan, they shouldn’t be expected to be vegan either.

In other words, if everyone can’t be vegan, no one should even try.

It may be true that there are still people in extreme parts of the world who, due to circumstances beyond their control, must kill animals to survive. But does that mean we should get a free-pass, too? We, who by comparison, live lives of abundance and comfort? We, who do not eat animal products out of necessity, but rather out of desire?

Does one person’s need excuse another’s greed? Or does our relative good-fortune and luxury of choice obligate us to do better — to act more ethically and responsibly?

Necessity and desperation, while not necessarily excuses for violent actions, certainly make them more understandable, and perhaps even pardonable. It’s easier to understand why a woman would shoot her husband if we know she did so in self-defense. Similarly, it’s easier to understand why a man would resort to stealing if we know he did so in order to obtain life-saving medication for his child.

But who among us would argue that because a battered woman shoots her husband, we should feel free to go out and shoot anyone we please?

Who would argue that because a desperate father steals medication for his child, we should feel justified stealing that BMW we wish to drive, or those diamond earrings we admire?

So why is it acceptable to argue that because an indigenous person somewhere in the world may be forced to hunt in order to feed his family, we should feel entitled to throw another steak on the grill?

It just doesn’t make any sense.

If we are fortunate enough to be able to live without causing violence and harm to others, shouldn’t we do so…and do so with gratitude? To use the desperate or necessary actions of the less-advantaged as an attempt to justify our needless participation in animal abuse is both shameful and absurd. It seems to me that those of us who can be vegan, should, regardless of whether or not there are people out there (real or hypothetical) for whom veganism is not yet a possibility.

I’ve been thinking lately about what it means to be vegan. For me at least, it means that I no longer take pleasure in the suffering of others.

Back before I was vegan, I didn’t think of it that way of course — that I was taking pleasure in another’s pain, or more precisely, the products of their pain — but that is exactly what I was doing.  I enjoyed eating cheese and chicken and eggs, and didn’t really think about how the experience was for the animals who were “providing” me with these treats. I didn’t think about what happened to the baby calves born on dairy farms, or what chickens went through before they were scalded and dismembered for my “wings” appetizer. I didn’t think about it mainly because I didn’t want to know. I certainly wasn’t encouraged to think about it by friends and  family, since they were equally invested in remaining  blissfully  ignorant.  I was lulled into complacency by advertisers who assured me that cows and chickens were happy — and even wanted to be eaten. And, like most people, I mistakenly believed that eating animals was necessary. Which, of course, it’s not.

Besides...the food tasted good! (As though “taste” were an acceptable justification for harming others. As Peter Singer once remarked, human babies likely taste good too if properly prepared, but that doesn’t mean we should eat them!) When I hear the “taste” excuse, I can’t help but see it as evidence of a culture that celebrates self-indulgence to a very unhealthy degree. We are encouraged to “follow your bliss” and “do what makes you happy.” Come on…live a little! Mangia! Enjoy!

I mean, why should we be bothered with the suffering of others – even if we are directly causing it – when there’s pepperoni pizza and cheez doodles just waiting to be eaten? Why be a Debbie Downer and worry about animal suffering when we can have “fun” at Friendly’s instead?

Years ago I made the mistake of reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I remember feeling so disheartened when I read her flippant remarks towards the end of the book about how, despite her spiritual teachings and concern for nonviolence, she could just never be a vegetarian because, well, animal foods taste great and life’s too short to deprive oneself of such “pleasures.”

(How fitting, then, that she ranks “eat” before both “pray” and “love” in her title.)

It seems we are conditioned and encouraged to consider only our own pleasure and to block out the pain of others. But I have to wonder: can there ever be real pleasure, real happiness, real enjoyment when it’s rooted in misery, injustice and violence?

I think real pleasure comes from a deeper, less selfish place. Real pleasure comes from being kind. From showing compassion. Having empathy. And from not harming others needlessly. Sure, I still take a lot of pleasure in food (too much maybe, judging from my waistline!), but I no longer take pleasure in the products of suffering. And that’s made all the difference in the world to me — and to those I no longer harm.

Receiving a PETA brochure on the link between the dairy and veal industries helped inspire me to go vegan, and for a long time, I was a supporter. But over the years, I have come to believe they are doing a tremendous disservice to animals by creating ads like this one. I usually try to see the good that people and organizations do, even if I disagree with their tactics. But I fear that with ads like this, PETA is making a mockery out of veganism and animal rights and in doing so, is ultimately harming animals.

Veganism is about extending our circle of compassion and justice to include all animals. It is a statement against needless violence, prejudice, exploitation and oppression. It is not a tool to increase our sex drives. Nor is it a weight loss miracle, fodder for masterbation, or – dear god – a backdrop for a porn site.

Veganism is a justice movement opposing speciesism, akin to justice movements opposing racism and sexism. Can we imagine Rosa Parks making her monumental stand against racism by boarding the bus wearing only sexy lingerie? Perhaps the suffragettes should have promoted Women’s Rights by promising male supporters better blow jobs?

By producing sensationalist, sex-driven campaigns, PETA is trivializing what is a profoundly serious topic. Additionally, some people believe such ads are sexist and may promote violence against women. It strikes me as counter-productive to try and fight one type of oppression by reinforcing another.

I believe the people at PETA have good intentions, and many of their materials and videos are highly-effective without being sensationalist or trivializing, so I know they are capable of doing better.

These tabloid-style “stunts” may get public attention, but for all the wrong reasons. They do not further public understanding of, or interest in, animal advocacy. On the contrary, they only serve to create new negative opinions of vegans and further harden the hearts and minds of those we are trying to reach.

When I was young, I looked forward to Valentine’s Day for one reason: free candy! Yaaay! I especially loved the colorful “conversation hearts” (as many kids do). BE MINE… TRUE LOVE…KISS ME… I’M YOURS.  So fun to read!

What’s not fun to read? The nutrition label. Not surprisingly, the fourth ingredient in Necco’s famous Sweethearts is gelatin. For those who may not know, gelatin is a substance extracted from the boiled crushed bones, skin, tissues, organs and intestines of slaughtered animals such as cows, chickens, and pigs.

How romantic!

Now, I don’t think it takes a particularly sensitive person to recognize how truly macabre it is to take the boiled-down body parts of tortured animals, shape them into hearts and stamp the words “KISS ME” and “TRUE LOVE” on top. But it seems this is the kind of culture we live in. We live in a world corrupted by doublespeak. People commit hate crimes in the name of “family values.” We oppose drunk driving legislation in the name of “consumer freedom.” We wage war in the name of peace. We continue to exploit and disempower the poor in the name of “job creation.” And we sell animal abuse in the name of “love and romance.”

Buy your girl some candied hearts and milk chocolates! Take her out for steak and lobster! What better way to show her you care? 

Now when I see a little pink heart stamped with “True Love,” I can’t help but think, “What’s Love got to do with any of this?” In fact, these sorts of “treats” are the very opposite of love. They are fear, cruelty, misery and violence masquerading as something light and fun. In short, we are being manipulated and deceived.

Personally, I’d rather not buy any more lies. I’d rather have real love, real caring, real compassion over corporate doublespeak and animal cruelty any day of the year. Even on Valentine’s Day.

Adding to the hype is American’s favorite physician, Dr. Oz. In addition to helping unhealthy cowboys go vegan on his show, Oz is highly supportive of the work of two well-known physicians who advocate a vegan diet: Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and Dr. Fuhrman. In fact, Dr. Oz wrote the forward to Eat To Live, Fuhrman’s classic health bible. And after viewing Esselstyn’s popular documentary, Forks Over Knives, Dr. Oz made the following statement:

“We have the science to suggest that if you can make three changes -– give up all meat, all dairy, and refined foods including free oils — you can avoid dying from cancer and heart disease. It’s being brought to life in a new documentary called Forks Over Knives. I saw it, I loved it, and I need all of you to see it too. This could be the Hail Mary of medicine.”

“Health vegans,”  it seems, are on the rise.

Now until recently, I admit that I would have rolled my eyes at such stories. People who adopt a vegan diet solely for their health are, after all, not really vegan. Veganism is an altruistic philosophy based on nonviolence, justice and compassion towards non-human animals, not some weight-loss miracle or fountain of youth cure-all.

Of course caring about animals and caring about one’s health are not mutually exclusive, and one can often lead to the other. Many people who initially go vegan for health reasons eventually “upgrade their motivation” (as Will Tuttle describes) and become animal advocates. Others, however, stay stuck in a self-centered state and will often return to eating animal products as soon as they believe their health (or, more realistically, their desires) might be better served by doing so.

Nutritionist Ginny Messina raises some additional concerns in her outstanding article, How The Health Argument Fails Veganism.  She writes:

There is, of course, a pretty good argument for eating more plants (lots more plants) and less animal food, but no one has shown that you must eat a 100 percent plant diet in order to be healthy. So to make an argument for a 100% vegan diet based on health benefits alone, we have no choice but to stretch the truth. We have to overstate the benefits of vegan diets, and sometimes minimize or dismiss the risks. And as soon as we stray from the actual facts, our advocacy is on shaky ground.

Like Messina, I don’t believe animal foods are, in themselves, dangerous to human health; nor do I believe that a vegan diet is a cure-all. One can be a healthy omnivore (eating mainly plant-based foods) or an unhealthy vegan (eating mainly vegan pizza and french fries. Not that I know of anyone who would do such a thing. Ahem).

An interesting aside: while simply going vegan doesn’t guarantee weight loss or radical good health, the American Dietetic Association states that a well-planned vegan diet “may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” You don’t see them making that same claim for meat-and-dairy-based diets.

In any event, for reasons mentioned above, I have tended to shy away from using the “health argument” and have actively encouraged others to do the same.  But lately, I find myself reconsidering.  

Over the years, I’ve observed that one of the key objections people have to adopting a vegan diet is the fear that doing so will result in poor health. They wonder: “Where will I get my protein? Calcium? Iron?” and so forth. The truth is, many people still equate veganism with malnutrition. And why shouldn’t they? We have been conditioned since childhood to believe that good health can only be achieved by consuming plenty of dairy, eggs, fish, poultry and meat. “Milk does a body good,” right?  And notice that there are no ads for kale, quinoa or strawberries on TV. The truth is, we’ve all been duped, as Gary Yourofsky so colorfully explains.

Thanks to such incessant indoctrination, few people are even aware that protein, calcium, and all other nutritional needs, can be met with a vegan diet. That’s why I don’t think we need to convince people that a vegan diet is the healthiest option so much as we need to convince people that a vegan diet is healthy, period.

Tackling this objection and re-educating (or rather, de-programming) the general population is something that “health vegans” do quite well. And until this objection is overcome and the myths about the “dangers” of a vegan diet are put to rest, animal advocates face an even steeper uphill battle. A person may care tremendously for animals and want nothing more than to abstain from causing them harm. But if that person mistakenly believes they must consume animal products in order to be healthy, well, the animals don’t stand a chance.

Kenneth Williams is a bodybuilder and animal advocate. What an inspiration!

Each time a celebrity, fitness trainer, politician, physician or other public figure promotes the health benefits of a vegan diet, I believe another brick is knocked out of that particular wall. Additionally, every world-class vegan athlete and bodybuilder (particularly those, like Kenneth Williams, who advocate concern for animals as well as human health) serves as a powerful visual antidote to the damaging stereotype of the pasty, vegan weakling.

I understand some people are concerned that dietary vegans will dilute the true meaning of the word and weaken the movement. Some suggest they should refer to themselves as “strict vegetarians” or something similar instead. But I recognize that like it or not, “vegan” has become shorthand in our society for someone who doesn’t eat eggs, dairy, or flesh (regardless of motivation).  Also, as I explained in a previous post, I’m inclined to think that at this stage of the game, we should want as many people as possible to self-identify as vegan, even if they aren’t vegan for the right reasons, and – gasp! – even if they aren’t yet eating a completely vegan diet. (Kindly read that previous post before sending me hate mail.)

Some have pointed out that public figures who adopt a vegan diet for their health may actually do more harm than good since they are often on some highly-restrictive form of a vegan diet (raw food, macro-biotic, or no sugar/oil, etc.) which proves to be unsustainable, and results in a return to eating animal products. This sends a message that being “vegan” is somehow unrealistic or overly-difficult. I suppose that’s true. But I optimistically believe that despite such setbacks, the cumulative effect of people publicly choosing to eat vegan for health reasons will ultimately prove beneficial in the long run.

I guess what I’m saying is, so long as the information they are sharing is truly health-promoting and scientifically sound,  well…long live the “health vegans!” Though self-focused and not based in the ethics of veganism, I believe their work will result in one less barrier for our work. One less excuse we need to overcome.