Veganism. A tricky subject to talk about. What entails being vegan? Is it a diet? Is it a lifestyle? Well honestly it can be both. Vegan/animal activists want it to be known however that veganism is strictly intertwined with compassion and rights for animals. No animal products may be used or consumed, involving eating dairy and meat, using bees wax, wearing leather or fur, etc. A vegan diet, they insist should be labeled “plant based”. Certain animal rights organizations who come to mind are places like PETA (people for the ethical treatment of animals). However it should be known that organizations such as peta try and further the idea known as ”white veganism”. White veganism is referred to the concept that lacks to understand that the ability to eat vegan and live a vegan lifestyle ultimately comes from a place of privilege and not a simple or realistic decision many people, especially marginalized populations cannot make. Another important thing to realize is that for some cultures and religions, animal parts and products are sacred. Take for example the Inuit people, indigenous to the arctic. Their entire culture revolves around the use of animals, wearing them, eating them, using them, etc. To say an animal’s life is more important than an Indigenous person’s is already offensive in of itself. Another example comes from Eid, a muslim holiday to celebrate sacrifice and life. On this holiday, it is customary for muslims to sacrifice a goat and donate the meat to charities. For certain vegans to argue that one’s religion is wrong for killing an animal is also extremely offensive. Being against factory farming or mass leather usage might seem like a valiant cause from the beginning, however one must realize that majority of animal abuse and animal welfare problems stem from large corporations. It is extremely immoral to try and say that every single person must be vegan, or they are supporting animal abuse, because that simply is not true.
Unruly Bodies 
I completely agree! As goes for most topics– I believe that everything is up to personal choice and just because I decided to be vegan (or decided to not be vegan) should not imply that my choice is any better than any choice that differs from my own. Animal rights are important, but just as important as religious ceremonies and any traditions that do not prioritize animal rights. These can coexist. The way anyone choses to live their own life should not be forced upon anyone that choses to live differently.
I 100% agree. I became a vegetarian a couple years ago and I want to eventually become vegan. I did it because I always felt weird eating meat, and then I learned about how animals are treated in the meat/ dairy industry. But I have made it a point to never push my thoughts onto others, because there is literally no point. I used to eat meat all the time, mostly because majority of my culture’s dishes have meat in it. I absolutely can not stand white veganism. It’s the same issue I have with white feminism. It’s like there is a lack of critical thought, as if intersectionality does not exist. There are more cultures and beliefs than just your own. Its such a simple concept that is so hard for people to grasp.
I have been vegan for a few years, and my reasons for being vegan have shifted dramatically within the last year. I used to think being vegan was morally good, and something that everyone who *could* should do. I was aware that it was certainly not possible for everyone, but I felt that people who had the choice to stop consuming meat and dairy should definitely do so. This post compiles some of the reasons that my thoughts changed on that, but even more than that, my views changed after I became more conscious of the influence that colonialism and racial capitalism have had on the meat and dairy industries. I no longer think there is anything inherently wrong with producing meat or dairy; after all, as you allude to here, many Indigenous peoples have been consuming animal products for thousands of years, and it never led to the kind of mass-scale environmental destruction that we see from late capitalist systems for meat production. The problem lies not with consuming meat itself.
White veganism takes a savior mindset towards animals, dictating that people should be saviors of helpless animals by refusing to eat them, with the implication that we are superior and it is within our power to extend benevolence to animals. In stark contrast, Indigenous cultures view humans as equals with animals, since we are factually just another animal within the ecosystem of the earth, and every other animal has just as much right to thrive on the earth as we do. Killing and eating animals is a part of life as an animal; it is no more morally wrong than a cheetah killing a deer or a bear killing a human, because we are not superior to other animals and do not have the power to “save” animals. My knowledge on these philosophies is very limited, so I might be misstating them or describing them poorly, but I think it is a really important view of veganism and meat consumption. Even today, there are Indigenous communities and other small farming projects where individuals conduct sustainable meat and dairy farming practices that allow for small-scale consumption and sale of meat without anywhere near the level of environmental damage caused by factory farming. Meat consumption and sustainability are not mutually exclusive; it is late capitalist factory farming practices that alienate sustainable consumption from the meat and dairy industries.
I really liked this post and I definitely share these same feelings. I often feel frustrated by the kind of “white veganism” that you mention. It feels tone deaf, privileged and weirdly self sacrificing. Not to say that all people who eat vegan are like this, but for me it’s when someone is ignoring all of the surrounding issues and systems causing harm and focuses solely on animal rights. Like you said, “one must realize that the majority of animal abuse and animal welfare problems stem from large corporations.” There are rituals around meat and killing animals that are sacred and not the same and as cruel as factory farms. There needs to be an awareness and understanding around that.
As someone who eats mostly plant based now for health reasons, this post caught my attention. The way I see it, organizations like PETA should see the rise of plant based eating as a win. While plant based eaters aren’t 100% “cruelty free”, that’s kind of a concept that doesn’t exist in this economy… The more we replace animal products with plants, the better- it doesn’t have to be so black and white. Our health, environment, and animals benefit from the popularity of plant based eating now. Veganism has become almost alienating because of how “strict” it is. In my opinion, if someone wants to try out veganism but they still use honey and eat meat or dairy on rare occasions (like to eat cultural food on a holiday), it may seem a bit strange but it’s still a win for vegans. Ultimately though, I agree with tiger8250 that it’s all about choice here.
The best thing a passionate vegan can do is help make that choice more accessible to others. One notable vegan that comes to my mind that does this is The Korean Vegan. She was once a meat eater too but went vegan for the animals. When she went vegan she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to eat her traditional foods and that she would be considered less Korean. Instead now she embraces her identity by veganizing traditional recipes and sharing them with the world online. Eric Adams is another person who comes to mind. He is a vegan and the newly elected mayor of New York City. He is a strong advocate for plant based eating for health and is fighting to turn “food deserts into food oases” so that healthy, plant based eating is available to more people- especially in communities of color.
I completely agree with you. I am vegetarian, not vegan. I’ve thought about being vegan a few times, but I don’t think I could. I joke that its because I love baking so much, and vegan baking just isn’t the same. But really, it’s because I already have a hard time feeding myself as a vegetarian. I love being vegetarian and I’m glad I am, but I’m a picky eater and my executive disfunction makes it hard to cook and grocery shop and plan meals. So many days the best I can get in protein is cheese or yogurt. Something quick and simple. One-step. I think vegetarianism and veganism are great ways to fight for animal rights and against climate change, but it’s not the only way. There is too much focus on individual action rather than corporate, national, and global action. The problem is not that the Inuit people hunt animals and use animal products. The problem is that mass corporations mistreat animals on a large scale for profit. One person eating a Big Mac is not the problem. The problem is that McDonalds does not ethically source their food. We to pressure companies and countries, not individuals who live complicated and complex lives within a system that makes it dangerous to resist. That’s not to say don’t go vegan. If you can and want to, awesome! Just don’t shame people for not going vegan either. (Same for being vegetarian)