Rethinking Veganism: Comparisons, shaming, and problematic leaders
*Disclaimer: I am not an expert on intersectional veganism. The following is an opinion piece which is largely influenced by intersectional leaders in the movement*
When I was 13, I remember two of my closest friends decided to go vegan. After watching videos and reading about animal cruelty, I was convinced that this was a problem… but I wasn’t convinced that I could commit to the lifestyle.
As time went on, I became increasingly interested in health. I learned about some of the benefits of eating plant based, but again, wasn’t convinced that I could do it.
Then, when I turned 16, I took an environmental science class at my high school. I was always passionate about protecting the planet, but in that moment, I realized that I wasn’t actively doing anything to better my habits. It was then that I decided to test out veganism.
What was only supposed to be a week long challenge then turned into five years. At this point, veganism is easy. I don’t wake up thinking about what I’ll cook that day and I don’t worry about whether I’m getting the right nutrients, because after much trial and error, I’ve found a way to make the lifestyle work for me.
I like being vegan, but over the years, I’ve seen lots of problems arise within the community.
When I was first introduced to veganism, all of the animal activists were comparing the killing of animals to human oppression. Whether it was the enslavement of Africans or the killing of Jewish people, the comparison’s made me feel very uncomfortable.
The agricultural industrial complex is abusive towards animals but comparing this to slavery and the holocaust is just down right inappropriate and insulting. While we have to protect other species, we have to first stand in alliance with our own. Making this comparison implies that Black people and Jewish people are comparable to animals (while white/Christian people are not) which is both dehumanizing and a tactic used by oppressors. Unless you are from that community (i.e if you are Black or Jewish) then it’s time to stop making these analogies.
Instead, we should think about how oppression intersects. For example, if you’re vegan for the planet, it’s important to acknowledge that environmental justice can only be achieved through racial justice. Black people are the most impacted by air pollution (in the US) and this isn’t by chance. Addressing issues like pollution would help people and the planet.
There’s also a point to be made about the greater vegan lifestyle. Veganism typically refers to more than just a diet- it’s about cutting out all products that test on animals. However, if we’re still buying things that cause harm to humans, how can we call this humane? Vegan clothing, for example, is easy to find in fast fashion BUT if it’s made in sweat shops and contributes to excess waste, how can we call this ethical?
We also need to account for the fact that there are very different ways to consume animal products. Eating eggs from the chicken in your backyard is not the same as buying eggs at a supermarket. Furthermore, Indigenous hunting practices can’t be compared to mass animal agriculture. If anything, their utilization of various animal parts is far more sustainable than many of our lived lifestyles. Protecting the rights of Indigenous people is important and will ultimately help end the agriculture complex.
To move on to shaming, it’s pretty much impossible to be completely vegan in this day and age. For example, most medicine is tested on animals. There’s also a multitude of reasons why people can’t go vegan. Maybe they live in a food dessert, maybe they have an eating disorder, maybe it’s not accepted in their culture. If anything, shaming deters people from implementing any elements of veganism into their lifestyle. In my opinion, vegan activists like Freelee the Bananagirl cause more harm than good by scaring people away from the movement by shaming them, and again, making harmful comparisons.
Lastly, we need to address branding. Veganism in recent years has taken on the appearance of a trend. Ultimately, the goal is to live sustainable lifestyles that last into the future and trends don’t permit that. However, the even greater issue here, is that these industries are repackaging foods as brand new, when in fact, many of these things come from BIPOC communities. For example, tempeh is from Indonesia but in countries like the US, it’s portrayed as new- a text book example of appropriation. No one’s saying stop eating tempeh, but I do believe the vegan community can do a better job of acknowledging the origins of various dishes.
In summary, the vegan movement would be better off cutting ties from these problematic “leaders” and brands. Instead, I think we should encourage people to implement the lifestyle to whatever capacity they can, advocate for intersectional work, and put more pressure on the institutions which are causing actual harm.
Easy to digest resources:
- 18 minute talk on why we need to stop shaming and making harmful comparisons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJH9PoCeH3Q
- Isaias Hernandez- intersectional environmentalist who breaks down some of the harmful habits caused by white veganism and veganism under capitalism https://www.instagram.com/queerbrownvegan/reels/