After joining a local WhatsApp group for vegans, I was quickly shut down because my plant-based approach is apparently "selfish." Caring about my (and others') health is selfish; the only way to veganism is solely by caring for animals, I was told. To me, this type of "welcome" or approach is wrong on so many levels—and frankly, defeats the purpose of making a difference.
A few weeks ago, my friend invited me to join a WhatsApp group for vegans. After quietly observing the type of conversation that was going on within the group, it seemed to me that it was a constructive platform where members share articles, tips, and experiences, so I introduced myself.
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I stated, "I’m not vegan; I’m plant-forward," and "my approach is to never restrict any food group; just do my best to eat the majority of my foods from whole-food plant sources."
I haven’t said anything about my motivation for being plant-forward; maybe it was a mistake! There are many reasons I embarked on my plant-based journey, which dates back 7-8 years, including to improve my health, reduce my environmental footprint, and care for animal welfare.
My way or no way
The response was harsh criticism, with group members telling me in so many words that:
1. The only reason people become vegans is because they don’t want anything to do with exploiting animals.
2. The people who are not vegans are heartless, inhumane, have no logic, and they make up "our sick society."
3. You have to go vegan overnight; transitioning is not an option.
4. All information is out there, so if you are not vegan, you are simply ignorant and disrespectful.
Ethical vegans vs plant-based diet
The growing popularity of veganism is a great achievement for ethical vegans who want to avoid animal cruelty and animal suffering at all costs.
Ethical veganism goes way beyond just not eating animal-sourced products. While veganism has many other advantages (for health, the environment, and so on), these are clearly not the motivating factors for ethical vegans to become vegan.
There are people who choose a plant-based diet, which is an umbrella term that is used to describe anything from a Mediterranean diet through vegetarianism and flexitarianism to a pescetarian diet.
Their reasons might be any, a combination, or all of the following:
improve their health;
reduce their environmental footprint;
appreciate animals;
or simple curiosity.
Even if a person chooses a plant-based diet for health reasons, it does not imply that they do not care about and appreciate animals; in fact, they directly contribute to the cause of ethical vegans. Similarly, ethical vegans whose motivation is to end animal cruelty may benefit from the healthier diet that comes with it.
Then, why ethical vegans outcast plant-based people?
Whether someone eats less or no animal products at all for environmental, health, or animal reasons, the end result is the same: fewer animal-based products are purchased, and fewer animals suffer. Animals don’t know and don’t care about what a person’s motivating factor is.
Ethical vegans make a bigger impact through activism
Some ethical vegans, but not all, are activists who fight for the well-being of animals first; as a result, they have a significant impact that should be respected and appreciated.Naturally, they also make efforts to spread their cause and involve more and more people.
Why reject people who are on their plant-based journey? Shouldn’t ethical vegans treat plant-based people with respect and, instead of rejecting them, welcome them, appreciate however small the amount they contribute to their cause, and most importantly, educate them?
It is simply ignorant to say that "all the information is out there."
The media is flooded with misinformation. You will come across a lot of false, half-true, and contradictory information unless you spend a significant amount of time studying articles and journals and finding facts and evidence-based information.So, unfortunately, the media is not helping.
I believe in acceptance, inclusivity, education, and support.
That's why I put together a course, Go plant-based in 3 weeks, where you seamlessly learn:
how to create nutritious meals in minutes that taste incredible;
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Clear and concise information in plain language without long pages of jargon to read.
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inclusivity & acceptance
The fact is that negativity, bickering, and outcasting plant-based people does not do anything to further the cause of ethical vegans or protect animals from exploitation. On the other hand, what does make a difference is welcoming people into the discussions, accepting people regardless of where they are in their plant-based journey, and helping them to move forward by educating them.