It was April of 2016 and Freelee the Banana Girl was all the rage, and it seemed as if more people were promoting plant-based diets than ever before- veganism was slowly morphing into something much more widespread and approachable. It took months of declaring myself a vegan and repeatedly coming out to my family and friends as such before I truly walked my talk. With that being said, I don’t recall the exact date that I decided to make the big transition from vegetarianism to veganism. And to be completely honest, the date that one fully commits to veganism couldn’t matter less to me. As hipster as this sounds, veganism is a journey. You can’t force anyone to adopt the lifestyle, and you shouldn’t rush the process- it’s all a matter of self-discovery and exploring your ethics and values.
Since going vegan two years ago, I’ve found immense comfort in knowing that my ethical beliefs align with my actions. Similar to many vegans before me, it all began after I stumbled across a slaughterhouse video on Youtube, this one having been titled “If Slaughterhouses Had Glass Walls,” which I watched maybe three minutes of before sending it to everyone on my contact list and vowing to never engage in such cruelty again. The scenes of any slaughterhouse video should be brutal enough to make anyone second-guess their next meat-based meal, or so I thought. It wasn’t even ten minutes after I had forced my brother to watch the slaughterhouse video that I found him in the kitchen microwaving a plate of frozen chicken nuggets. Cognitive dissonance is a real issue in today’s society, and I found myself frustrated with the seemingly heartless behavior of those who weren’t in tune with their morals. This brings me back to the point I made earlier- anyone who is genuinely interested in leading a cruelty-free life will find themselves on the right path eventually. It’s not up to me, or the numerous aggressive vegan cults home to the Internet, to will you into thinking along the same lines that we do.
Something unexpected that I’ve gained since becoming vegan two years ago was an enormous sense of community. There are vegans of all shapes and sizes that come from various ethnicities and economic backgrounds. Despite the media’s faulty portrayal of veganism as a trendy-white-girl-kinda-thing, it’s a lifestyle that knows no boundaries. I’ve connected with dozens of diverse vegans through the use of Instagram and Youtube and have made meaningful connections with people I would’ve never met if it weren’t for veganism. I was able to garner support when I needed it most, especially during the very early months of my transition, where not even my mother was on board with the idea of veganism. She would consistently make remarks along the lines of, “Just eat an egg,” whenever the topic arose. It took two years for her to accept that I no longer consumed animal products, though she still refuses to watch the Netflix documentaries I send her, or even hear me out on various pro-plant-based diet statistics. I’ve stopped trying to force my beliefs onto her despite the fact that it’s all coming from a place of love and compassion.
On a day-to-day basis, veganism rarely crosses my mind. I tend not to talk about it much, and my friends and family often forget about it entirely. Though my passions for animal advocacy will always run strong in my veins, I’ve forced myself to keep everything on the down low in an effort to avoid being labeled a “pushy vegan.” Of course, I would love for the entire world to go vegan. However, that simply isn’t a realistic mindset to have. Will this change and evolve over the years? Maybe. For now, I’m more than more than happy to answer questions, help others through their transition, and simply exist in my own little, vegan bubble.
Since going vegan two years ago, I’ve found immense comfort in knowing that my ethical beliefs align with my actions. Similar to many vegans before me, it all began after I stumbled across a slaughterhouse video on Youtube, this one having been titled “If Slaughterhouses Had Glass Walls,” which I watched maybe three minutes of before sending it to everyone on my contact list and vowing to never engage in such cruelty again. The scenes of any slaughterhouse video should be brutal enough to make anyone second-guess their next meat-based meal, or so I thought. It wasn’t even ten minutes after I had forced my brother to watch the slaughterhouse video that I found him in the kitchen microwaving a plate of frozen chicken nuggets. Cognitive dissonance is a real issue in today’s society, and I found myself frustrated with the seemingly heartless behavior of those who weren’t in tune with their morals. This brings me back to the point I made earlier- anyone who is genuinely interested in leading a cruelty-free life will find themselves on the right path eventually. It’s not up to me, or the numerous aggressive vegan cults home to the Internet, to will you into thinking along the same lines that we do.
Something unexpected that I’ve gained since becoming vegan two years ago was an enormous sense of community. There are vegans of all shapes and sizes that come from various ethnicities and economic backgrounds. Despite the media’s faulty portrayal of veganism as a trendy-white-girl-kinda-thing, it’s a lifestyle that knows no boundaries. I’ve connected with dozens of diverse vegans through the use of Instagram and Youtube and have made meaningful connections with people I would’ve never met if it weren’t for veganism. I was able to garner support when I needed it most, especially during the very early months of my transition, where not even my mother was on board with the idea of veganism. She would consistently make remarks along the lines of, “Just eat an egg,” whenever the topic arose. It took two years for her to accept that I no longer consumed animal products, though she still refuses to watch the Netflix documentaries I send her, or even hear me out on various pro-plant-based diet statistics. I’ve stopped trying to force my beliefs onto her despite the fact that it’s all coming from a place of love and compassion.
On a day-to-day basis, veganism rarely crosses my mind. I tend not to talk about it much, and my friends and family often forget about it entirely. Though my passions for animal advocacy will always run strong in my veins, I’ve forced myself to keep everything on the down low in an effort to avoid being labeled a “pushy vegan.” Of course, I would love for the entire world to go vegan. However, that simply isn’t a realistic mindset to have. Will this change and evolve over the years? Maybe. For now, I’m more than more than happy to answer questions, help others through their transition, and simply exist in my own little, vegan bubble.