At the end of this original post you will find a reflection on it - and a declaration of undying veganism. :p
I have identified as a vegetarian for just over ten years now. My reasons started out completely animal rights focused and, as I learned more, became about the Environment, about waste politics, and maybe even a mite spiritual.
I am a Vegetarian because I recognise that all the norms humans live by were invented by humans - and are not "the way things have always been". I recognise that one of these norms is deciding that we are more important, or somehow better than other animals - and I disagree. People argue that we are "part of the food chain" and I argue that we are also intelligent enough to choose what we eat and don't eat. I am vegetarian because I recognise that our beef industry uses hundreds of times more water than any vegetable or grain industry. I recognise that feeding cows palm kernel is harmful to the ecosystems that are lost to grow it. I recognise that cows are herbivores - so why should I eat them? I recognise that meat contains cholesterol and that is best to avoid. I recognise that I have enough iron and my B vitamin intake is at a reasonable level. Being vegetarian works for me. I won't change it. I don't need to, I don't want to, and I just won't ever eat meat again unless the alternative is to die.
There are also a number of reasons I technically, given my knowledge, "should" go Vegan. I am aware that the island of Nauru had its phosphate depleted in the name of fertiliser for dairy farms, and now people cannot safely live there. I am aware that this fertiliser contains cadmium. Cadmium is a poisonous substance that is not even allowed to be in artist's paint anymore - and yet it is consumed by cows in New Zealand. These cows are our dairy cows, and thankfully the cadmium does not transfer to the milk - but it does to the soil and to the flesh of the cow. The result is that the land is completely useless for anything other than dairying for an immeasurable time after, and the cow's meat is not legally allowed to be sold after a few months of exposure to the land. Tell me again why we just naively accept cow's milk as the norm? Breeding and farming any creature for human gain doesn't quite wash as the best idea to me either - when I really think about it, it appalls me. We are so arrogant!
There are a whole bunch of reasons that going vegan is a good idea - and I am not going to go into any more than I already have. Instead I am going to talk about why I have not chosen to be vegan for now. One of them is that every time I go vegan I last about three months and then I fall hideously off the wagon and eat nothing but yoghurt for a week. The main reason though, and I will forgive you for disagreeing with my reasoning - we all have an Achilles Heel or seven, is that I like people. Let me explain... Most people (sorry, I'm generalising) when they hear the word vegan they flinch. They immediately think of a self-righteous nag who looks through their nose at anyone who isn't vegan, even vegetarians who are doing what we can given our positions along the journey. Most people have met a vegan at some kind of event where there was food and been held up while the vegan chose something to eat. I have been that vegan. I understand that there is often nothing on a menu that vegans can eat and that is why there is a hold up. I understand that. Sadly though, most do not and vegans have rather a shocking name, even in vegetarian communities, for supposedly deliberately making everyone else feel bad for their consumption choices. Another reason is that when I was at Teachers' College I was often so busy that I was not organised enough to make sure I had vegan food with me for lunch. There was literally nothing near college that I could eat - bar the chips from the nearby-ish takeaway. Nothing. This got me out of the habit. It also got me into the habit of enjoying not feeling like an outcast for the way I ate.
This may sound like an If you Can't Beat 'em Join' em argument. It is not intended to be. For all intents and purposes - these days - where I put my money is 95% vegan food. In our house we cook and eat vegan. If I go out with friends I try to get the vegan option. If there is no vegan option I get a vegetarian one. If someone gives me food and it is vegetarian I will eat it. I would love to call myself vegan and get the nods and kudos from my brave, clever, awesome vegan friends and acquaintances - but I cannot label myself as such because my love of people and ease of transactions influences about 5% of my intake. Friends have suggested I call myself a semi-vegan, but I want to be honest - I am not militant. I am not going to tell other people what to eat or what not to eat. Yes I am more attracted to similar minds who choose vegetarian or vegan - but I do love people in so many shapes and forms and I want to get on with them, with as much love and understanding as I can. Being completely vegan doesn't quite fit me at present.
If you are vegan and reading this - know I admire you, and as I sometimes roll my eyes when someone tells me they are "pretty much vegetarian" (aside from that meat they eat a few times a week), I can see some of you may be rolling yours at me presently. If you eat meat and you feel judged by my post - know I love you for who you are and respect your choices (I just might think you were a wee bit hotter if they resembled mine more closely - but hey - who doesn't think like that?). If you are like me - let me know. I am keen for those of us who actually think about this stuff to be more united and less nit-picky of each other - just as I feel about the various left-wing factions... Let us communicate, not pre-judge.
My argument is hard to write down here, because it is more felt than articulated as thoughts. Basically I want to do what I can within my values without alienating others - and for me being a conscientious vegetarian who eats very little that isn't vegan, and mostly out of convenience and fellow human compassion, suits me just fine at the moment.
Peace love and lentils.
Aaaand... The revisited part: I am vegan now. Have been for a couple of months. I went to a conference where I'd ticked the Vegetarian box - and lo and behold the first meal was quiche. I realised that if I wasn't vegan, I was actively opting into eating large amounts of dairy and eggs in situations like this. I didn't want to do that anymore. Don't want to. This time I will not be falling off any wagon. I will not be consuming any yoghert. I still love people - and recognise we all make different choices for different reasons. It is actually ridiculously easy to be vegan in Wellington. It is especially easy when you have some lovely vegan friends. On hanging out with more vegans I have found that they were not rolling their eyes when we said we were vegetarian - they were crying inside. They don't think they're better than other people - they think all animals are equal and feel sad and angry when others don't think that too. They also recognise their privilege. They're beautiful, thoughtful individuals and I'm really happy to be among them. What they also know is that "free range" and "cruelty free" are not enough. They know that on egg and dairy farms animals are killed at the drop of a hat for various reasons. I've seen some footage from a free range chicken farm that would make your hair curl... They just know stuff and choose not to ignore it. I dare people to hang out with more vegans!
I still love my omnivore friends of course! In fact tonight - two of them, meat eaters even, bought nibbles for our hangout - and they not only made sure they got some vegan snacks so I could join in - they got them All vegan - so that I could eat anything just like them. So I'm not being a pain in the arse - I'm simply providing more opportunities to show love like my friends did tonight. And I appreciate the hell out of it!
<3
