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Why I am NOT an Apologetic Vegan

7/26/2018

12 Comments

 
                         (I have a video of a live presentation based upon this essay HERE.)

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     "I am not THAT kind of vegan"

This is a statement that I have heard a few times recently.


      As veganism has become more popular, it has triggered pushback. When I began doing vegan activism in the 1990s, vegans weren’t seen as a threat to animal agriculture or to people’s coveted family or religious traditions. Grocery stores, hospitals, and local TV news welcomed me and repeatedly provided venues for me to criticize animal exploitation while encouraging people to give veganism a try. Some were inspired or motivated to change as a result of this. Those who didn’t “get” my message or disagreed, ignored me and moved on. Since vegans were so rare, this message was a curiosity not a threat.

      But now, almost everyone in America knows there are millions of vegans. Veganism is a viable lifestyle AND growing in popularity! Vegans are setting athletic records, running successful companies, and birthing and raising healthy vegan families. This changes everything. Conscious of it or not, those who are not yet vegan live with the continuous discomfort that they are participating in unnecessary violence against other beings. Unlike the 1990’s, now simply saying, “I am vegan” reminds non-vegans they are not living consistent with two of their own values which are also widely held. Most of us agree: It is wrong to unnecessarily harm animals. Most of us also agree: It is wrong to unnecessarily hurt your neighbors or your children and grandchildren. (Animal agriculture is a leading driver of every category of environmental destruction -- most especially climate change!) Just BEING vegan around some people feels to them, like they are being attacked because it's reminding them of their complicity.

     But those who DO embrace veganism, struggle with a different discord – feeling like an outcast from their tribe, family, or social group. Any choice that sets us apart from our group, can expose us to “change back.” Pressure.

     In order to help you understand why, saying, "I am not that kind of vegan" is problematic, I will share with you what happened to me as a child.

​     I grew up next door to the best grade school in one of the top rated school districts in the entire country. Most all of us who went to that school had parents who grew up poor during the depression. The combination of affordable higher education along with an expanding job market is what allowed my parents and other parents in their neighborhood to do so well economically that they seem rich when compared to how they grew up.

     The children in my neighborhood wore the trendiest clothes and enjoyed the latest, greatest toys and gadgets provided in mind-numbing abundance at least twice each year. Their pantries were stocked with an array of seductive junk food.
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      But that was not how it was at my house. 
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​     My parents were frugal, and didn’t even try to keep up with the neighbors. That made fitting in hard for me. But I had an even bigger obstacle socially: I was one of the only two fat kids in my entire grade. Though my parents weren’t really status conscious, they were fat-phobic and tried hard to make me lose weight. Sugary treats were kept under lock and key at my house, though I had access to cheese wheels, meat and eggs. I remember being ecstatic when I learned to fry hamburgers in butter on the stove, and make omelets that oozed with melted cheese.

     Grade school was hell for me. I was taunted for being fat and for not dressing fashionably. “Highwaters!” my classmates shrieked as they pointed at my too-short jeans before running away. Everyone knew I was part of a small group of outcasts. We were the “untouchables” of our grade. Included with me was the other heavy girl, a thin shy girl with terrible acne, a white haired, poorly coordinated boy, and a scary boy who hit and never followed directions. Just above us in the hierarchy were a handful of students who although not as openly shunned were still avoided. The hierarchy was made visible and reinforced through the act of picking teammates or partners for activities.


     You might think those lower down in this hierarchy, experiencing this injustice would be the first to challenge it or at least not do the very same thing to others. But in fact the opposite happened. The more oppressed one of us felt, the more intensely we distanced ourselves from anyone with low status. We feared more oppression if associated with any of the other victims.

     My observations are consistent with what’s been documented in other cases of oppressed groups. Time and again, those concerned with their own inclusion contribute to the victimization of others --be it the class system of India, oppressed US minorities trying to better their own lot (and being called, “uppity” by others likewise oppressed) and some women struggling for position in male dominated arenas.


     One common way this pressure can be managed is to distance ourselves from those the dominant group find most problematic. Supporting the oppressor’s perspective – even just in a tiny way, can ease some of the pressure, by aligning us – at least in part with those who hold the power. In other words, some vegans join the oppressive class and throw vegan activists under the bus, to help insulate themselves from the “change back” pressure of the dominant paradigm.

     This is what is happening when you hear someone say, “I’m not THAT kind of vegan.” Though this may make it easier for the person expressing this sentiment to comfortably mingle with and feel more accepted by those who are still enabling the oppression, it works against our cause. We NEED people willing to speak out about injustice. When vegans say to others, “I am not THAT kind of vegan” it is a clear expression of judgement against people speaking out. It isolates activists. It makes other vegans contemplating speaking up feel shamed into silence. It supports and empowers the oppressive mindset. If our people – that is those choosing to abstain from intentional violence against other beings think we are wrong for daring to raise awareness of violence against animals, that plays right into and reinforces the oppressive paradigm. It also provides additional justification for non-vegans to disregard veganism altogether.

     Can you think of a single example of progress made on any social justice issue, that was NOT the result of someone trying to push their values? That is why I continue to speak out and raise awareness however I can.
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     I will not apologize for speaking up when I see injustice, and the more people who join me in this, the better I believe our world will be.


If you liked this essay, you might also be interested...

After I wrote this essay, United Poultry Concerns invited me to discuss this subject further at their 2019 Conscious Eating Conference. Here is the video of the presentation that I gave there. I also wrote a blog post, Trading Patronage for Power in the Animal Right's Movement which discussed that event including the debate about clean meat, which was held that afternoon.

12 Comments
Patti B
7/28/2018 10:06:33 am

Well said! Speaking up in the face of injustice is a necessary first step in changing the paradigm.

Reply
JoAnn Farb
7/29/2018 06:59:41 am

Thanks Patti! I'd been thinking about this idea for awhile and it felt good to finally be able to articulate it clearly.

Reply
Karen Davis link
7/30/2018 12:21:15 pm

I am sharing this post with our readers. Thank you for helping us better understand why many ethical vegans feel they must either hide or anxiously defend their ethical veganism from their non-vegan or not-yet-vegan associates. Affirmative veganism is essential for animals and the earth the same as with all social justice efforts. Apology has no place in ethical advocacy. Affirmative action in word and deed absolutely does!

Reply
JoAnn Farb
7/31/2018 03:49:22 pm

Karen,

Thank you for sharing this and for your efforts over many years to also shed some light on this problem.

JoAnn

Reply
Ellen
7/31/2018 10:37:24 am

If it weren't for activists and nonapologists, we would not have made the progress we've made to date. Baby steps kill babies, and that is what apologists and welfarists are promoting. I will accept no excuse for not helping the animals. Thank you for speaking up!

Reply
JoAnn Farb
7/31/2018 03:52:59 pm

I appreciate you speaking up too Ellen.

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Ellen
7/31/2018 04:18:37 pm

Thank you, JoAnn.

Spunky Bunny link
7/31/2018 11:01:42 am

Very good article! Yes, many vegans are far more concerned about their own personal social status than they are about the violence against animals.

To not speak out against an injustice is to participate with the injustice.

All vegans should be openly expressing outrage concerning what humans do to animals. The quiet and polite acceptance of violence against animals perpetuates it.

Reply
JoAnn Farb
7/31/2018 03:58:10 pm

Spunky Bunny --

Your comment reminds me of the quote by Holocaust survivor Ellie Wiesel who wrote:

“We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

JoAnn

Reply
Allison Rivers Samson link
9/17/2018 11:48:13 am

In a culture that tells us that we should both stand out (but not too much!) and fit in (but be special!), it can be confusing to know how to stay true to ourselves and our own values without getting swallowed by those who don't understand. Especially when we have values that go against commonly though unconsciously accepted thoughts.

It's so important for us to learn to individuate and speak our truths. The more we do this, the more THAT will become common, accepted, and even expected.

One of my favorite sayings that I like to ask people is to consider, "Who is profiting from your self-loathing?" My answer? "Because it certainly isn't YOU!"

Thank you for always sharing your insightful thoughts and perspective, JoAnn. <3

Reply
Joseph Lamoreaux
11/3/2020 11:07:49 am

I've heard both sides of the argument and after giving the matter some thought, my opinions are critical of your mentality. I've always wanted to try veganism, but opinions like yours make feel me feel unwelcome to the lifestyle, never mind the fact that I don't foresee myself being vegan forever.

Reply
JoAnn Farb
11/3/2020 11:38:58 am

Joseph I appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts.

I just saw a fabulous video on, "Cognitive Dissonance" on the Cosmic Skeptic youtube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnykmsDetNo

I'd be curious to hear your reaction to what he says.

Warmly,
JoAnn

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