What Is Vegan and What Is Not – The Grey Area of Veganism?
The article below, originally posted by the Minimalist Vegan will clarify what is vegan and what is not. This is a great source of information for the curious and those who are transitioning to a plant-based diet. It’s been nearly ten years since I adopted a plant-based lifestyle, so I’ve heard & seen all the shifting tides come and go.
Once a cottage industry, plant-based food is becoming a mainstream alternative food source as corporate interests seek to capitalize on the rising trend.
Since we became vegan over five years ago and the noticeable rise in the vegan movement, we have noticed the lines getting blurred between what is vegan and what is not.
Veganism Defined
According to the Vegan Society, veganism is:
“A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms, it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
We all sometimes like to turn a blind eye to something as willful ignorance can prevent uncomfortable and maybe even downright awkward situations when socializing. We talk about everything from backyard eggs and beekeeping to alcohol and cosmetics.
In the podcast episode (links below) the author discusses the idea of washing down the vegan message with our actions knowingly.
How many of us have heard “I won’t tell anyone if you have this ….” or “it’s only a little bit of …..” or “it’s just this one time”. Too often others help to test us or attempt to make our lives “easier” to help us blur those lines and water down the vegan message.
Vegan Ethics
When we have a strong why and have done the research to understand the real definition of veganism, we can help the animals by staying true to the lifestyle.
“It’s a commited lifestyle for something beyond yourself. Every interaction and everything you represent is adding to the authenticity and the integrity of the brand of veganism for the animals, or it’s making it more flexible.”
Listen to the episode
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The post The Grey Area of Veganism – Episode 030 appeared first on The Minimalist Vegan.
Original source: https://theminimalistvegan.com/030/
