things are never straightforward & are nearly always complex. being a vegan is no exception

super long thread ahead! (please read this knowing no aggression intended, or conflict wanted )

First up: "Veganism is a 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" Vegan Society

one person's vegan lifestyle will not be like another's. ever.

veganism is about SEEKING to effect change

it's doing what you CAN do, the MOST you can do, as BEST as you are ABLE

there are many reasons that people decide to make changes
most will say one, a few, or all are their purpose. and there are likely more than these...

but top reasons...
for the animals (their rights, safety etc)
for the environment (impact of animal product industries on the planet)
for health (from general to specific issues, it's broad)
for the workers (recognising the impact of the industry on the workers lives)

ofc there are some whose veganism is a diet, not a lifestyle. for some it's a lifestyle. and for others a mix of both.

this is where it gets complex...

so vegans are not an homogeneous group despite the stereotype.
this means that to speak one vegan will give you that vegan's specific experience. we will generally follow certain paths, but our reasons aren't even the same, let alone how we live as vegans.

you're just as likely to meet a vegan who's an asshole, as you are to meet a non-vegan one.

there are ableist, racist, sexist, homophobic, speciest, etc...vegans*.

& ofc there are vegans who are kind, open minded, empathetic, & mindful of intersection

humans do as humans do

(*If that really means they uphold the values of veganism is a good question, though certainly not a unique one when it comes to humans and philosophies.)

being [insert ethos] doesn't make a person "good", mindfully living [insert ethos] can

in short, it's best to not let other vegans influence you too much.

do your own research, listen to other vegans - as many as you can, from as many backgrounds as possible - and just try it out.

like anything, some people will be helpful and will support you to be a vegan in the ways you can.

and there will be some who see the world through their own particular lens and will expect you to too.

accept what you feel comfortable with, and call out the inappropriate

so with all this in mind it should be an easy conclusion to make that veganism isnt a cut and dry deal.

ability to access the lifestyle/diet is on a spectrum. and as far as the vegan ethos is concerned, that is not only to be expected, it's accepted.

part of being vegan should include knowing this, but ofc the reality is different.

so please understand, you don't have a right to know the reasons someone is vegan/how they live as one. you will never know enough about them to have a say on such a personal journey any ways

wait for someone to ask advice, be mindful of why you are (or not) the right person to give advice, and keep things civil

and finally and most important to keep in mind is, there will be people who can't be a vegan, or more specifically, be what you feel is a vegan

they may not be able to do it all, or only some things...
anyone from the homeless, to those living in restrictive homes/accommodation. people in poverty, accessing foodbanks. people with EDs, allergies, physical/mental disabilities, learning difficulties...to name just a few.

realities of life are sometimes so hard that there is no "good" choices to be made.
and we have to find ways to accept and balance that with the greater purpose of veganism, w/o labelling people as apologists because it's an uncomfortable dicussion/choice/issue

ps. a hot take but someone literally can't be anti speciesist if they ignore/vilify/attack/forget other groups in the journey forward

like a racist/sexist/ableist/homophobic/..., anti speciest is oxymoronic to say the least

so I've not written anything new and particularly insightful here. but I hope it can help people, vegans and non vegans, think a sec before discussing veganism.

plus there's so much more that can be explored about vegan living, ethos etc. but that's maybe for other threads...

and tbh I don't think I'm the one to discuss all these things any ways!

as time goes on I will slowly add to this thread, voices to follow/that have things to say, who are far more qualified to do so

that said, Im a diet & lifestyle vegan (nearly 3yrs) who...

has hormonal imbalance/weight issues
has MH issues
was once homeless
has lived on benefits
spent a large part of life in rural NFU territory

...so if you would like to discuss those perspectives DM me for a chat x