I am Vegan.
I haven't really ever made any posts about why I am a vegan, or what it means to me to be vegan. I don't even really talk to people about it all that often. I know that I should, and I am proud of my lifestyle, but the people that I know always want to argue with me about it. Sometimes it is as if people think that I feel superior because I don't consume animal products. So, I usually end up avoiding the subject and answering questions at a bare minimum. Luckily, with the blog people have the option to just stop reading if they are annoyed. As an added bonus, it people attack me about it, I also have the option to stop reading the comment. So, I figured I would do a little post on why I am a vegan. I promise I won't make it too long :)
I became a vegetarian almost 6 years ago. I had tried off and on throughout my teens, but couldn't make it stick. As I got older I realized that I had no right to eat meat. I felt like it was wrong of me to consume meat just because it was easy to pick up a package off of a shelf. I knew, and know, in my heart that I could never actually kill anything, so why was it ok for me to eat it just because I didn't do the killing with my own hands? Then I started doing some research on factory farms, and what I saw just broke my heart. I am not even going to go into it because I don't think this is the forum, but it is awful. So I stopped eating meat.
Then, in January of 2009, I saw this documentary.
It is just a small independent documentary, but it really struck a chord with me. It made me realize that being a vegetarian was only half of the solution. I mean, I had already stopped wearing or using animal products, but I did still consume dairy, eggs, and honey. The movie made me realize that I was still responsible for harming/killing animals because the animal industries are so intertwined. I couldn't drink a glass of milk without feeling guilty, so I stopped cold turkey. I haven't looked back one time. I also raise my son as a vegan, and before anyone asks...he does get enough protein :) My husband is slowly coming around. He eats fish, blah, but he is getting there and I don't push him.
Since I went vegan I lost a ton of weight and I just feel better about my decision. I know that it is not for everyone, although I wish that it was, but it is absolutely the right choice for me. I feel about veganism the way that some people might feel about their religion. There just isn't any other choice that would work for me.
I get it, some vegans are a pain in the butt, but I really do try not to be. I try to abide by the idea that I will not judge you and I hope that you will give me the same courtesy.
Hey girlie, that's totally your choice, I don't hold it against you. We all make different personal choices bc it's what works best for US :) I respect you for that and even more about posting it :) I hope you have a great Monday!!!
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Lindsay
Yay for Vegans!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am doubly proud of you for teaching your son the truth about food- I know it can be sooo hard to explain to others about your own choices let along a choice you make for you son.
I've probably told you this before but check out this blog:
http://vegandad.blogspot.com/
He makes some of THE YUMMIEST vegan food for his kiddos and gives us input of what was good or bad about a recipe.
I stopped eating meat when I was 16 and I will never look back! I love my brussels sprouts too damn much! hehe
Also, when I first started my decision to go vegan I would watch those same movies or documentaries online and jut cry and cry and cry. Then people dont understand when I get upset that they make fun of what I 'don't' eat. Guh- I could go on and on and on...
p.s. you are super awesome.
p.p.s If anyone leaves a negative comment you need to delete that shit. Don't even let negativity start blocking up your blog!
i once posted a little blog on myspace (before myspace became "totally passe" lol) about considering becoming a vegetarian. i had read the book "skinny bitch", which talked a lot about being vegetarian & the disgusting & disturbing topic of factory farms. i cannot even begin to tell you how much grief i got from my friends and family about it: "we were meant to eat meat! look at our teeth!" "it's not healthy! you need protein!" there are TONS of other places to get protien! and i really think that if more people were educated about these horrid places, i guarantee they'd be disgusted the next time they looked at that chicken they were about to eat.
ReplyDeletei already don't really like chicken. first off, it's usually too dry for my tastes. secondly, my hubs used to raise chickens when he was in high school, & they are literally some of the world's dirtiest animals.
i've been thinking more & more about taking the leap into vegetarianism, but i do so love seafood, so i'm thinking of becoming a pescetarian instead. i know it will take a lot of will power and some getting used to, because i also really love a good pot roast or filet mignon.
on the other hand, i really do love things like tofu and beans and veggie burgers. :)
as a total surprise to me, my hubby also brought this up the other day. he said this guy he works with doesn't eat beef or pork b/c of how hard they are for your system to digest. he said he's lost about 25 lbs since he started that. the hubs seemed actually interested in this.
i'm going to have a little meeting with one of my friends who's a vegetarian (i think she's working toward becoming vegan as well). she definitely does it the right way, so i want to have a little sit-down with her. :)
kudos to you for sticking to your guns & not letting people be mean to you about it. and for teaching your son an amazing & healthy lifestyle! more people should take as much interest in their childrens' eating habits. it's disgusting what some people feed their kids.
WHOA. i'm so sorry for writing a novel instead of a comment. LOL
ReplyDeletemy boyfriend and i have been vegan for 3 years now. i'm really happy with my lifestyle, too.
ReplyDeletemy boyfriend is one of the writers/creators of a group called l.o.v.e (living opposed to violence and exploitation). you can check it out if you would like:
http://loveallbeings.org/
he used to work with vegan outreach, but then him and a few others didn't entirely agree with them, so they started their own collective.
I like to believe that my organic/free range/non hormone and antibiotic filled meats and milk come from a wonderful place like those Happy California Cows commercials, lol! You have a great point though... I'd never never SHOOT something to get what I want although fishing or gathering eggs seems doable if I HAD to. I definitely keep flirting with the idea - I want Alicia Silverstone's book The Kind Diet. I'm convinced going all the way would make me too dependent on carbs... help me Katie, because really, when I found out a couple weeks ago that we have scientifically altered the DNA of a chicken to have larger breasts and grow twice as fast I was so sad that I've been eating fish ever since. Crazy right?
ReplyDeleteGood to stand up for what you choose to bring into your home and feed yourself and your family! I am not vegan, but I believe in eating organic/ free range/ non hormone pumped animals. I really think you should read The Kind Diet by Alica Silverstone. It has a great intro to the reasons why we should eat a vegan diet plus it has so many yummy recipes!
ReplyDelete