So why did you go vegan?

A question I get asked a LOT. Usually it’s asked more like “So did you go vegan for health reasons or ethical reasons?” I usually stick to very brief answers such as “Both”.. or “I don’t want to support animal cruelty.” Most people stop asking questions at this point. It gets uncomfortable for them because they are faced with the awkward truth: they directly support industries which rape, murder, torture and mutilate the living beings that inhabit our planet. Nobody likes to come to this realization. I certainly didn’t.

I usually don’t push it. Mainly because I don’t want to come across as judgemental and condescending. I’m still a baby vegan and am learning more about veganism daily, and how to use my voice to spread the message of health and compassion. I’m also learning how to positively inspire people to consider veganism rather than making them feel ashamed or embarrassed. People will feel enough shame and guilt once their mindset switches from meat-eater to vegan, and I don’t need to add to it.

Anyway, for my friends and family reading this who have never discussed my choice to become vegan very in depth with me (which is literally ALL of you), here’s my perspective. I hope you read it to the end, it’s long but it’s extremely important to who I am. I want you to talk to me about it. I’d love to hear your thoughts. I love those big, deep discussions, and if you know me, you know that to be a fact.

Think it was easy for me to just suddenly switch to being vegan? Think again. It was a process of reflection, research and educating myself. Opening my mind to widen my perspective. It required me to clarify my own morals and values, something that I had never really done before.

I went vegan in July of 2014. I suppose it was a long time coming. I was mostly vegetarian for about 3 weeks when I first moved to Vancouver, before going fully vegan. Before being vegetarian I was unconsciously slowly lessening my meat intake due to the fact that it just was becoming really unappealing to me. I started to order my steaks medium-medium well after ordering them rare-medium rare my whole life. I couldn’t handle red meat and ground meat, especially. Handling it raw became really difficult for me and I hadn’t even considered the animal cruelty aspect of eating meat yet. Once chicken and fish became unappealing, I knew I was going vegetarian.

I honestly never thought I would ever go vegan. Steak used to be my FAVOURITE food. Any birthday supper request for years would be steak, perogies and caesar salad. I worked at a restaurant that was ALL about the meats, especially ribs & steak. I loved chicken wings, like, a lot. Literally hours of my life have been spent trying to decide between honey garlic and buffalo sauce. I would devour several eggs every day. Cheese.. oh man, cheese. I STILL love cheese. Vegan cheese tho.

The reason I never thought I would go vegan, though was that I wasn’t even sure what it meant. Of course I knew it was about not eating animal products. But I for sure thought that it was something that really healthy people did. I didn’t grasp the concept of veganism being a form of activism in support of animal rights and the environment.

The fact that I don’t know ANY other vegans tells me that there is a reason for me embracing this lifestyle. I have already witnessed the ripple effect. Friends and family buying vegan cookbooks, trying things I make for them, and getting defensive when someone says something disrespectful about my choice. I’m not saying that I’m supposed to be convincing all of my friends and family to become vegan. Sure, I’m here to support them if any of them choose to embrace it. But becoming vegan is a process that everyone will approach differently. It’s not my job to remind them every time they eat animal products they’re supporting animal cruelty. Every time they eat in front of me I’m sure they think about what they’re doing because I’m just there. That’s cool with me. To me, that’s part of being vegan. Embodying compassion for all living creatures, leading by example and forcing others to recognize when their actions do not match their words.

I want to share with you several of the biggest struggles I’ve experienced since embracing veganism.

1) Number one is hearing people say that going vegan is so difficult, that they couldn’t do it, but “good for you for doing it!”

Honestly, if you think that your perceived lack of time or ability to become vegan is the reason you’re not a vegan, you’re full of shit. You will see thousands of examples of single moms with 3 kids and her whole family is plant-based. Busy CEOs of billion dollar companies who are vegan. Poor university students who are going to school full time who are vegan.
You don’t have time? Please. Spare the excuses that are just an attempt to make yourself feel better.

2) People around me assuming that this lifestyle is limiting. It’s limiting if you still like meat and eggs. But once you’re vegan, you don’t want to eat animal products. Therefore you don’t miss or crave them. I also like to point out that most vegans eat, like more than 3 times the amount of non-vegans every day. I’ve also personally tried more new food in the last 6 months than I ever have in my life.

3) Non-vegans who apparently look down on other forms of animal cruelty like the fur trade or dog meat or zoos…. but conveniently ignore their own massive part in supporting the disgusting industry by buying and consuming animal products. Look, if you consume animal products, you don’t have compassion for animals. You have compassion for some animals, based on your own subjective morals, but you do not care for the animal population.

Don’t tell me you love animals while you’re eating that meat-lovers pizza. Fucking don’t. If you’re going to eat the pizza, own your actions.

4) For some reason as soon as people find out I’m vegan, the conversation matter just HAS to turn to how great meat is, how they “could just never give up cheese or eggs.. OR BACON!!!!”…. cool bro. I get it, I was in your spot a year ago. I’d never met a vegan before, though. I’d appreciate it if you’d quit obsessing over how great bacon is now.

5) People won’t even entertain a discussion about veganism because it makes them so uncomfortable. I know how uncomfortable it makes them. The conversation always dies so quickly. Part of it I feel like is that there is a lack of knowledge and so people are intimidated to discuss something they don’t know a lot about. But part of my goal being the ONLY vegan that I actually know in real life is to share knowledge and experience with others. At the same time that I don’t want to pressure people, I also want to share this passion I have for a plant-based lifestyle.

I am coming from a place of love when I say that I wish that all of my friends and family could feel how amazing being plant-based feels. The health benefits are incredible, let alone the massive relief from the guilt of eating a carcass that was once a sentient being with emotions.

Since going vegan I have never felt more like myself. Physically I feel the best I have in my life. The level of happiness within myself is something I am so grateful for. I am more aware, more energized, more authentically myself, and more spiritually connected than ever before in my life. If you know me you will know that all of this change is huge for me.

Being a vegan is a part of who I am. I’m still learning new things. Sometimes I fuck up and eat something that has eggs or milk in it. I still haven’t given up some of my leather belongings. (Yeah, huge hypocrite right?)

The point is, if you’re not striving to do better to leave less of a footprint because you’re overwhelmed with the thought of drastically altering your lifestyle overnight, then don’t fucking do it overnight. Quit using the “All or nothing” excuse to continue supporting animal cruelty.

Take small steps daily, weekly, monthly. Reflect on what you’re eating. Really, really think about it. Research some shit. Once you do a lot of reflecting and research I am confident you will come out on the other side with a broader understanding of our twisted society. Do 3 days a week that are vegetarian and 1 day a week vegan. Phase yourself in slowly to a more and more plant-based lifestyle.

Find out who funds the meat and dairy industries. Think about corporate greed. Think about your grand children, for fucks sakes. We are here for SUCH a short time. It’s actually impossible for us to comprehend how short we’re here for. But we are in control of what we do and our reactions to the world we have been brought in to. We either take action or remain passive.

If humanity survives a few hundred years (I’m skeptical), what will people say when they see we ignored the wealth of knowledge we now have access to? When they see we made decisions on our lifestyles based on personal interest more than for the survival of our awe-inspiring planet?

Think about the fact that you’re filling your body up with death and fear when you eat animals. Your body is literally a storage container for death and suffering. If you think there is a humane way to kill animals for consumption, I suggest you educate yourself some more.

And just so we’re clear (this is a common misconception among non-vegans), I do not feel superior because I am vegan. I am vegan because I know I am not superior to any living being on this earth. If you know me you know that I try my best to be non-judgemental, open minded and compassionate. I KNOW that changing your life is hard. But it’s not impossible. I was there less than a year ago. The difference between a non-vegan and a vegan is education and awareness. It’s a mindset change that you’re either willing to make or not willing to make. Also, know that I’m here for you as a support.

So. Why DID I go vegan? This sums it up perfectly:

“To me, it is deeply moving that the same food choices that give us the best chance to eliminate world hunger are also those that take the least toll on the environment, contribute most to our long-term health, are the safest, and are also, far and away, the most compassionate towards our fellow creatures.” - John Robbins

And let me remind you of this one last tidbit:

In the age of information, ignorance is a choice.

• Jules xx

PS) One of my biggest resources is the Vegan Sidekick. If you’re not vegan, go take a gander through his pictures. You will probably start to think a little differently about your apprehension and defensiveness.