My Response to "10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went Vegan"

Matt Frazier, a writer for HuffPost, wrote an article titled, "10 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went Vegan" which you can read here. 

In this article, Frazier talks about all the things he wishes he could go back and tell his former self what would happen when he went vegan. Reading his advice for his pre-vegan self, I can relate to much of what he said.

1. "The Jokes Will Never Stop"

This is true. No matter how much people respect you for being vegan, there will always be the time you get people saying, "But bacon though!" or "So all you eat is lettuce, huh?", and more. My family has come a long way, but to this day, I still get called "extreme" for not eating certain foods. For example,  this past weekend, I was at my grandma's house and my dad ordered pizza for dinner. He got me a Margherita pizza with no cheese. When he picked it up, and my grandparents saw it, the first thing they said was, "How can you eat that with no cheese? That's not pizza," Those kinds of comments hurt a lot more when I was younger, but now I'm just used to the fact that not everyone will understand your reasoning for going vegan, and that's okay.

2. "Giving Up The Cheese Isn't Nearly As Hard As It Seems"

This is one of the reasons why people don't want to go vegan, believe or not. When I went vegan, I found there were more alternatives to cheese than ever. Giving up real cheese was not at all as hard as people made it out to be. I found when I stopped eating cheese, my skin cleared up and I felt a lot better. It was not the life-changing crisis people made it out to be.

3. "You Will Impact More People Than You Realize"

This is true, and one of the most fulfilling things that could happen as a vegan. Over the course of me being vegan, I have seen my mom stop eating turkey because when we visited a farm sanctuary, she met a turkey who changed her life. She saw that he had so much personality, and she realized she couldn't eat it anymore. My dad as well has stopped eating all meat except fish. Seeing my family realize that this lifestyle is so beneficial has been amazing to watch. I even have had friends told me they went vegan because of me, and nothing feels better than that.

4. "Be prepared for a feeling of responsibility, and the compulsion to hold yourself to a higher standard than before."

This is especially true. When people find out you're vegan, they begin to think you're also up to date on all the important social justice movements, and that your lifestyle is pure in all aspects. In some ways, this can be true, but in others, it can be really difficult. For example, because I'm vegan, people also think I'm 100% plastic-free. Although I'm trying really hard to get there, I'm not right now, and because of the vegan title, I have been judged for that. Also, because I don't eat many veggies, but mainly carbs, I'm also told I'm a "fake vegan" (whatever that means). That is also hurtful because I'm vegan for the animals. Not to be a healthy eater.

These are just some of the things Frazier listed, and I relate to them all. It will always be hard being vegan (not because of the food, but dealing with the people who do not approve of your lifestyle) but the positives have always outweighed the negatives for me. Going vegan will always be one of the best things I decided to do, and I'm proud of that.

Are vegan stereotypes real?

As a vegan, people are always associating you with certain stereotypes. When I first went vegan, many of these were real. Years later, I've learned how to advocate for veganism more effectively, and laugh at the stereotypes. In this post, I am going to comment on a video about vegan stereotypes, and tell you if they're true or not. 

In the first part of the video, much like the thumbnail, the vegan is portrayed as a food shamer. She goes around yelling at people who are eating meat, saying "Meat is murder!" As much as I wish I could say I didn't relate to this at one point, I definitely did. When I first went vegan, after finding out all the horrible things done to animals, I was heartbroken. Every chance I got to tell someone what they were eating caused an animal their very life, I told them. 

I would tell my grandparents they were eating dead animals who wanted to live. I didn't care if I came across as an "angry vegan". Now, almost 5 years later, my approach on this has changed drastically. I still don't care if people think I'm an angry vegan, but I definitely don't go around telling people that their food is murder. I realized over the years that that actually hurts the animals more then helps them because it makes vegans look bad.

The second stereotype was the vegan food is tasteless and boring. This for sure is not true. It's 2019, and the world is filled with so much flavorful, delicious, vegan food. I can eat anything I want: pancakes, burgers, mac n cheese, and more. Especially living in New York, the opportunities are endless. When I first went vegan, it was a little harder because the world was not as open to a vegan diet. I also didn't know what I could eat and what I couldn't, so most of the time, I did eat fruit and vegetables which weren't the most exciting. But as I learned more, it became so incredibly easy and fun to be a vegan in 2019! My diet consists of everything I love and more.

The third stereotype was a vegan shoving vegan food down a non-vegan's throat. Although I never did this exactly, I did push family members to try different vegan foods to expose them. I still do this today but in a different way. I just make my food look yummy and a lot of people want to try it. The second part of the stereotype was the girl not letting anyone eat her food - this I can relate to because most of the time my food is so good I don't want to share with anyone else!

The next stereotype was the vegan-only eating lettuce most meals, but the actual vegan eating a huge burrito. This is very true because people always think vegans are super healthy and just eat lettuce. As someone who hates lettuce, I can assure you this isn't true. As mentioned above, I can eat anything I ate before, just made vegan. One of my favorite foods is chipotle because the burritos are so big and can be made completely vegan!

The next stereotype was the typical vegan working out intensely, verse what a lot of vegans do which sit on the couch eating chips because it's her "rest day. I can relate to this 100%. Although I do love working out, most days I just want to lay down and eat vegan cookie dough.

The last stereotype was "vegans are hippies" vs what actual vegans are, and then the video listed a bunch of celebrities, politicians, actors, and authors who are vegan.  This was my favorite part because it showed that so many people are vegan and that it really is not difficult. Some of the people the video mentioned that were vegan were Miley Cyrus, Cory Booker, Ariana Grande, and more. Even today, more and more celebrities are showing just how easy it is to be vegan.

Overall, the video was pretty accurate and funny to watch. It was funny to see how I was years ago, and where I am now. 

The Different Types of Vegans

There are many different reasons why someone might go vegan. Some do it for the animals, some do it for their health or the environment. In this post, I will explain the different types of vegans, and what is usually most important to them!

1. The Healthy Vegan

Health vegans are vegans who decide to stop eating animal products for health reasons (hence the name!). There are branches of this kind of vegan though. They may have done research and realized that eating a plant-based diet is much healthier than the standard American diet. They may also be very focused on their appearance and the state of their body. Many of these vegans are also fitness lovers who are obsessed with eating lots of veggies and maintaining the best health possible. 

2. The Environmental Vegan

In recent times, many people have turned vegan for health reasons. We are all aware of the effects of animal agriculture on our environment, and that it is the leading cause of climate change, ocean dead zones, and species extinction. This kind of vegan's main concern is the environment and doing everything we can to lower our carbon footprints and prevent wildlife extinction. If we don't take care of our planet, we won't have one to live on, "Animal agriculture puts a heavy strain on many of the Earth's finite land, water, and energy resources. In order to accommodate the 70 billion animals raised annually for human consumption, a third of the planet's ice-free land surface, as well as nearly sixty percent of global freshwater, is devoted to growing livestock" (source)

3. Human Rights Vegan

This is probably the least talked about vegan because many people are not aware of what it actually means. A human rights vegan is someone who doesn't consume animal products due to the awful conditions it puts humans in. Slaughterhouse jobs are one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and many people who work there suffer greatly. Most slaughterhouse workers are immigrants. Not only do workers suffer from PTSD from seeing the brutal annihilation of animals, but also leave with physical injuries as well, such as "musculoskeletal disorders, MSDs, an array of injuries to workers muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves that cause sprains, strains, or inflammation"(source Lowe 5). They also barely make any money to provide for their family, with wages as low as 11 dollars an hour, and long workdays.

4. The Ethical Vegan (may also be called the junk food vegan)

One of the most popular reasons why people go vegan is for animals. Whether they saw documentaries such as Earthlings, Forks Over Knives, or What The Health, they cannot continue to eat the animals due to seeing the horrible treatment animals face. Animals face castration with no pain medications, are separated from their mothers too soon, and are given no time outside to feel the fresh air. Once people realize where their food comes from, they don't want to be part of that anymore. Many people also visit farm sanctuaries where they can interact with animals they once ate, and see that they are loving creatures just like their precious pets at home.

As you can see, there are different reasons why people go vegan. One isn't more important than the other, because they all have a great impact on animals, our planet, and health. I fall under the ethical vegan, but I 100% support the other reasons too.

If you're a vegan or vegetarian, which category do you fall under? Comment below!

Introduction to Living Compassionately

We love and care so deeply for our pet dogs and cats. We would do anything for them, and to get them a life full of happiness and love. But as soon as the dog becomes a pig or a cow, they become food. Even though they feel the same pain and emotions as our beloved pets, we draw the line and ignore their will to live, because our society has deemed them as food, not a companion animal. My hope for anyone who comes across this blog is to just think about where their food comes from more. I just want people to see that it doesn't matter what animal it is - whether it's a puppy or a piglet, they all feel pain and want to live, regardless of their species. In no way is this me trying to force my opinion or lifestyle on others, just to inform people. I hope this blog helps you on your way to living more compassionately.