What Vegan-Feminism Means to Me
An inside look at why I chose this lifestyle and why it signifies everything I believe in.
I went vegan in 2016. My article “Why I Became a Vegan-Feminist” tells the story of what changed my mind and led me this way.
As we’ve discussed in several other blog posts, veganism is a lifestyle—not a diet, not a fad, not a moral superiority complex. Veganism is a moral obligation. Being vegan is the least we can do, and it is the right thing to do.
I came out of the womb kicking, clawing, and screaming into a megaphone. I have always had a passion for doing what’s right and speaking out against what’s wrong. I proclaimed myself as a feminist the moment I heard the word.
I claimed to love animals all my life, even when my favorite meal was the “Baconator Jr.” from Wendy’s. Years later, I still love bacon on my cheeseburgers. Only this time, the bacon is made of tempeh, the burger is made of pea protein, and the cheese is made from soy. I wasn’t born vegan, but I wish I were.
Some people eat plant-based diets for their health or to better the environment. Sure, those are wonderful plus-sides to the lifestyle, but veganism is, at its core, a lifestyle to promote animal rights. I don’t care if you eat non-dairy ice cream for breakfast or are a raw frugivore. All I (and the non-human animals) care about is ending cruelty; you can be vegan any way you’d like.
In the Spring of 2024, I bought over twenty used books on animal rights, several of them by Carol J. Adams, to better prepare myself for ethical debates in college. I regularly got into arguments with men in my ethics class, and although I won each debate, I wanted to feel more confident. I had heard the most about The Sexual Politics of Meat and decided to start with that one first. It changed my life. It opened my eyes even wider. I always felt that I had been extremely observant and skeptical about everything in my path, but this book pointed out concepts I regularly glanced over. I knew I had to do something with this new-found knowledge; thus, XOXO Vegan Girl was born.
After nearly a decade of being vegan, it has become second nature. I don’t have to think about it anymore. Reading ingredient labels, typing ‘vegan’ in the search bar when googling a new recipe, and making sure all of my skin and hair care products are certified as vegan and cruelty-free have become muscle memory. I know what labels to look for, what sneaky ingredients to avoid, and what companies share my morals.
After I read more of Adams’ work and several other critical theories, it was evident how Veganism and Feminism are connected. It was obvious how women’s and non-human animal rights have always been intertwined. Vegan-Feminism makes sense. Discussing my philosophy and promoting a loving lifestyle fulfills me. Nothing brings me more joy than talking about these issues and how we can change for the better. You should always do what you love (so long as you don’t harm anyone in the process), and that’s exactly what I’m doing here on XOXO Vegan Girl.
Vegan-Feminism, to me, like a lot of Vegan-Feminists, is a large part of who I am. Just as I am a natural blonde with blue eyes, Vegan-Feminism is in my nature and, essentially, my biology. If I were to revert to a carnist, internally misogynistic, or even vegetarian lifestyle, I wouldn’t be myself anymore. I’ve told my husband on several occasions that if I were even to mention ditching my ethical lifestyle, someone had either murdered me and stolen my identity, or I had completely lost my mind and needed to be institutionalized.
Following a cruelty-free lifestyle is as important to me as religion and culture are to others. Funny enough, many religions share my lifestyle. Some branches of Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism aim to end the suffering of animals as well.
On a more personal note, I know that being a Vegan-Feminist doesn’t altogether remove my contribution to all animal suffering, but it minimizes it. I may not be able to save every animal, so I save every animal that I can. Making positive changes to my everyday life has only brought me more peace, happiness, and love. Vegan-feminism is not a typically convenient lifestyle, but convenience means nothing to me when non-human animals’ and women’s lives are on the line.