What is Veganism?
Answering one of the most important questions of the animal rights conversation.
For some reason, people still don't understand vegans or what veganism means. Some common misconceptions are that it's a diet, a cult, or an egotistical lifestyle. Yes, some aspects of veganism relate to what we eat. Yes, some vegans can come off like tree-hugging hippies who wear long dresses and pray to the soy gods (me included). And yes, some vegans view themselves in a superior light to those who don't follow cruelty-free lifestyles, but not all vegans hold those thoughts.
There are many definitions of veganism, but before we discuss what veganism is, let's discuss what it is not.
Veganism is not...
Vegetarianism. Vegetarians consume dairy, eggs, honey, and other nonhuman animal products. Vegetarians may also use non-cruelty-free products, attend zoos, or abuse nonhuman animals in other ways. Vegetarians only abstain from consuming the flesh of nonhuman animals. Vegetarians participate in the exploitation of nonhuman animals.
Pescetarianism. Pescetarians consume and use the same nonhuman animal products or services that vegetarians use but with the addition of fish and sea creatures. Pescetarians only abstain from consuming the flesh of nonhuman land animals. Pescetarians participate in the exploitation of nonhuman animals.
A diet. A diet is a way of eating that has an end goal in mind, usually to lose weight. A diet’s goal is to benefit the consumer by losing weight, gaining weight, eating cleaner, or feeling better. The most popular diets like ketogenic, Atkins, and DASH all participate in the exploitation of nonhuman animals.
A cult. Cults have leaders and rituals. Cults have religious undertones and operate in a communal environment. Veganism is not a religion, does not have a leader, does not include rituals, and does not operate in a communal sense. Many religions practice veganism, but veganism is not a religion in and of itself. There are many famous vegan philosophers, but many are unknown to the majority of the vegan population. True cults often abuse animals for rituals and participate in the exploitation of nonhuman animals.
Veganism is...
A lifestyle. Veganism does not just pertain to what you eat or what you wear but to how you live your life every day. From the shampoo and nail polish you use to the types of entertainment you engage with. Veganism abstains from the exploitation of animals in all aspects of the human-animal experience.
A moral philosophy. Outside of veganism pertaining to all aspects of the human-animal experience through actions, veganism extends to the way in which we think and view the world. Veganism attempts to reverse the speciesist views the animal exploitation industry has taught us to believe.
An animal liberation movement. Animal liberation is the belief that animals should be set free from their imprisonment, abuse, and inevitable murder. All nonhuman animals should be given the same respect and rights, and the use of animals as commodities should be abolished.
Not just about the betterment of nonhuman animals. Veganism benefits the environment, health and wellness, and the community. To learn more about the benefits of veganism, see the Veganism 101 page.
XOXO Vegan Girl's Official Definition of Veganism:
