The Absurdity of Vegan Allies and Other Identity Politics

[Nekodaiden]

I eat a vegan diet. I eat a vegan diet for health reasons. I tell people I eat a vegan diet instead of saying I am plant based. I say it this way for three reasons. If I tell someone who understands what a vegan diet is, no more need be said. If a person does not understand that it means NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS, the explination is short and to the point. In my mind I AM eating a vegan diet. Third, it just seems to be a more natural way of expressing it--perhaps because it's the way I think of it. I do not intend to offend anyone, nor to misrepresent myself. I am not unsympathetic to the vegan philosophy , however it would be extremely dishonest for me to say that it's a motivating force in my life, just as it would be equally dishonest for me to say I'm a vegan, to imply that the philosphy is my driving force. I mean no offense, but if offense is taken, it's not really my problem.

You probably know this already, but since I go by Watson's definition rather than the current UK society's definition, you're a vegan in my view, on the sole reason of your abstinence from animal products in your diet. Someone else who may, for instance, have animal rights as a driving force, but still eats them, is not. Motivation(s) are irrelevant in relation to one's binary status of abstinence or lack thereof.

 

[wfpbcanadiangal47]

I'm not interested in getting an animal eater to be my friend, that person can stay the hell away from me for all I care, they just need to stop eating animals.

If i was to think that way, i would deny my own family, all my friends too. It sounds cultish to me. Reminds me of some mormons friends i had once. They were only friends with other mormons, and would talk to you with the intent to convert you. If not, you'd never hear from them anymore. I love the human race as much as i love animals, with all their flaws. I would be devastated to be rejected by anyone because i'm vegan. So i don't wanna do it to others. Do i wanna be friends with only vegans? No. I would miss out on wonderful people. I'm not giving into the " all or nothing" cognitive distortion. If i was, now i'd feel like i'm a cult, the vegan cult. I wanna be accessible to others, loving, and caring, even if they don't share my views. There's so much more to my parents than what they eat, a person is much more than this.

 

[silva]

Anyone using the word "vegan" is using a word that Donald Watson coined, and despite the numerous popular activists on youtube claiming otherwise, Donald Watson did define it as a diet. It actually doesn't matter what the UK Vegan society says, even though Watson founded it, he did not bequeath to them authority to change the definition (which has been done numerous times), nor did he found the Society expecting his leadership would be short lived and then distance himself from it purposely because of the new directions it was taking.

None of this should lead one to assume that cruel use and exploitation of animals outside of diet are laudable, but that for most people, until
they change their diet first, they will remain blind to the issue, as every single omnivore is blind (by unknowing or willfull ignorance) to the issue of the suffering that happens when the shove meat, dairy and eggs into their mouths.

Kinda seems the same as someone who attends a church for the music but has no belief in God calling themselves a Christian because they attend church
Or maybe I follow a Kosher diet because my food is parve.
I don't understand the need to hijack words that have been long used for more encompassing definition when others, more suited words, would suffice-like plant based diet
I've gotten touchy about this because I'm hearing so much from people both saying they eat a vegan diet for health, while also bashing vegans for being judgmental and eating such garbage processed foods.

 

[Nekodaiden]

Kinda seems the same as someone who attends a church for the music but has no belief in God calling themselves a Christian because they attend church
Or maybe I follow a Kosher diet because my food is parve.

I believe the analogies you are making here both rely on what one's definition of "Christian" is. If one is coming from the current UK Vegan Society's definition, then defining vegan as a diet seems like it's "vegan light" or something. If one is coming from the original definition, then the UK Vegan Society's additions are just that - additions. They may be justified on a moral basis, but Watson didn't include them in HIS definition. Now this is speculation, but I suspect the reason he didn't is because it muddles the basic meaning of the word and keeps people arguing over non-dietary issues making vegans something of a laughing stock to non-vegans. Ie: Vegans arguing over pets, horse riding, guide dogs, whether or not to kill/displace invaders like rats/mice/insects and so on. *

*Edit: And also to keep people on track. I've been on this forum only a few years and have actually seen people flying under the vegan label defend the idea that one can still eat animal products and call themselves vegan. Those who defend this idea also seem to have the broader definition of vegan that places emphasis on non-dietary aspects such as one's individual motives, activism, a scorn for what they deem "personal purity" etc.

I don't understand the need to hijack words that have been long used for more encompassing definition when others, more suited words, would suffice-like plant based diet
I've gotten touchy about this because I'm hearing so much from people both saying they eat a vegan diet for health, while also bashing vegans for being judgmental and eating such garbage processed foods.

If you knew the history of Watson and Veganism, you'd know that the word he coined and it's definition were hijacked early on, the organization he founded was taken over by animal rights activists and they stripped him of his title and drove membership into the ground. He distanced himself from the organization he started because it had become something he didn't intend.

As for FB groups, maybe you should join another? I just joined a wfpb group to get some ideas and there is no vegan bashing there. There is also no issue as to whether it's vegan or not - it is, no animal products are allowed in the suggested food items/recipes/ food related ideas.