Veganism is not a Diet and not a Social Club

 

(If the above is difficult to read due to its print, here's what it says below):

"The word “vegan” was invented in 1944, by Elsie Shrigley and Donald Watson, who founded the UK Vegan Society. The British Vegan Society defines veganism this way:

The word “veganism” denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude — as far as is possible and practical — all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.

If you wish it to mean something different, invent your own word."


My major concern regarding animal rights are people--even animal rights people--thinking that all one has to do to be vegan is not eat any animal products. A non-vegan even had the audacity to tell me that veganism has been re-defined for some time and it's definition is it's a diet only. People who take it further to include not using animals in any way is an "animal rights vegan", he says. 

He is wrong!

Veganism is not a Diet


A vegan is someone who does not eat, wear or use any animal/animal parts in any way, shape or form. It never was a diet per se and has not been re-defined as a diet. Only the person who coined the term vegan (the British Vegan Society) really has the right to alter the definition. 

Vegan History

"The Vegan Society, the world's first, was born in November 1944 - after a lengthy gestation. As early as 1909 the ethics of consuming dairy products were hotly debated within the vegetarian movement. In August 1944, Elsie Shrigley and Donald Watson (a conscientious objector later to be acclaimed as the Vegan Society's Founder) agreed the desirability of coordinating 'non-dairy vegetarians'; despite opposition from prominent vegetarians unwilling to even consider adopting a diet free of all animal products.

In November, Donald organised a London meeting of six like-minded 'non-dairy vegetarians' at which it was decided to form a new society and adopt a new name to describe themselves - vegan derived from VEGetariAN.

It was a Sunday, with sunshine, and a blue sky, an auspicious day for the birth of an idealistic new movement.

Today, the Society remains as determined as ever to promote vegan lifestyles - that is, ways of living that seek to exclude, as far as is possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.

The Society aims to make veganism an easily adopted and widely recognised approach to reducing animal and human suffering and environmental damage by means of meaningful, peaceful and factual dialogue with individuals and organisations."

(Source: The Vegan Society website) 

 Veganism is not a Social Club

Being vegan means being involved in a very serious cause, like all other very serious causes.  Ideally, vegans should not be involved in any officially organized vegan group. The closest thing to being a "group" should be vegans having their own personal circle of vegan friends where they all trust each other, stick up for each other and are loyal to each other. And within that circle go out and educate people about veganism as well as vote on important animal rights issues. 

I hope I have  cleared up any confusion as to what it genuinely means to be vegan. It's not my definition--or anyone elses definition--except from the ones who originally coined the term vegan. As when anyone who has defined a term, we should not unethically try to change it. Afterall, how would you like it if you created something than someone else tried to publically change its definition. 

For a similar, excellent blogpost on the definition of vegan, check out:

Vegan – has a meaning, let’s use it