Loved this article. I've been vegan for over 15 years now (well, first two years vegetarian btw). "Once we apply that emotional intelligence to understanding human oppression over animals, we can map that same injustice onto other structures like patriarchy, racism, and environmental destruction. Soon, those myths, too, begin to crumble like a poorly made vegan handbag." awesome
Hi, Mars—thanks for reading. Delighted you picked out my favorite line in the essay. 🤣 Way to go on your lifestyle change. What inspired your move away from eating animals?
“So if the plate in front of me looks different than yours, don’t read that as a judgment.” Love this! I’ve been vegetarian for over three decades, and though I have strong convictions, I always strove to not be dogmatic or judgmental about it. But I’m shocked at how many people just assume that I’m judging them or about to start proselytizing just because I skip the meat. I love this description about your process and experience, and I agree with what you’ve said about what ultimately influences others.
Isn’t it wild? I get so many responses as if I’m about to launch into a tirade at them, and I think, oh geez. What lousy vegans have you met?? Thrilled this resonates with you. Thank you so much for reading!
Thanks for this bold look at how we approach influence and our dinner plates... your passion and insights are so compelling and I'm glad you're finding ways to share without the smug, it's very effective. xo
I’m blushing knowing it’s working!! I only aim to share my passion, so I’m delighted to hear my new, less irritating strategy is as effective as I hoped it would be. 🤣
I know that people who are vegans would never wear leather. I was just wondering what you wear instead? Is it fake leather? I'm just asking because I had a jacket that had fake leather as well as fabric, and after about 3 or 4 years, the fake leather began to disintegrate. It came off in tiny little particles like confetti pieces. That can't have been good for the environment. I just mention this because as an alternative for leather, it doesn't hold up. Although, no animal died to make fake leather, it is still a pretty rotten fashion choice, I'd say.
Great question, Rose, and thanks for reading! I have sadly owned a couple of those disintegrating jackets. Now I’ve got a great moto jacket in cotton, one in a fake suede (which is still some sort of plastic as a polyester, but much more durable and not something I wash, so it’s not sloughing microplastics in the water), and one that’s simply more durable. Higher end brands do make better materials, and now there are high end alternatives like pineapple, apple, cactus, and mushroom fabrics for shoes and bags and everything else. I’ve seen them at vegan fashion expos—pretty cool! I just don’t need to make an investment in a piece like that since I have everything I need right now. But I dream of the day I can find a pair of black vegan boots I can call my own…
This felt so important: "I wasn’t broken for how deeply I felt; the problem lay in Judeo-Christian and Humanist frameworks of human supremacy." What a thoughtful reflection on this topic. I always go back and forth about how much to share my own dietary choices with others and this helped refine my feelings around it.
Courtney, I’m delighted I could help you articulate your feelings on this very sensitive topic. Many people want to open up about but feel they’ve got a grenade on their hands, and I hope to open up a much more inclusive and understanding conversation. Happy to chat about it any time!
Loved this article. I've been vegan for over 15 years now (well, first two years vegetarian btw). "Once we apply that emotional intelligence to understanding human oppression over animals, we can map that same injustice onto other structures like patriarchy, racism, and environmental destruction. Soon, those myths, too, begin to crumble like a poorly made vegan handbag." awesome
Hi, Mars—thanks for reading. Delighted you picked out my favorite line in the essay. 🤣 Way to go on your lifestyle change. What inspired your move away from eating animals?
“So if the plate in front of me looks different than yours, don’t read that as a judgment.” Love this! I’ve been vegetarian for over three decades, and though I have strong convictions, I always strove to not be dogmatic or judgmental about it. But I’m shocked at how many people just assume that I’m judging them or about to start proselytizing just because I skip the meat. I love this description about your process and experience, and I agree with what you’ve said about what ultimately influences others.
Isn’t it wild? I get so many responses as if I’m about to launch into a tirade at them, and I think, oh geez. What lousy vegans have you met?? Thrilled this resonates with you. Thank you so much for reading!
Thanks for this bold look at how we approach influence and our dinner plates... your passion and insights are so compelling and I'm glad you're finding ways to share without the smug, it's very effective. xo
I’m blushing knowing it’s working!! I only aim to share my passion, so I’m delighted to hear my new, less irritating strategy is as effective as I hoped it would be. 🤣
I know that people who are vegans would never wear leather. I was just wondering what you wear instead? Is it fake leather? I'm just asking because I had a jacket that had fake leather as well as fabric, and after about 3 or 4 years, the fake leather began to disintegrate. It came off in tiny little particles like confetti pieces. That can't have been good for the environment. I just mention this because as an alternative for leather, it doesn't hold up. Although, no animal died to make fake leather, it is still a pretty rotten fashion choice, I'd say.
Great question, Rose, and thanks for reading! I have sadly owned a couple of those disintegrating jackets. Now I’ve got a great moto jacket in cotton, one in a fake suede (which is still some sort of plastic as a polyester, but much more durable and not something I wash, so it’s not sloughing microplastics in the water), and one that’s simply more durable. Higher end brands do make better materials, and now there are high end alternatives like pineapple, apple, cactus, and mushroom fabrics for shoes and bags and everything else. I’ve seen them at vegan fashion expos—pretty cool! I just don’t need to make an investment in a piece like that since I have everything I need right now. But I dream of the day I can find a pair of black vegan boots I can call my own…
This felt so important: "I wasn’t broken for how deeply I felt; the problem lay in Judeo-Christian and Humanist frameworks of human supremacy." What a thoughtful reflection on this topic. I always go back and forth about how much to share my own dietary choices with others and this helped refine my feelings around it.
Courtney, I’m delighted I could help you articulate your feelings on this very sensitive topic. Many people want to open up about but feel they’ve got a grenade on their hands, and I hope to open up a much more inclusive and understanding conversation. Happy to chat about it any time!
Yes! The more we talk about it with curiosity, the more we can engage in productive conversation. I really appreciate that. 💕
I really enjoyed this essay! Thank you for sharing this perspective. It's inspiring.
Thank you so much for reading! I’m thrilled it inspired you. The more joy and compassion we share, the better world we will create!