Food For Thought — Renewed Animal Rights Perspective on Veganism

*taken from my instagram stories*

i apologize in advance to anyone who finds the following content “preachy” or annoying — i really only intend this info / conversation to be for those who are interested / curious / want to learn or engage.

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i have been vegan for about a year after being on and off vegetarian since i was 8 yrs old. on a recent camping trip i made eggs because really “what else” was i supposed to eat? a week later, at dinner with a girlfriend i had some delicious truffle goat cheese because “why the hell not” and at least it was “better than cows milk.” then i went “all out” (lol) and had a piece of real freaking pizza with mozzarella cheese and all.

anyways, my silly story is not important. the point is that it’s so easy to disassociate from what you’re eating. even as someone who has COMPLETE awareness of what goes on behind closed doors, as well as the health and environmental implications of consuming animal products.  

i felt as though i needed a wake up call. something to kick my ass back into shape regarding why i choose to eat / shop the way i do. 

i listened to James Aspey’s speeches on youtube, which totally helped and i highly recommend. however, i figured it was time that i get really uncomfortable. 

my reasons to follow a plant based diet have always been super charged by my own health and the environment. i am an absolute animal lover but i am also a professional avoider and disassociator. as a naturally selfish human being (🙁), there was more motivation for me if i reaped the benefits of this lifestyle, rather than being concerned about other beings. because “my consumption of them or not doesn’t change how they’re treated” ... 😪 

SO — i got uncomfortable last night. REALLY f*cking uncomfortable. i watched Dominion, a film about modern animal agriculture made with footage from handheld and hidden cameras, as well as drones.

i don’t encourage everyone to watch this film, as it is BRUTAL and unforgiving. however, if you’re considering eliminating animal products from your life, i highly recommend it because i think it will absolutely give you that final push. i personally felt as though this was something i needed. i needed to raise my awareness, gain deeper and more extensive knowledge, and most of all, have my heart grow 20x it’s size with empathy and love for these precious animals who are treated in ways you wouldn’t wish upon your absolute worst enemy or any other being in this world.  

i will never tell anyone what or how to eat. i will never shame anyone for eating meat or consuming animal products. we are all adults who have the autonomy to make our own decisions. all i want to do is bring about awareness, with loving kindness towards these animals, the earth, and our wellbeing. 

if you eat locally raised and butchered meat, that’s a step in the right direction. if you get eggs from your farmers market, keep it up. if you go fishing and grill up the bass you caught for dinner, good for you! there ARE ways to continue eating the way you may want to, without supporting one of the most cruel and harmful industries to exist.  as i stated earlier, my intention here is to not tell everyone they should go vegan — what you eat is a very personal choice. but i find it highly honorable to make informed decisions about what you are consuming and it’s impact on others and this planet.

i’m going way out of my comfort zone and sharing this today because someone else shared something on it yesterday, and it gave me a push — this is the domino effect. 

i want to dispute the reputation of the “crazy annoying vegan” by being open to conversations. your life if your life and your choices are yours to make. 

if you feel inclined to start a conversation about anything i’ve written here, please don’t hesitate to reach out. i’m also more than glad to help people figure out what / how to eat as i’m currently in school for nutrition and have been on the veggie train for a super long time

thank you for reading my rambles.

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