I think even when growing up, I was never totally comfortable with eating meat — there was always a bone, a vein, tendons — even with ground-up hamburger meat, there was always an unidentifiable something in it. But of course, like most everyone else, I didn’t question that this was where I needed to get my protein.
Over the years, I volunteered at a dog and cat shelter, read many animal rights books and donated small sums to mainstream animal welfare groups, none of which detailed the cruelty that I know about now or advocated being vegan.
I became vegetarian gradually and was for about 15 years before finally going vegan last September. I tried once before after reading Eternal Treblinka. That book should have done it for me, but I had no support then & was in fact, met with hostility from vegetarian friends who didn’t want to hear about it. (And I don’t think podcasts or blogs had been invented yet.) So I went back somewhat, still buying products made with milk or eggs, eating eggs at restaurants, cream with coffee.
I’m so glad you mentioned The Good Good Pig in your podcast, ‘‘Peace for Pigs.’’ One weekend last fall, I decided to give myself one last push toward becoming vegan. I read Vegan Freak: Being Vegan in a Non-Vegan World and The Good Good Pig that weekend. That was it for me finally: a good “scolding” from the Vegan Freaks and one truly wonderful pig.
I’ve since discovered it’s absolutely easy living vegan and I’ve learned much from your podcasts and writings. I’ve learned about the bad — such as the mutilations the animals are forced to endure and the young ages at which they’re killed. But I’ve also learned about the good — places like Peaceful Praire Sanctuary and Pigs Peace Sanctuary, and of course about other people who are changing, evolving, to a cruelty-free life.
I just hope we can convince, or inspire as you say, more people to just leave the animals free to live their own lives.
~Lenore in Skokie, IL
Pretty amazing, Lenore, but my story is quite similar in the big picture. I turned vegetarian at about 18 years of age and turned vegan some 34 years later. I am very sorry that it took so long.. but now I cannot go back. Nope, there is no turning back (or so it seems) for now, thanks to the net, I know too much!
To David and Lenore,
Hostility is in the eye of the beholder, as I have discovered in my own journey toward veganism.
Most people become vegan after a friend or stranger shows them some literature which sparks an interest, causing them to soon do their own research. My own transformation began a little differently. I was on youtube watching videos about the banning of pitbulls. This thread of research lead to the videos of dog-fights and domestic animal cruelty. Finally, I tapped into the back of my brain where I had stored, a few years earlier, the request to one day look up videos of slaughterhouses and livestock rights. I had heard things about them, and always wanted to watch them, to see first if I could stomach such things, and then to see if it would make a difference in my own beliefs.
What began as curiosity became three weeks of research. From this research I discovered that if I did not act, I would become part of the problem and not the solution. I shared my new-found beliefs with my husband, who reluctantly stepped aboard with me. We’ve both been vegan ever since, and how grateful I am for his support!
My husband and I went about telling our family members of our lifestyle decision. My mother in law had the best initial reaction but over time her opinions of the way we conduct ourselves have become sour and full of disdain. My own mother’s reaction initially was that of surprise, wondering how we would cope or live this way and what our reasons were behind making this decision. She has since done her own research and become vegetarian, though not vegan. We still consider this a great step in the right direction for her.
My mother told her naturopath of her decision to become vegetarian. At first he has some questions for her, but after a while, he reported “Well . . . I can’t say anything against it. When done right, vegans and vegetarians are the healthiest people in the world!”
The hostility among friends however, does not seem to end. We have relatives who gawk at our food at every family gathering, bringing up ignorant questions about our way of life, and then complaining about us “giving them the third degree” when we reply or attempt to answer them. At thanksgiving, we brought a vegan pumpkin pie, and everyone who tried it said it tasted better than the normal one! My own vegan banana bread won the second place prize for the dessert baking contest on my mother’s side of the family. Over time, their hearts will soften to the idea, and we are confident that they will accept us, at least on my own side of the family.
On my husband’s side of the family we are met with comments such as “Here’s some canned vegetable soup, it’s right up your alley.” “But it has beef broth listed as the third ingredient, mum.” “Well what’s the matter with a little beef broth once in a while! You’re going to get sick if you don’t get SOME beef” and other such ignorant comments/conversations are constantly going on. I have to watch the kids eat a seven cheese lasagna and gulp down a glass of chocolate milk and sugary juice drinks, with chicken nuggets on the side and a giant bowl of chocolate ice cream for dessert. Gelatin loaded candies and fruit snacks are a staple in their diet.
I think sometimes those relatives should consider how difficult it is for us to sit next to them at the table with our lemon curried lentils and potato salad, and a bowl of hearty chick pea soup and listen to their lips smacking over a piece of rolled up ham, or bologna, smothered with animal secretions we fondly call “cheese.”
I apologize if this is too long, or if i have bored you but I guess I’d like to say that while I am not being physically attacked by my relatives and friends over this, I do feel like there is hostility. And while I am not one to become easily offended, I will resolve myself to do something about it this year.