Emilia, thank you so much for your reply. It’s means a lot. I like the idea to ‘just walk away mid sentence’. I just read your article to my husband, as well as my comment and your reply and it stimulated a really good conversation of how we can respond better in the future. 😍
I’ve read your article before and now I’m reading it again after just having spent two weeks in the UK with ‘old friends’.
I live in Portugal in a bit of a ‘vegan bubble’ and I was shocked at what I witnessed in the UK. Plant-based friends having gone carnivore because it’s apparently healthier for them. Vegan jokes more than ever. The word vegan almost used derogatorily. Veganism being seen as something that can be argued about with regards to health and climate change. But no-one ever wants to know about what really makes us vegan - the cruelty, the degradation of sentient beings. Most people would be disgusted when they watch movies about slavery where a white plantation owner makes jokes while a Slave is being beaten. I hope one day humanity will feel the same about animal agriculture.
I too have not made the pledge. I still value my friends above taking a stand. I feel bad about it. I have all the replies on the tip of my tongue and I either don’t speak them or when I do I am accused of being judgemental and riding my hobbyhorse.
Your writing helps me to process and progress. Thank you.
oh Gabriela, on the one hand I'm happy my writing helps you. On the other, your two weeks in the UK sound tough. It's not like that everywhere and it's unfortunate you experienced particularly intense negativity. I hope your continued learning, activism (even just existing) and hopefully some conversations will at least make them more thoughtful and sensitive to you (and in my hope of hopes to the animals too eventually). And hold fast when you talk to them. It's easy for me to suggest to you to hold fast and take whatever nonsense they say to you and encourage you to stand your ground. But that's not easy when you're right there in real life. Maybe there are different approaches you can try. Or absent yourself even mid animal use conversation. I've done that. I just leave mid-sentence, no explanation given. You don't need my advice. My sense is you're thinking all these things. I know I have. I've been there. Meanwhile, enjoy your vegan bubble. It's preferable. I find it harder and harder to socialise over food with nonvegans. Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts.
I so appreciate your honesty and candor in this piece! It's such a hard issue to navigate as a vegan and as an advocate. I also have not taken the pledge, but I think about it, too. Can't wait to read more!
Emilia, thank you so much for your reply. It’s means a lot. I like the idea to ‘just walk away mid sentence’. I just read your article to my husband, as well as my comment and your reply and it stimulated a really good conversation of how we can respond better in the future. 😍
So happy to hear it!!
I’ve read your article before and now I’m reading it again after just having spent two weeks in the UK with ‘old friends’.
I live in Portugal in a bit of a ‘vegan bubble’ and I was shocked at what I witnessed in the UK. Plant-based friends having gone carnivore because it’s apparently healthier for them. Vegan jokes more than ever. The word vegan almost used derogatorily. Veganism being seen as something that can be argued about with regards to health and climate change. But no-one ever wants to know about what really makes us vegan - the cruelty, the degradation of sentient beings. Most people would be disgusted when they watch movies about slavery where a white plantation owner makes jokes while a Slave is being beaten. I hope one day humanity will feel the same about animal agriculture.
I too have not made the pledge. I still value my friends above taking a stand. I feel bad about it. I have all the replies on the tip of my tongue and I either don’t speak them or when I do I am accused of being judgemental and riding my hobbyhorse.
Your writing helps me to process and progress. Thank you.
oh Gabriela, on the one hand I'm happy my writing helps you. On the other, your two weeks in the UK sound tough. It's not like that everywhere and it's unfortunate you experienced particularly intense negativity. I hope your continued learning, activism (even just existing) and hopefully some conversations will at least make them more thoughtful and sensitive to you (and in my hope of hopes to the animals too eventually). And hold fast when you talk to them. It's easy for me to suggest to you to hold fast and take whatever nonsense they say to you and encourage you to stand your ground. But that's not easy when you're right there in real life. Maybe there are different approaches you can try. Or absent yourself even mid animal use conversation. I've done that. I just leave mid-sentence, no explanation given. You don't need my advice. My sense is you're thinking all these things. I know I have. I've been there. Meanwhile, enjoy your vegan bubble. It's preferable. I find it harder and harder to socialise over food with nonvegans. Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts.
I so appreciate your honesty and candor in this piece! It's such a hard issue to navigate as a vegan and as an advocate. I also have not taken the pledge, but I think about it, too. Can't wait to read more!
Thank you! It’s a tough one. A few people messaged saying they did so years ago and they’re happy they did so