“Beyoncé’s vegan food service may be start of a very welcome celebrity trend”
“Beyoncé and rapper Lil B are the latest to jump on vegan bandwagon, but far from detracting from a cause they are adding to a growing number of advocates…”
In this Guardian piece the author states that this is a good thing. You can read more here and our response is below:
VLA RESPONSE:
The only problem with trying Veganism – well – let’s be accurate – a ‘plant-based diet’, in this case, as the result of a trend or following a celeb, is that many people never get to the stage of learning about the ethics behind Veganism.
A recent study showed that approx. 70% of people who try Veganism end up reverting to omnivorous ways. The study revealed that this was largely because the people trying it did it for reasons other than ethics or the morality factors of animals’ rights. They dabbled with a Vegan diet (and rarely other aspects of the lifestyle) for reasons of health, weight loss, celeb trends and the environment.
The argument followed that when people try the diet aspect for these reasons, they perhaps do not have the underlying drive and commitment that ethical Vegans do and consequently do less research and eat poorer diets because of it.
They are also more likely to find it a chore and some even suffered health-wise.
What you then have is a larger proportion of people who revert, then vocalize how they tried a Vegan diet but that it was a nightmare and hence it gains even more negative publicity.
Of course this isn’t true in all cases and some do stick with it as they begin to learn more about food and to care about animal (ab)use.
But the point we’re making is that whilst this can save some animal lives short term (always good) does it have a detrimental effect long term when the ‘fad/trend’ wears off, or when people see mixed messages as the celebs continue to wear snakeskin and fur?
It dilutes the Vegan message and confuses people as to what being Vegan truly means.
As an organization we’ll always promote the multiple benefits of the lifestyle, but we’ll also ensure that its underlying ethos of reducing harm to sentient life is at the core of what we do. Understanding of our fellow sentient beings and compassion, protection and respect for all life on our planet is what will help to protect our species and our planet for the future.
This isn’t a short term fad, its a moral obligation and a planetary imperative. BUT it’s also a lifestyle that in 2015 is easy, liberating, cost effective, healthful and full of joy!