What does it mean to be vegan?(NOT A TROLL)

It's a controversial topic in the vegan community some people only think you can be vegan if you do it for the animals and think if you don't you're not vegan but just follow a plant based diet.It depends if you see not eating animal products as just a diet or if you see it from an ethical and moral perspective.I don't think of veganism as a diet,it's a lifestyle and a philosophy for me.So I don't really see people who don't eat animal products but have no regard for animals as vegans.

Personally, I'm too much of a fat S.O.B to go vegan myself (sorry but i love my some bacon and egg sandwiches, and I respect all those who can give up the glory of a sausage roll), but here's what Wikipedia says:

"Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A follower of the diet or the philosophy is known as a vegan.

Distinctions may be made between several categories of veganism. Dietary vegans (or strict vegetarians) refrain from consuming animal products, not only meat but also eggs, dairy products and other animal-derived substances.

The term ethical vegan is often applied to those who not only follow a vegan diet but extend the philosophy into other areas of their lives, and oppose the use of animals for any purpose.

Another term is environmental veganism, which refers to the avoidance of animal products on the premise that the industrial farming of animals is environmentally damaging and unsustainable."

There's also feminist veganism according to wikipedia, which is covered under Vegetarian Ecofeminism.

Personally, I'm too much of a fat S.O.B to go vegan myself (sorry but i love my some bacon and egg sandwiches, and I respect all those who can give up the glory of a sausage roll), but here's what Wikipedia says:

"Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A follower of the diet or the philosophy is known as a vegan.

Distinctions may be made between several categories of veganism. Dietary vegans (or strict vegetarians) refrain from consuming animal products, not only meat but also eggs, dairy products and other animal-derived substances.

The term ethical vegan is often applied to those who not only follow a vegan diet but extend the philosophy into other areas of their lives, and oppose the use of animals for any purpose.

Another term is environmental veganism, which refers to the avoidance of animal products on the premise that the industrial farming of animals is environmentally damaging and unsustainable."

There's also feminist veganism according to wikipedia, which is covered under Vegetarian Ecofeminism.

I like my vegan Greggs sausage roll just fine,tastes exactly the same!I don't like these silly terms of ethical vegan,environmental vegan;it just overcomplicates the matter.I think you can be vegan and a feminist but don't see any point in the term feminist veganism.

I agree with everything you said there TBH. The only issue I can see is at face value, "feminism" wouldn't seem to have anything to do with farming, but once you remember that feminism means equality for all, it kinda makes sense to extend that to animals.

I'm not a vegan myself so this is just an observation
But I don't think there's any specific term that can define it, hence why there is no clarity. It means different things for different people, for some it's to boycott unethical food practises, for others it might be a lifestyle or a community aspect, for others it may be a dietary/medical change they've had to make.

You can calm down!(😂) I'm not a vegan troll nor do I want to proselytize/debate veganism, feel there are other people who will be more effective at that.😅

I often hear terms like "ethical vegan" and I can't help thinking what a redundant term that is. It's like saying: "I visually looked at the car".Although the vegan diet was defined early on in The Vegan Society's beginnings in 1944, it was as late as 1949 before Leslie J Cross pointed out that the society lacked a definition of veganism. He suggested “[t]he principle of the emancipation of animals from exploitation by man”. This is later clarified as “to seek an end to the use of animals by man for food, commodities, work, hunting, vivisection, and by all other uses involving exploitation of animal life by man”. So veganism isn't just not eating animal products, it's not seeing other animals as for us but with us.

So when I hear terms like "health vegan", it seems so odd to me. I guess having a plant based diet for those reasons is perfectly acceptable but abstaining from food animal products for health doesn't mean you're against other means of animal exploitation (like bying from breeders, animal testing, etc)

If someone's has a plant based diet for ethical reasons(from religion) then O guess I'd call them vegan.

Yh, share ur opinon I guess🤣

I'm sure there are "ethical vegans" who are not against animal testing for medicinal uses.

basically just means being human cows. eating nothing but grass and water

right

it was just meant to be a joke...

dammit my comedic value is never appreciated!

sure, although my point was just there other forms of animal exploitation they will not be against while being on a plant-based diet.

It depends on the reason for animal exploitation tbh - like I highly doubt "health vegans" would be okay with animal testing for cosmetics. But yeah you'd get some exceptions.

And I think those who start as health vegans probably develop more empathy towards animals along the way and become synonymous with ethical vegans