You wouldn’t imagine that there are many struggles to being vegan in 2019, but even the hype for this lifestyle or plant-based diet hasn’t spared us from the occasional brawl.
Six years of living this way have taught me a few things and that’s why today I’m sharing 5 struggles of being vegan with you:
1. Some people don’t know the difference between vegan, vegetarian and pescetarian.
I’ve been vegan since 2013 and back then it was a whole other story! Most people didn’t even know what a vegan was and the people who thought they “knew” actually mistook it for being vegetarian.
But this issue comes up from time to time even now, mainly from older folks. I swear I’ve had to explain how I live and eat to my grandmother a million times. Yet, everytime I sit at the dinner table she asks me if I can eat dairy with my meal. I’m kind of resigned to keep explaining the differences between diets as long as people ask nicely.
2. Convenience isn’t veganism’s forte.
If you thought being vegan meant haven’t a convenient life, you might want to think again. Sure, veganism has many advantages don’t get me wrong. This advantages mostly outweigh any struggles or downside, but convenience isn’t veganism’s forte, that’s for sure.
- Want to get a vegan hot dog at the movies? You can’t. Sorry!
- Want to get cheap alternatives to meat and dairy? Everything is costs more than the regular dairy products and meat products.
- Thinking about getting that nice bag? Think again. It’s made out of leader and you can’t find any pleader one that looks similar.
- Having a barbecue with you non vegan friends? You are going to have to bring everything from snacks to your meal and dessert if you want to have anything other than alcohol at that gathering.
See what I mean? Veganism means you will have to plan ahead a little more that you used to before.
3. A lot of people will assume you are a hippy
The stereotype is sort of true; I will not deny this. Many vegans are indeed hippies!
I myself could be considered one of those hippies for that matter since I practice yoga, meditate and care for the planet. But vegans come in all shapes, forms, sizes and types. There are preppy vegans, executive vegans, biker vegans, goth vegans, regular people vegans, and so on.
Yet, many people will assume that just because someone is vegan they are hippy which is definitely not the case, but it happens. It happens a lot!
4. People feel very strongly about veganism
I’m kind of afraid sometimes to tell people I’m vegan. People usually have very strong reactions to veganism and not all of these reactions are positive ones. I have had several situations where I have been introduced by a friend as the “vegan friend” and immediately someone will have a negative reaction to me.
I will try to not bring up the subject anymore and go about being a nice human being, but there will always be, without a doubt, that one person who feels the need to school me about why veganism isn’t the right choice for me.
Some others immediately go with mocking the lifestyle in general which, to be honest, I think is more tolerable than having to listen to a lecture about why my preferences for a diet and lifestyle are stupid and unacceptable.
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Header image courtesy of Vegan Liftz.
