Crazy Vegans Struggle Up the Moral Food Chain
Reflection – Carys Thomas
Hope Hauck
Avocado toast, tofu sandwiches, and raw vegetables–in other words, the food of devout, violent, devil worshippers (at least according to some). Recent studies show that many Americans equate veganism and refraining from consuming animal products with metaphorical sacrilege. Specifically, research run by Julia Minson, a University of Pennsylvania psychologist, found 47% of participants held poor opinions of non-meat eaters: “Vegans were allied with the words ‘weird,’ ‘arrogant,’ ‘preachy,’ ‘militant,’ ‘uptight,’ ‘stupid,’ and– mysteriously – ‘sadistic’” (Gorvett). These adjectives connect to a larger assumption of Vegans as entitled, self-righteous fanatics who push their own moral standard onto others. Now, even the phrase “Sorry, I can’t eat that… I’m vegan,” makes some cringe. How did a seemingly wholesome cause of helping the planet and saving animals lend itself to such contention, and why do anti-vegans feel so strongly about fighting veganism?
Veganism restricts so much of what a person eats, so it often forces them to be vocal about their diet, only affirming stereotypes and contributing to a self-fulfilling cycle. Most restaurants offer very few plant-based options, and less than .04% specifically cater to only vegetarian and vegan diets (IBIS World). When a vegan eats out with a non-vegan, they must consider restaurant options thoroughly, which may seem excessive. Turning down everyone’s favorite BBQ place because they only serve chicken wings and brisket means veganism restricts not only the dieter, but the people around them and makes hanging out a hassle. Vegans also frequently order meals with changes and substitutions, which may stand out as strange to non-vegans. For instance, a popular dairy-free meal at Taco Bell consists of ordering a Supreme Burrito, swapping the seasoned beef with black beans, removing the cheese and sour cream, and changing the sauce (“How To Eat Vegan”). Overall, they must think about, and end up talking about, their dietary restrictions a lot because it influences the basic, everyday need of eating. I, for example, am a vegetarian. I feel strongly about appreciating and respecting food people share with me, and enjoy trying different types of food. However, my diet means I must turn down my grandmother’s Turkey on Thanksgiving and my Uncle Sven’s Weißwuascht (Bavarian white sausage) when I visit him. Because I don’t eat meat myself, I end up constantly explaining why I turn down food to other people. Vegans experience the same trouble, only to a stronger degree, furthering the perception of them wanting to rub their morality in others’ faces.
If not in person, everyone’s witnessed at least one vegan making questionable decisions online. From elaborate pig robberies to group milk pouring events in grocery stores, they receive a lot of public attention for less than conventional methods of spreading the diet (Dutkiewicz). While plenty of vegans stay subtle about their eating habits, due to the nature of the internet, those who act the most extremely get the most attention. The viral YouTube video, with over sixteen million views, “6 Vegans vs 1 Secret Meat Eater| Odd Man Out,” stands out as an example of this phenomenon. In the video, contestants compete for money as they look for the one non-vegan mole among them. While as a whole, they calmly and unassumingly share their experiences eating a plant-based diet, one contestant, Erin, plays the game more aggressively. Her social crimes consist of attacking the other vegans for eating Taco Bell and using soap, which may contain lard or tallow, while personally invalidating their reasons for not eating meat and dairy products. Viewers litter the video’s comments, criticizing Erin with complaints such as, “They lost because of Erin lol. Most vegans I’ve met are exactly like Erin,””It isn’t veganism that prevents people from becoming vegan, it’s Erin’s personality,” and “Erin is grilling everyone… She is just disgusting.” (“6 Vegans vs 1”). While the other vegans in the video stand up for each other, viewers remember Erin, who drew the most attention. She took up space and fit the stereotype of self-righteousness. The premise of the game made the contestants turn on each other for money and nitpick each other’s statements. While the internet gives vegans a lot of slack based on how Erin acted in the video, her interactions on the game show are not actually representative of the entire population of dairy-free eateres. Judging the group as a whole based on how a few of them interact online paints an unfair, inaccurate picture of vegans.
There may also be a psychological explanation for why vegans bringing up their diet frequently irks meat eaters so much. Benoit Monin, a Stanford professor of psychology, argues that many anti-vegans fundamentally agree on the issues that the diet seeks to address, such as limiting animal cruelty and helping the environment. The practice and its intentions themselves are not the issues. As vegans make their lifestyle known to others through constant reminders at restaurants and online spaces, they force people to question their personal morality. Veganism growing in popularity means non-vegans may see consuming animal products as a choice and not an indisputable need. Going dairy-free costs money, time, and effort. Taking on the diet means giving up food like bacon and ice cream, so obviously not everyone takes on the challenge. However, those who hold animal safety and environmentalism as core values face the reality that maybe something they do every day, eating animals, disagrees with their own morals. This moral tension causes a lot of the hate projected at vegans: “By their mere existence, vegans force people to confront their cognitive dissonance. And this makes people angry” (Gorvett). Take, for instance, someone who loves fish and takes care of goldfish. However, he also eats salmon for dinner. While usually this feels like a necessary human consumption, when he talks with his vegan friend and accepts veganism as an option, his killing of fish becomes a choice. He now feels like an active participant in the system of killing fish. So, the awareness alone of veganism made him feel poorly about himself. It’s no surprise this makes people outright veganism as a whole.
Society constantly rejects those who act differently, arguing a perceived superior morality. From Shakers, who formed their own extreme religious practices, to women’s rights activists and climate change researchers, we reject those with strong views which require change. Similarly, anti-vegans shun those who argue against consuming meat and supporting the dairy industry. Accepting vegans means questioning one’s own actions and innocence. Anti-vegans may not hate animals or the fact that vegans eat vegetables. Instead, they hate that they themselves eat meat.
Works Cited
Dutkiewicz, J. (2023, October 24). The vegan protesters spilling milk in supermarkets are right.
The New Republic. https://newrepublic.com/article/168211/vegan-milk-protests-animal-rebellion.
Gorvett, Zaria. “The Hidden Biases That Drive Anti-Vegan Hatred.” BBC Future, BBC, 24 Feb.
2022, http://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200203-the-hidden-biases-that-drive-anti-vegan-hatred#:~:text=These%20 include%20 pretending%20that%20 meat,which%20are%20.
“How to eat vegan at Taco Bell.” Taco Bell. https://www.tacobell.com/blog/how-to-eat-vegan.
“The TRUTH about 6 Vegans vs. 1 Meat Eater.” youTube, uploaded by Twobilee, 17 November
2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2TbmOMxMm4.
“Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurants in the US – Number of Businesses.” IBIS World. 17 September 2023,
“6 Vegans vs 1 Secret Meat Eater | Odd Man Out.” YouTube, uploaded by Jubilee, 30 June 2019.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5TGgJF7LIo.