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At age 24, right after my honeymoon, I declared to my new husband that I was going vegetarian. People always groan when I tell this story because they believe I tricked my husband by telling him after our marriage. But I did not pressure him to also become vegetarian, because what people choose to eat is personal and impacted by cultural and health factors. With that said, he came around to vegetarianism within a few years because I enjoy cooking yummy food.
My choice to go vegetarian was not for my health but a wish to show compassion to animals. But, like many people, I didn’t realize the cruelty involved in egg and dairy production. In fact, it took me 30 more years to transition to veganism. What finally got me off the sidelines? Vegan activism in the form of a video showing the cruelty of factory farms, including those in the dairy and egg industry.
There are many ways to be a vegan activist, and creative techniques make a difference for animals. First, I’ll review the evolution of vegan activism. Then, I’ll discuss vegan activism opportunities.
The Evolution of Vegan Activism
Using animals (and people) for entertainment started thousands of years ago. Along the way, people tried to raise awareness of animal cruelty. Mark Twain weighed in about using animals for sport, describing humans as inflicting pain for their own pleasure. His stories raised public awareness about animal cruelty. Upton Sinclair’s 1906 novel, The Jungle, drew attention to slaughterhouse operations.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded in 1866 and advocated for reducing the cruelty of using animals to make money. Examples are dog and horse racing, donkeys hauling tourists up and down steep hills, circuses, rodeos, and bullfights. Surely we can find better ways to have fun.
Indeed, we’ve made great strides in promoting a vegan diet and avoiding animal cruelty. Veganuary has an excellent article highlighting the milestones of the 2010s:
Media Reporting
- Time Magazine, The Lancet, and a report from the United Nations highlighted the correlation between eating animal products and the increase in climate change.
- Food Navigator called veganism ‘mainstream.’
- “VegNews” declared 2012 ‘The Year of the Vegan Athlete.’
Popular Books
- Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
- Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows by Melanie Joy
Legislation
- The European Parliament legislated vegan food labeling.
- The Canadian government updated its national food guide, recommending plant-based options.
- The World Health Organisation labeled processed meat a group 1 carcinogen (like cigarettes) and red meat a group 2A carcinogen (like insecticides.)
Documentaries
- ‘Fork Over Knives’
- ‘Vegucated,’
- ‘Cowspiracy’
Vegan Restaurants and Plant-Based Shopping Options
- New vegan restaurants opened worldwide, and many traditional restaurants added vegan options.
- In 2013, Oktoberfest began offering vegan dishes for the first time.
- Vegan products became more widely available.
- Europe had 39% of global sales of vegan products. I can testify to Italy. When I visited in 2018 we attended the largest veganfest in the world.
The Current State of Vegan Activism
The pace of vegan activism has accelerated in the last decade. But we still have a long way to go.
What is the current state of vegan activism? Red hot! Check out this graphic from Food Revolution Network:
More People Are Becoming Vegan
Veganism has continued to snowball, with the United States having approximately 10 million vegans in 2019, and a similar trend exists in the UK. China’s latest diet guidelines recommend plant-based foods to reduce meat intake in half.
Kaiser Permanente, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, and the American Institute for Cancer Research recommend a plant-based diet.
The support program Veganuary was launched in 2014, with 3,300 people signing up. In 2023, 706,695 people participated. And 78% planned to permanently reduce their animal product intake; 25% planned to stay vegan.
Veganism is a lifestyle and impacts romance, too:
“An early 2022 survey from dating app OkCupid found that 90% of its clients say caring about the planet, specifically climate change, is essential in romantic matches. Millennials are the largest group of OkCupid users, and they may also be responsible for the push towards more plant-based eating because of concerns around climate change.”
Vegan Restaurants and Plant-Based Shopping Options
Vegan food sales increased 150% between 2020 and 2021.
The need to serve vegans who prefer to eat in has resulted in a rise in vegan delivery services.
Vegan food trends include plant-based meat options, vegan seafood, more cheese options, and good egg substitutes.
Vegan Athletes
Plant-based athletes model the benefits of plant-based eating. We are social creatures and want to be like those we respect. Venus Williams, many US women’s soccer team members, weightlifter Patrik Baboumian, and Kyrie Irving inspire others to try a vegan diet. Multiple Tennessee Titans football team members have adopted a primarily plant-based diet and reaped the benefits in their performance.
I speak at a local college about vegan diets and find student-athletes somewhat resistant, with comments like, “My coach would kill me.” But when they hear about elite athletes improving their performance, they are more willing to listen. One of the best documentaries for this group is “The Game Changers.”
Ways To Show Your Compassion with Vegan Activism
If you are new to activism, consider reading my Getting Started in Activism page and following my 5-Step Activism Path.
Step 3 of my 5-Step Activism Path is to find activism methods you enjoy. You will likely drop out if lobbying isn’t enjoyable or easy for you. Instead, find ways to make a difference that will keep you motivated for the long term. Here are ideas for your vegan ativism.
Advocacy
Vegan advocacy means highlighting the environmental impact of animal agriculture and its contribution to climate change and emphasizing the importance of plant-based diets as a sustainable choice.
- Dawn Watch provides information and alerts about animal cruelty and encourages the media to cover animal issues.
- One of my favorite examples is a group that advocated for electric-powered carriages to replace horse-drawn ones.
- One of the best educational and advocacy sites is Vegan.com. Eric Marcus also offers an Animal Activism Guide.
- To help young people make a difference, activist Genesis Butler created Youth Climate Save, a way for youth to make a difference in the environment.
Social Media Activism
Social media is crucial in spreading awareness about veganism and animal rights. Activists use platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to share educational content, recipes, and personal stories, reaching a wider audience. For example, my Facebook feed showed me the video that spurred me to go vegan.
Employee and Corporate Activism
More companies are getting on board with the cultural shift toward plant-based diets. For instance, at Google’s free cafeteria, the chefs are increasing the percentage of plant-based options. Google is paying attention to the company’s carbon footprint.
Even if your workplace does not promote or provide vegan options, use employee activism to advocate for changes.
Policy and Legislation
Vegan activists collaborate with lawmakers and policymakers to push for legislation that promotes plant-based diets, animal welfare, and sustainability. For example, Portugal became the first country to pass a law that requires government facilities to offer at least one vegan option on their menus.
Support Programs
Support programs like Veganuary are designed to make transitioning to a plant-based diet more manageable. You can encourage your community to support plant-based initiatives, such as Veganuary and Meatless Mondays, to reduce the consumption of animal products.
One of my favorite examples of a support program is a vegan food bank in Los Angeles. They provide produce and help people cook vegan meals.
Art as Activism
It may surprise you that many activists choose a creative approach to making a difference. But doing what you love is a perfect match for activism.
- “Meat Is Murder” by the Smiths is a vegan protest song.
- Myk Kaplan does a vegan comedy act.
- Sunny Subramanian started her blog, Vegan Beauty Review, highlighting cruelty-free beauty products. She also published a book with recipes for homemade, cruelty-free, vegan products.
- Photography is being used in exciting ways. One campaign with a photo of a woman being ‘milked’ has stirred controversy in London.
Movement Support
Movement support is handling support tasks so others can be fully involved in the cause. Administrative support is always needed in nonprofits. And fundraising is critical. Donate a percentage of your income or profits to your cause.
- A Fargo brewing company supports shelter dogs.
- Donate money to others doing undercover work. Mercy for Animals sends people to factory farms to report back on animal cruelty.
Direct Action
Some activists focus on direct actions, such as protests, sit-ins, and rescuing animals from factory farms. These efforts aimed to raise awareness about the plight of animals in the food industry. Direct action is not without risks.
Research
If you have research skills, apply them to the vegan cause. A fantastic application of science was pioneered by EggXY. They created a way to identify male chicks in embryo form, preventing the chickens from hatching and being killed because they are not useful for egg production.
Faunalytics focuses on animal advocacy research. On their website, you can find helpful, evidence-based recommendations and strategies to help reduce animal suffering. Their questions for future research are:
How can advocates best appeal to people regarding fish and chickens? These animals don’t engender sympathy like cows, pigs, and sheep do.
Should outreach target 1/3 of people who already believe eating animals is unnecessary? How do these people differ from those who think they must eat animals?
Why has there been little or no change in attitudes towards farmed animals since 2008-2009?
Climate change is becoming a more prominent topic globally. How can communications include the impact of meat production to achieve the most significant impact on animals?
Your Vegan Activism
People who care about animals want to make the most impact possible. But don’t fall into the trap of trying to solve all problems. Trust that there is a vegan activism movement made up of others who love animals and are doing their part. Find your perfect activism opportunity, and know your thoughtful preparation will matter for animals and the planet.
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