NOT VEGAN ENOUGH?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ก.ย. 2024
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"Don't let someone stop you from doing a great thing just because it might not be a perfect thing." I love that! You guys are so motivating, and I cannot tell you enough the positive influence you have on my choice to be vegan. I live in Tennessee, so being vegan is not a common thing to see here at all. I get made fun of a lot, and listening to you guys talk about all of these issues makes me feel like I am not alone. I try so hard to be a positive light to my family and friends, but sometimes the hurtful comments are too much to handle. I appreciate everything you are doing! Keep going! Love you all!
hi guys! i would really like to suggest an episode idea- i struggled so much being vegan with my anxiety issues. after becoming vegan, the food anxiety i felt when going to a restaurant, going out with friends, going on vacation etc. was debilitating. I remember i went on an all-inclusive vacation & legit had the worst panic attack because NONE of the food was vegan- all the veggies were cooked with butter and cheese etc. i really want to hear all your opinions on anxiety and food, and how veganism plays into that. i know so many girls who struggled with this and no one talks about it/:
I'd love that too. I also have that issue, so many times I've gone places where even the veggies weren't vegan because they are smothered in butter and cheese. This is a great idea.
I think you just kind of learn to request your food to be cooked "without butter". I even ask for my veggie burger to be prepared away from the meat... And don't forget to make sure your veggie burgers don't contain dairy or egg, which they sometimes do. It's a thought process you kind of tune into and it does get easier and more comfortable!
The main problem is the anxiety, not the food, and that's what needs to be addressed, preferably with a professional. If food is giving you that much anxiety there are underlying issues there.
Omg I have the same problem! I thought I was just a freak haha. Don’t think nothing can really help.... it upsets me sometimes
Take care of yourself and do the best that you can. I have anxiety too, and I know how hard it is to function when something is so constantly provoking debilitating anxiety. Food is an unavoidable necessity, and anxiety around food can make everything harder (not to mention all of the other ways veganism plays into everyday life). Like they said in the video, the most important thing is the intention. Anxiety is a mental illness and equally as valid as a physical illness. Like with Dani's thyroid issue that requires non-vegan medication to treat, your issues with anxiety might mean you eat non-vegan food sometimes (or take a non-vegan medication to treat it). If you are not already and have the resources to, please see a mental health professional. The issue here is anxiety-not food-and a professional can help you learn techniques to get through your anxiety in these moments, reframe the way food anxiety affects you, and get you medication if necessary. Please remember that it doesn't mean you are weak or that you don't care enough if you eat or use something non-vegan as a result of your anxiety. Do the best you can in each moment. That is really all you can do. And it is enough. I know you were asking them, but I'm hoping this helps you-or anyone-at least a little bit. Much love to you xx
Best video you ladies have put out, I applaud you all. We as vegans need to remember to extend our compassion to the people who are "trying" to be vegan. There is no "perfect" vegan, everyday I make the most compassionate choice I can. My family thinks I'm extreme, other vegans think I'm not "vegan enough." I know in my heart I'm doing the best I can and that's what's important. Merry Christmas ladies, looking forward to your 2018 content~xo
I guess if I had to label myself as something it would be a vegetarian that eats mostly vegan. I haven't had meat or fish in about 14 months. I occasionally eat dairy or something (like a baked good) that is made with eggs. Everything I cook for myself at home is vegan it's just the rare times that I eat out. And I mean rare time. (You can't *realllyyy* trust restaurants)
I do use manuka honey on my skin because of its amazing benefits and it has really helped me with breakouts and scarring. The rest of my beauty products are vegan / cruelty free. Although I do still use old make up products that aren't, just trying to use them up. I do my best to cut out single use plastic and recycle properly. I don't purchase real leather or suede. I don't support the fast fashion industry. (LOVE supporting small/ local businesses)
While I'm not 100% vegan I know that my new lifestyle is making a difference. And if I can encourage anyone to become more aware of their impact and start making changes to better themselves, they'll ultimately be bettering the world.
Shan lil I’m the exact same way. I eat almost vegan, but tonight I had pizza because I didn’t have any other food at my house and a few weeks ago I ate pasta with cheese in it at a restaurant. It’s not always about being 100% perfect. It’s about striving to be better while not killing yourself over it.
I've been vegan for seven months. I remember feeling guilty because I have a cat and feed him canned food, unlike many militant vegans who impose their lifestyle upon their pets. I never agreed with that. Seems rather hypocritical to me because you could ruin their health. Cats do not do as well as dogs being vegan. It's just too risky.. but some woman with a vegan blog told me she was overjoyed when her mother's cats died 😲 because she no longer had to feed them canned food. That was it for me. I was so disgusted by her attitude. I contacted Farm Sanctuary and asked them their opinion. They told me veganism isn't about perfection. It's about doing the least harm where practical - - including the least harm to my pet! So yeah, I feed him a "regular" diet, and just try to do the best I can everywhere else. Unfortunately, it's impossible to be 100% vegan in this world, but starting by what's on *your* plate, is better than not starting at all.
Urgh what kind of a person is happy that someone's cat died just because they were fed non-vegan cat food?! I'm sure even if that person wasn't vegan they're still going to have that kind of attitude about something else.
EGO VEGANS drive me crazy! I've been vegan for 6+ years and I wear out what I had and replace with American Made organic vegan materials. That's my motto and I'm fine with that. If I'm not VEGAN ENOUGH for someone else, that's just too bad. I became vegan for my health and the animal activism followed once my health was repaired. I do the best I can with the resources I have. Thanks for this video & Merry Christmas to all of you and a Happy New Years to come!
VoteGreen literally just wrote almost the same thing on Insta. Someone said if you don’t 1) stop eating 2) stop wearing 3) bla bla blah, then you “are not really a vegan at all” . This is such bullsh*t. if someone only stopped eating meat or animal products that would still make a difference. and it was very sad because a young man commented that since he could not be “perfectly” vegan, he wasnt even going to try. OCD “veganism” is damaging to the whole movement; people don’t respond well to being judged.
Perfection is impossible. There isn't a perfect vegan anywhere on the planet. The best vegans lead by example, not guilt or shame. I love being vegan and my body loves me for the transition I made. I wish more people would be willing to try this lifestyle.
I’m Vegan but I will buy second-hand leather. An animal died for that product, I don’t want it to end up in a landfill, and the fashion industry really fills up landfills. I also have a second-hand wool coat.
Honestly the pressure of being perfectly vegan has made me question whether or not I want to continue to be vegan. I hate being judged so harshly when I try my best. Vegans are pretty judgmental towards others and too harsh on those trying to live the lifestyle the best they can.
Jessica I know how you feel! I got told that I should feel triggered because I don't watch animal torture videos. The screaming brings back memories about my past and it pissed me off because no video is worth my mental health. Also, I got told that I should feel guilty for not quitting cold Turkey and wanting to slowly transition into being vegan. I told that lady that she makes people not want to be vegan based on how rude she was. My friend irl who is vegan is super nice and when I originally tried to quit cold Turkey, she texted me a couple months later to see how I was doing.
you don't have to listen to those people imo.
just don't call yourself vegan if you are not, problem solved. I don't get why people are so desperate for a label.
Every episode is informative and enlightening.
I think every effort made...vegan or vegetarian counts.
I cut out meat completely in July, I really only have dairy products 1 meal a week, and slowly transitioning to cruelty free everything else. You guys are so inspiring while I make this transition.
I think it's important to make a few points about the sugar not being vegan issue. It's something that I at one time struggled with and put a lot of thought into. It's important to realize that if EVERYONE, non vegans included stopped consuming sugar processed with bone char, it wouldn't save the life of a single animal. The animal bones that are used to filter the sugar are the bones of animals killed in slaughterhouses. These animals are not killed to process sugar, but rather are killed for their flesh and since animal bones are a very ample by-product of the slaughtering process, humans have found a way to use them in other industries. The truth is, we can be eating oatmeal for breakfast and the oats resulted in more animal deaths from the crop harvesting than did the sugar that we put in it. Yet, we consider the oatmeal vegan because we are looking at it strictly from an ingredients perspective and not a truly ethical perspective. Think about it. Does it make sense to call something which doesn't cause any animal deaths or exploitation non vegan, and yet we call something else that does result in animal deaths vegan? If so is veganism about food ingredients or about how we affect animals? White sugar, even though it uses animal products to produce, doesn't directly cause or support the slaughter or exploitation of animals. It's important not to lose the real meaning and intention behind veganism which is to avoid directly causing animals to be exploited or harmed.
The best way and likely the only way to end the use of animal bones to process sugar is to get to the root of it, which is the slaughtering of animals for meat. If there are no slaughtered animals then by default there are no bones to use for processing sugar. I completely agree that it's ridiculous to be using animal bones to process something. Humans have unfortunately found countless ways to use countless animal by products. What I personally do is if I'm buying sugar in a bag, if I am able to do so financially I will buy sugar that I know isn't processed with bone char, simply because I do have the choice to do so. However, I don't worry about the origin of the sugar if it's an ingredient in a processed food. If the decision doesn't in reality result in an animal suffering or being exploited then I don't think it's important enough to spend a lot of time worrying about or forming an obsession over. As far as I know, I've been able to avoid virtually all of the animal by products that end up in many foods, many of which a lot of vegans are likely not aware of until they have been in the lifestyle for a long time. I think it's important for vegans to avoid the OBVIOUS animal products. There's no excuse for someone claiming to be vegan to be eating meat, dairy, eggs, or honey, outside of a truly accidental mishap. However, when it comes to the countless by products that end up in everything from bread to orange soda, I think that we should do the best we can to avoid these things WITHOUT developing an obsession. If one must be constantly suffering from anxiety and borderline mental issues in order to be a "true vegan" then this won't be a lifestyle that the masses can reasonably follow. I think there is a reasonable middle ground that veganism falls in. It's not accepting mediocrity and allowing ourselves to consume obvious animals ingredients that directly cause harm, but it's also not forming an obsession over 1/10th of a microgram of an animal by product that may be in a loaf of a bread. The truth is, if we can get the masses to simply stop eating meat, dairy, eggs, honey, etc. Then all of these annoying by-products including the bone char used in white sugar will by default be a thing of the past as well. End the animal exploitation industries at their core and the by products go away as a natural result. Thank you for discussing such an important topic.
“Boyfriend, parenting...same thing” lol 😂
Oh this is such a treat! The format is like the show The View but it's your own twist. It is so well done. You young ladies are well-spoken, informed and just lovely. If you have other videos, I will watch. Great job.
I really appreciate the conversations y’all start and the advice y’all give with this channel. You all have helped give me a sense of community and I am so grateful. Love and light to each of you in this coming year ♥️
Aw I love how relatable this video is! I feel the same way as Nikki that I have leather shoes from before I was vegan and I haven't gotten rid of them, I'll never buy another pair however. Some days I feel uncomfortable with them and some days in okey with not wasting them. I don't buy makeup or products tested on animals, but I'm in high school and my parents buy soap and laundry detergent and hair products and such that are tested on animals so I use them. Even though neither of my parents are vegan they are super supportive (I'm really hoping it will click for them soon ☺️), like I tell my mom about affordable brands tgat don't rest on animals. Sometimes she will buy them and tell me and I love how excited she is to show me. Obviously since I'm vegan I don't eat animal products, but you guys are so right that it's impossible to be perfect. I really needed this vid today because my family goes to our grandparent's house for Christmas and they are not nearly vegan and have absolutely no interest in becoming cruelty free. My grandma is supportive so she always has a veggie tray and today she made a plain baked sweet potato just for me, but I can tell she makes mistakes. For dessert there was chocolate covered strawberries that she said that I could eat, and after eating some I honestly think they had milk. I felt terrible gross and guilty for a while before I realized that is not my fault at all, my family tried to accommodate and I didn't know. I'm fine with supporting my family in their efforts and trying to make veganism look attainable and fun. As far as medicine goes I don't have to take any daily meds, but if I get something from my doctor (like this week I'm having a minor surgery and I have a pill to take beforehand) I will take it. With supplements, I try to make sure they are vegan, but it's sometimes hard to tell and my parents are not supportive of this at all. I take a b12 supplement and a Vitamin D in the winter because in NC it is not very sunny. Well that was a super long comment lol, can you tell I do t have any real life vegan friends... 🙁 I always love you ladies' she videos and I think this one was the best yet! Merry Christmas
I bought a cheap used car that happened to have leather seats and I've gotten shit for it. I didn't have much of a choice...it was the only good car I could find in my price range!
Jayne Duncan I just bought one too for the same reason. I wish I had a disposable income to coincide with my values!
I'm sorry....
People giving you a hard time are just trying to take away from all the good you are doing in other areas of your life! We support you and understand totally!! You have to have transportation just like some people have to have medication!
Furthermore it's a second hand product, which means it doesn't create more demand for this product and as vegans our goal is to lower the demand for non vegan products
I would have to add seat covers because leather is just sad. Unfortunately, the animals have already died. Putting the seats in a landfill just compounds the problem. It sounds odd, but I would do kind of what Marie Kondo does when she donates or has to trash an object... I would honor the animal by saying a little prayer or meditation each time I used the car. I would pray for animal suffering to end and the world to become vegan.
Thank you for sharing the fact about sugar, I feel like a lot of people don’t know about this! 👌
yeah!! I had no idea! I'm disgusted
i did not. fml. :P oh well, were all just doing our best
A good rule of thumb is when buying sugar, organic sugar is always vegan.
Nadine C yesss, that is what I always say 👌
I love it when Nicole says “good is not the enemy of great.” The all-or-nothing attitude can be extremely demotivating. I just want to do the best I can, as often as I can, for as long as I can. And that might vary by time and place, and that’s okay as long as your heart and mind are in the right place. In my opinion lol.
I think the palm oil thing is fine if you want to avoid it. I personally don’t and I’m a vegan. I think vegans will just pick and choose what the hot button issue is at the time. I went vegan in 2012 and back then there was this huge debate about how vegans shouldn’t eat quinoa. But really, if we look at just about everything we consume, someone or something is being exploited. Most vegans still buy things produced from sweat shops. Most vegans buy produce that is pollinated by bees that are forcibly put in those fields. Most of us drink tap water filtered through bone char. Most of us eat cheap produce that is cheap because people are exploited to make it cheap. And back to the whole palm oil thing. The entire plant produces things like coconut sugar, coconut oil, coconut, coconut water, coconut bowls, hearts of palm, palm oil, etc. Why are we only boycotting palm oil and not everything that comes from that plant? It seems like someone brought up palm oil and everyone just jumped aboard that train.
Before I went vegan I had leather boots, wool sweaters and coats made with feathers. Once I went vegan I donated everything that was made with animal skin/fur. I also gave away makeup that wasn't cruelty free. I try not to be wasteful so if there's anything I can donate or give away then I go for that route.
kaykaysmakeupbag that’s how I did it! I feel like creating less waste is just as important
Lose Your Veganity exactly!!
I'm glad you brought up this topic. I think so many people feel like it's all or nothing.
very encouraging video
Lele K that’s awesome!!
I'm as Vegan as I feel. Straight up.
The Rican Vegan love that!
Hi ladies! I just wanted to say thank you. I've only been vegan for going on 4 months now, and I really loved this video
Laura The Transforming Vegan congratulations on 4 months!!
awesome video!! yes, I sometimes struggle with that thought "am I vegan enough?"... and I don't think it's healthy to think that way. I've been vegan for about 2.5 years now, and I always try my best to find the vegan option at restaurants, etc. but I don't make myself crazy with the small, little animal ingredients found in random products like bread, salad dressing, etc. I think it's better to focus on the bigger picture (take away the meat, dairy, eggs) instead of worrying about small ingredients in otherwise vegan foods. I think going vegan is a journey, and just try your best everyday to learn more and do more. It's definitely about just doing your best. :)
Mariah Kay yes! Doing your best always beats doing nothing!
I am going crazy over every ingredient in foods, but this is because I am highly intolerant to everything dairy and even a really small quantity makes me feel really sick.
But I agree with you: do the best you can in every situation and focus on your personal journey!
May the vegans take over the world!
Mariah Kay I am the same. I am 99.9% vegan but if, say, I go to a family gathering and the refried beans have less than 2% of lard in them I will still eat them. Not because I just can’t live without the taste of lard 😂 but because I want veganism to look accessible. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for yet another great episode with so much thoughtful commentary! The one thing that I try to gently remind my friends when they say well I don’t eat meat anymore is that it’s actually much kinder to eat meat because then at least the baby only suffers till about six months old. When you’re eating milk and eggs you are perpetuating torture of animals up to several years old. It’s grotesque to say that one is “kinder “because you’re killing it as a baby but the truth is… This is the world we are living in.
All that said, again, all four of you are such incredible humans and it’s fabulous to finally have almost met for humans who think and speak so much like me about trying to live the kindest life possible people animals planet💖
The golden rule is the best strategy.. In each situation I put myself in their shoes and determine how I would want to be treated in those circumstances. It works most every time. Great video... love your opinions gals!
Oh and also... people are a mirror to us... it's a hard pill to swallow for most but it's a real gift if one is open to it. For instance, if you feel really judged by someone likely you are the most judgmental in the mix. ❤❤
I'll be using the leather handbag that I got 6 years ago, before I was vegan, until its own out. I feel like it would be disrespectful to the animal to just throw it away. I also still have my grandmother's mink stole from the 1950s because it has sentimental value to me. If people want to tell me I'm not vegan enough, I'll tell the to find a new hobby that doesn't involve judging others.
The zero waste movement has similar issues. It is virtually impossible to create zero waste, but we try as hard as we can, I feel the same way about being vegan, great video girls😄
Great video! I’ve enjoyed them all but this is one of the best!
it's because it's 25min long.. we love a good *long* video!!!
I love that you talk about conscious consumerism so much! That's one of the major messages that I think has reached my family through my veganism. They are starting to hear how we have power in our dollar, and I think it's such a strong message that we can share because "living our values" is something that everyone can do, and it's a great first step in living a more conscious life.
When I go somewhere to eat, I know I'll have to say that I'm vegan if we don't end up at some vegan restaurant, and in both cases I feel kind of ashamed of wearing my leather shoes and my wool sweaters that I have from many years ago. I still use them because their in good condition, how can I get rid of something that still works ?
I'm reliefed to hear other vegans struggle with this kind of dilema too. Thank you 💕
dani I had thyroid cancer and don't have half my thyroid and have to take meds everyday as well..I'm not vegan but eat a lot plant based but still trying to giving up chicken.. I gave up all other meat.. I noticed eating more plant based helped me with my energy
alena matirniy I have been on thyroid meds for almost 10 years and I feel eating vegan has really helped my energy levels too
Nadine C that's great to hear.. I have been on meds not for that long but I see big difference.. right before my surgery I quit dairy products because my youngest son is allergic to dairy and I was breastfeeding him and slowly noticed a huge weight loss but still was not feeling well found out I had thyroid cancer and after surgery still was not feeling well so quit meat for breakfast and lunch and little meat for dinner and started feeling better during the day that's when started some plant based for dinner but only meat I'm having trouble giving up is chicken but I'll get there.. that and eggs.. I have my own bakery in California and started vegan and organic baking and feels great eating clean ingredients...
alena matirniy You have such a positive attitude! 🌿
thank you.. it's the only way to live
One good thing I learned from this episode is that white sugar is not NOT vegan. I had someone throw this in my face last week (white sugar being not vegan) and I had nothing to back up why some people still eat white sugar except for my personal opinion.
I'm so glad that you did this video! And I really like your view on the matter!
I wanted to do something similar on my channel, but you expressed everything so much better that I could! Keep it going, guys! You're awesome!
I love this video. I think that inclusion is such an important part of a movement, and having such an accepting and compassionate view of those of us who are trying is lovely. People have all manner of challenges: financial, psychological, geographical, cultural, etc. Rather than blaming people for struggling to overcome all of these barriers at once, I applaud you all for acknowledging that lifestyle change is a process and that every effort counts. Thank you.
I just found this channel and subscribed immediately; I love you guys already. I've been vegan for over two years now and have had trouble not feeling "vegan enough" despite living in the south where vegan friends are few and far between. Some vegans on the internet have made it seem like there is a hierarchy of veganism when I know everyone is just doing the best they can. I'm a ballet dancer and the majority of the shoes we are required to wear are made with some form of leather or suede soles. There's no good way to get around it and as of now there is a hand full pointe shoe company that make vegan shoes but many teachers don't like them on me for other unrelated reasons and they don't work for my feet in particular. I feel sooo guilty every time I buy my shoes and hope new products become available in the coming years. I know it sounds silly but I say a little prayer for the cow that had to die to for my shoes. Very hopeful for new vegan shoes in the future. Thank you for shedding light on this topic, it's great to have a community of like-minded vegan women to look up to.
Anecdotal, but I know I'm not alone. I started out by reducing pork, then cutting out pork, then reducing red meat altogether, then cutting out red meat, eventually cutting out meat in general, to (today) reducing my dairy and egg intake, although I'm sure at some point soon those will be completely gone in my diet as well. Some of us can't do this overnight, myself included. What I'm saying is to have patience with someone who isn't doing every single thing that they can in this moment. If I would have tried to have been perfect overnight, there's no way I would have stuck with it for the 10 years that I have. Remember that every step in the right direction is a step in the RIGHT direction. :)
My veganism is a JOURNEY. I work on one aspect at a time. I haven't gotten to palm oil myself. Granted I am killing the not harming animals and zero waste aspect.
We shouldn't give up just because we can't be 100% at something. We can still aim to be 60-70% or a little more as long as our circumstances allow it. All this definitely beats being 0%!
I had a pair of red suede shoes I absolutely loved that I bought over 8 years ago at a time when I was so naive that didn't know what suede was. I was conscious about not getting real leather then but I didn't know real leather had all these different textures. I only knew of the shiny one with skin cell patterns on it. Suede shoes felt "velvety" to me so I thought it was just some artificial fabric. I only could wear them 4-5 times when I found out the truth. 8 years passed with me keeping them unused until I discovered a non-profit organisation that sells cleanly used/donated items and uses these proceedings to take care of more than 200 stray dogs that they rescued off the streets. This is my way of keeping my mental health intact about it. I'd never throw them away but I also can't bring myself to wear such clothing items.
In my country vegans are very harsh on other vegans who eat cross contaminated food. Burger King has only one plant based burger here and according to our vegan community, you are not vegan if you eat it even if you remove cheese and mayo because the plant based burger is cooked on the same grill as animal based burgers. In my personal humble opinion it's important to send a message to such big companies, "Hey Burger King look here, you have these 3-4 dozens of animal based burgers and I am choosing the ONE plant option you give me." (though I won't buy it again simply cause I thought the taste felt too similar to what I remember of animal meat and it made me feel uneasy and kinda disgusted). I fully believe in increasing statistics so that these companies will know that there is high demand for plant based options and this might make them reduce animal consumption while increasing their plant options and even adding a totally separate grill for plant based burgers. I recently had a baked potato, it's traditional to mix the potato base with tons of butter and cheese, people can't even imagine having this without them. I obviously asked without these two but when they mixed my baked potato, they used the same knife that was used to mix another baked potato with butter and cheese. There was clear cross contamination but I let it go. I'd never judge those who eat stuff that are cross contaminated cause they are still doing something very important by sending a message to restaurants and big chains that they picked the plant based option over the animal one.
amazing conversation. i love how you share your opinions and i feel like i’m on the same page as you. it’s so nice to see how conscious your choices are and that you do have the best intentions ... you’re great vegan role models 🧡⭐️
Olfonia thank you so much!!
I just turned Vegan a month ago,and I'm learning more and more everyday.i will not have any one judge me or tell me you can't be Vegan cause I still have my bags.Every lil bit helps what's done is done.
Thank you for having a real discussion. These are all things I've thought in my head but since I don't know any vegans in my personal life its hard to talk about it. You guys are on point!
I love this conversation!
Today I was offered a cuppa and sweet after church and I declined. The lady thought I was "one of those good people with heaps of self control that don't eat sweet things".
I simply said "I don't eat animal products" & she said "ah - you're a vegan" to which I replied "I don't like to call myself vegan - it can sometimes elicit the image of an extremist. I am just doing what God has asked me to do in our relationship and I don't want anyone around me to feel condemned because of it".
I am Christian which already makes people weird about me sometimes and if I say I'm vegan then I add a whole new level of stigma and expectation of my choices, actions and attitudes.
It's easier to take the approach i did today and not label myself into a box.
None of us are perfect so we have a saying in my home
"We are all just doing the best with what we have , what we know and what we are able to do"
Your open and balanced discussion about being vegan in our changing world was great. It seems like being pioneers in any area of life needs a lot of patience and work, and you guys are certainly doing that. One of my issues, not quite as serious as having to take non-vegan medication to stay alive, has been in supporting vegan food companies. I have felt it was so important to support these companies, but at the same I started getting fatter because a lot of these things are luxury food. So I had to be balanced about that, and now I use that kind of food for special occasions. Love how you talked about zero-waste and how to be a fun vegan when going out. Happy Basically Vegan New Year to you all!
What I think is vegan enough for myself is the fact that I secondhand my clothes (for fun and also financially). I have always been into thrifting even when I wasn't vegan, to the point that I worked at a thrift store for 2 1/2 years. 95% of everything I own comes from a thrift store or a secondhand shop online. I am SO into fashion, and am SUCH a name brand queen that I couldn't possibly not secondhand something that just because it's leather or has fur/silk in it. I am not personally supporting the company, and I don't have a problem telling someone that I thrifted the leather item, etc., if asked. I'm actually proud of thrifting...and secondhand shops here in LA are amazing!
Doing this literally allows me to continue to be myself....I was a first time vegan for 1 whole year, 1 1/2 years ago, and quit because people were making me feel guilty because I wasn't 100% perfect, but I don't feel that way now. I'm doing the best I can with the resources that I have. Veganism is a process. There isn't a one-size fits all mold to veganism.
Everything counts! We have to build up each other, and encourage even the smallest steps towards veganism 🌱
"Do the best you can" is a good starting point, imo. None of us are perfect, and obviously we can't expect perfection ... I started "vegan" for health reasons, and wasn't actually vegan at all, at that point, just whole food plant based. But as Mic. the Vegan puts it, once the "meat goggles" come off and you start seeing things without that filter, the cruelty becomes easier to see, and harder to NOT see. So we evolve. That said ... honey, palm oil, etc., really AREN'T vegan, so in the larger context I believe it's best to keep that in mind. The problem I have with someone like Unnatural Vegan, who you mention, is that she goes overboard in trying to justify and excuse eating or wearing animals - rather than just tolerating such behaviors as imperfections along a path, she seeks ways to justify them outright, with a series of "what if ..." hypothetical situations. It's more simple than she often presents it as being. (Not to mention some of her whacky disparagements of the health benefits from eating a vegan diet of whole foods. I get a little wary when I hear her quoted, as I think she's a pretty shaky source in a number of ways.)
T's Picks yeah I'm really tired of people like Unnatural Viper who seems to be on a mission to create flexitarians. There are others like her calling themselves vegan on TH-cam or elsewhere and I really wish theyd be honest that they're Plant Based Pat or whatever the hell because yes they are plant based and I guess it's good that they get people to eat less meat but they aren't vegans and they set the bar so low that its infantilizing lazy Western assholes into thinking they're doing something more ethical or effective than they actually are. It also robs people of the beauty of understanding what vegan actually means I.e. losing the "meat goggles." Its an awakening. It should not be corrupted into a diet plan.
Chrisri Nash - Yeah. UV frequently talks about ways in which it's ok in her book to eat meat, dairy, or eggs, etc (roadkill, "backyard", "freegan" and so on)., and has even said she had no problem with elephants being kept for circuses (in some imaginary ideal circumstance). It's like an exercise in sophistry - "Hmm, let's see, what justifications I can come up with for unethical practices?" When it's really much more simple than she describes, as are the nutritional aspects of being vegan. Her shtick is to then call out more grounded vegans for being "wrong" on the particular topic, to generate views from people who like seeing meat justifications from a "vegan". I can't watch her at this point, she's either delusional or dishonest, and smug and annoying to boot (part of the shtick, I guess). It's simple - don't harm animals, just do the best you can toward that end. No need to do intellectual backflips to posit excuses for fudging.
Omg i really needed this video. I want to applaud you ladies for making a channel about not being vegan enough. I know in my personal life that is something that I struggle with and I felt like many vegans were not addressing this issue. I'm so happy about you making this video. Thank You AND YES I'M SUBSCRIBING.
Please have Vegan Psychologist Clare Mann on sometime!
The word “Vystopia” that she created is a great way to describe how many vegans feel :)
Some Vegans piss me off due to the fact that I take thyroid meds and I take the kind that comes from animals it works better then the synthetic one for me and I have two Vegan friends that give me such crap about it.
Jeans & Tees Gal They don't sound like very good friends.
Jeans & Tees Gal that’s so rude they’re giving you a hard time about something that is out of your control!!! Just know we all love and support you taking care of your health! You can’t help anyone unless you are properly taking care of yourself 💚
Rethink your friends...Just saying! :/
That's horrible. I'm guessing that you already feel sad that you have to take this medicine. You don't need others adding guilt.
Honestly it can be overwhelming
I appreciate this a lot because this makes me want to keep trying and doing more.. very positive message and supportive! Thank you!
I guess it's more a personal issue if you feel bothered by people who claim to be vegan or eat vegan when they're not, even by definition. I've seen videos of people who claim to be vegan, but eat dairy on the weekends/once a month as a treat, and they have no intention of stopping. They would literally be vegetarian, so would I be rude in mentioning that intentionally eating dairy, even if it's once a week, means that they're vegetarian and not vegan like they claim?
For instance, I had a co-worker tell me that he was vegetarian for a year and a half, so when we had a potluck I was super excited for his vegetarian dish. It had fish sauce in it. He had no idea fish wasn't vegetarian. I let him know he has been pescetarian all that time, not vegetarian.
ScarletFBL its not rude to treat people like adults and hold them to standards intelligent adults should be held to. Nor is it rude to explain vegan is about a particular regard for all sentient beings while a plant based diet is what people do for health, vanity or "part time" for environmental reasons. The problem is that flexitarianism isn't even good enough for environmental reasons and telling people it is, is simply dishonest and dangerous to the future of the planet. People need to know exactly how bad things are. I don't mind being rude though. I admire Ingrid Newkirk. I like people with vision and integrity and I know shock and constant reinforcement does in fact work. PETA actually lead this revolution. When people badmouth PETA they usually dont realize what amazing things they accomplish. Their legal team is literally the best in the United States they won an award last year.
Thanks for this video! Didn't know about palm oil, and I've always questioned myself on what's vegan enough when it comes to sugar and in social settings when it comes to beer and wine!
I appreciate your honesty about medication! I feel like the vegan world and health food world in general tends to shame people with chronic illnesses who rely on medications that are necessary for health.
Thank you for this video! I've been struggling with this for a while now and it's hard to let go and accept that I can't be perfect.
Absolutely love this topic and I feel like you guys totally hit the nail on the head and covered all the different aspects of this argument! ❤️
If you want a great resource for makeup and guide on who tests, who doesn't, who is owned by parent companies and who are 100% vegan, check out logicalharmony.net as Tashina has a full list of basically every makeup brand and she regularly updates it. Makes purchasing much easier. Great video
Love ur videos!One of my favorite TH-cam channels!
What about sustainably sourced palm oil?
Such good points about having compassion for yourself and others! Thank you!
I really enjoyed watching your video! I don' t have vegan girlfriends and since I have this kind of dilemas, it was like if I was there with you. Thank you!
Teresa Canals that makes me so happy! That’s exactly what we hope to bring. We are definitely here for you! 💗
Hannah Hagler Thank you very much! :))
You took the words right out of my mouth! Well said
glad you can relate!
Thank you so much for mentioning that living where you do is a privilege. Rural America, where poverty is high, have significant food deserts where food options are scarce. Someone can choose to not buy meat, dairy, or eggs. But take those items out of the only store available within 30 miles and the consumer is left with processed foods. Great topic ladies!
You all are amazing! 😘💕🌱
Team Broccoli 🥦 💚💚💚💚💚
My 5 year old daughter had the shoe dilemma yesterday. The grandparents bought her a pair of bear paw boots for Christmas. She was upset, but didn't want to throw them out.
Great video! Frustrations of trying to be a perfect vegan are sometimes really hard! I think even if you were most perfect, some people would still pick. I do hope though people will continue to talk about what they find out. I like to learn things I don’t know. So no one should ever take offense if someone mentions something others might not know. Some people might mean it mean spirited, but others are just trying to inform people of what they know.
This is sooo adorable!! You all look flawless! What foundations are you all using?!
I too dont have a thyroid, I hate that there is lactose in my medication and I have no idea what to do. Thank you for sharing that you share my struggle!
I love love loved the comment about how things produced with animal byproducts are made that way because animal agriculture is so huge that it allows those byproducts to be cheap and available. I personally don't worry about medicine, or even usually sugar or wine or things like that because it is so marginal, and by not consuming animal products overall for the rest of my life, I'm doing what I can do make those production systems obsolete. If there are two options side by side, and one is "more vegan" I'll of course opt for that one.
Hey I was interrogated recently by my grandmas friend about veganism and she was like “yeah but when you get older you’ll see that mindset isn’t realistic, like if your house were infested with poisonous spiders and you needed to protect the lives of your children (you either kill the spiders and call pest control, or your children could die from their venom)” like WHAT I hate it I hate when they ask questions like that
You all have such beautiful hair. I'd love to see a haircare/routine video.
This is my favourite episode so far. Loved it.
Yours is the first TH-cam video I watch on Monday's! 👍🏾
Andrea Hall hahaha omg that’s the best compliment!! So honored! 💚
I recently discovered that birth control pills are not vegan which was a huge surprise..
The Vegan Cafe yes! Not technically vegan but for people with certain conditions (like endometriosis) or who cannot use other forms of birth control, they are a necessity!
Thanks Dani for mentioning thyroid meds.
I am very low income and with a major health concern. While my health care team tries to fit my treatments to fit with my values (try not to be jealous) sometimes it just doesn't work. I appreciate they try and commiserate with them when they can't. And I take the treatment.
Now to the low income, and being plus sized, and unable to drive: Other people shop for me, and when I use a website and they say a product is vegan, if I can't see ingredients how can I choose? I try to make my own household cleaners and such, but if I don't have the energy or money, I have a choice. My shoes (leather pre vegan) are now really wearing out, but I have very wide feet that most vegan shoe makers haven't considered. So when my parent got tired of me lamenting this fact they offered to buy me new leather shoes and pay for them. Ugh. If I allow that transfer, am I vegan enough? Hah! Yes I am, I am doing the best to eat, breathe and exist in a world where all animals everywhere are free to live as they want, but if I can't afford or have access to the products I want, too bad if you think it is not vegan enough. Have compassion with me as you know my intention is true.
I just had a situation like this. I went away for the holidays, and I was extremely nauseous before getting on my 4 hour flight. I was vomiting, and really uncomfortable. I wanted to buy some dramamine for the flight to avoid being miserable on the plane. I found out that in the normal formula, there is lactose, and in the "natural" formula there is gelatin. I obviously couldn't have taken the lactose based version because it would probably have made me more sick, but I really struggled with decision to consciously buy an animal based medication or to just be miserable the whole flight. The packaging even said that it was a veggie capsule, but the ingredients had gelatin in them. It was really heartbreaking and angering to know that if I wanted to feel better, I would have to sacrifice some of my core beliefs...for some anti-nausea medicine. It is such a silly thing to have to kvetch over. (I ended up caving and buying the gelatin one because I just kept getting more and more sick, and I really didn't know if I could make it through the flight without some relief).
So I started my journey of going vegan about 3 months ago and it's been a tough process trying to cut out all animal products out of my diet because it is so embedded in culture, but what I did not anticipate is the amount of vegans who are pressuring me that I'm not vegan enough. It is highly off-putting and I'm even considering not trying anymore. I'm pressured enough by meat-eaters and don't need the added pressure by other vegans saying I'm not doing enough. I thought this was supposed to be a process and I feel too many vegans are trying to make me feel guilty because I can't go fully vegan right away and because the main reason why I started to go vegan was my health. Does the reason really matter? Isn't minimizing the cruelty of animals the main goal? Why does it matter why I mainly choose to go vegan? Why do so many vegans have to be so critical of other people who are trying to go vegan? It seems like the opposite of what they should be doing if they're trying to convert people to veganism.
Also if you like cruelty free, vegan,chemical free makeup check out brands like 100% pure,fit glow beauty and lily lolo! Also use the site petite vour they have vegan chemical free makeup,skin care,hair care,purses and more!
I think judgement is a big problem in our society. Some of the worst people I’ve ever met were Vegan. Lol I’m vegan by the way! I’m not saying all vegans are terrible. All I’m saying is that there are some vegans out there that use their veganism as a means to justify their cruel behavior in every other aspect of their lives. I agree with you guys. The point is is that we are also part of this ecosystem as well. We are all trying our best to work together instead of work against it. Even animals sometimes work themselves out of the ecosystem without our help( referring to natural extinction) As humans, we stand a better chance of getting to a better place by non-judgement. Compassion for your fellow neighbor as well as compassion for animals and the planet. It’s all a process and it will get better. All of it will be in vein if we aren’t kind to each other.
this discussion is sooooo relatable!!!
I love this!! I’m sooo glad I found this channel! New fav ❤️❤️
Asia White yay! Thank you and welcome! 💗
I’ve started to feel too guilty to hold onto my leather products. Originally I held onto them because they were pre vegan purchases but now I’m starting to sell/consign those items. I have leather seats in my car that I’m still paying off so I won’t be trading that in for a long time. Thank you for talking about this subject I think it’s something all vegans deal with so often.
I love this. I agree with the girl in the middle on the right. I take medication with gelatin. That specific pill I do want off but that's due to side effects. I have no doubt that I will encounter more medicine that's not vegan, and that's okay because like that girl's thyroid, some of us have to do things that are not vegan like take non vegan meds. I have leather shoes that I bought a year ago, before I wanted to be vegan, and I will probably wear them as much as I can because I don't have money to buy new shoes plus summer is almost over. I will just try next time to make smarter decisions. I am a new vegan and I am definitely not ever going to be perfect.
Someone just told me “if you’re vegan why do you eat fake meat products” does this defeat the whole point of being vegan since I’m chasing the taste of meat?
Wow I just discovered your TH-cam channel and I love it! I have just recently went vegan and I’m learning more and more everyday :)
I love this channel.
You ladies are amazing. Thank you for this .
What I've been struggling with recently are my manicures and pedicures. I go and get my nails done twice a month for self-care/ relaxation purposes and for upkeep for my job. However, I live in Columbus, OH so vegan nail salons are either non-existent or crazy expensive. I have looked into buying vegan polish but its really expensive and I don't really have to skills or time to try and do them myself, but part of me feels guilty because I know these companies test on animals :( Im not quite sure if this is one of those things that fall under the being "vegan enough" category.
Rebecca Buoni try Pacifica :) I love their polishes and they’re not super expensive!
Ahhh this was refreshing to hear lol, I related to all you guys in this one!
Just found this channel.... I really appreciate this! 🖤
I only buy cruelty free makeup. Thats the reason i went vegan (well vegetarian at that point until later). One night i went to two different stores just to find a conditioner not tested on animals. I looked down at it in my hand after i bought it thinking, "I went to all this trouble. Why am i still EATING animals?" But I've questioned if cruelty free makeup is enough. Do I HAVE to only buy vegan makeup? Sometimes its more expensive than the just cruelty free options or harder to get ahold of.
I'm maybe 90% vegan, I do the best I can but I have no interest in being 100% vegan since I use some cosmetics that aren't vegan and I really like those
What a great topic!.. It's a reality that other vegans criticize when you use or wear non-vegan products.. The truth is that all the shoes, bags, clothes, makeup that I had before going vegan (5 years now), i didn't throw out. I used it until I couldn't anymore.. I feel it's wasteful to just get rid of it because they're not vegan... Veganism is about compassion to all living beings, love for one another and eating healthy foods! Veganism is not a race.. each one of us have a different journey and we will meet at the finish line!.. Veganism is the future!
Yesssss omg all the time!!! I hate when people say things like “oh sure don’t you step on insects everyday”! Also recently had travel vaccinations as travelled to India and the Phillipines for work. Found it really difficult to make peace with that. Oh and had to give my cat medication recently as he had an infection 😔. Another thing I struggle with is feeding my cats cat food. I don’t think it’s right to feed them vegan food as their physiology is carnivorous but it does make me feel guilty.
This was such a good video! Do you guys think you could invite other vegan guests on the show? I would love to see Unnatural vegan just because her view on things are different than most. Thanks again!
Sachin Motiram we would love to have more vegan guests! We ask many people to be on but some either can’t or haven’t heard of our channel yet. If you have someone you’d like for us to interview, I’d suggest dropping a comment on their channel to encourage them to join us :) hope that helps! 💚
And I LOVE unnatural vegan too!
Sachin Motiram I think Unnatural Vegan lives on the southern east coast-they are broadcasting this video from L.A. I think...
Colleen Patrick Goudreau or Jason Wrobel would be awesome to have on the show!!
I can see you girls are fans of Unnatural Vegan. It's great, she makes it look so logical and presents both sides of the argument. For me it just shows that veganism has no flaws that we're afraid to address.
About drawing the line, I think that the definition of veganism is very good (minimizing exploitation and cruelty to animals as far as is possible and practicable). The key words are "possible and practicable", these are different for every person. That's why we should fight to make veganism more achievable, available, logical, fun and just.. normal. Also we should remember that every step in the right direction is a good step. We shouldn't divide people and tell them that they're not vegan enough. A few celebrities were told just that and they stopped promoting it altogether. How does that help the animals? They don't care about our labels or creating this culty mindset. People who are vegetarian or pescatarian can also promote veganism - by telling their friends about their journey, getting them involved, and maybe some day one of them will stumble upon an information that will turn them vegan. Who knows?
The point is - we should be as inclusive as possible on every occasion, there are lives at stake and we should remember that.