Hello, and welcome to Eight Years In. I’m your host, Rebekah. And I’ve been vegan for nine years now. But I don’t love animals. And that’s what I want to talk about with you today. 

   You might be thinking, “how could this be? All vegans are animal lovers, aren’t they?” And no, they’re not. I think that’s a common misconception about vegans in general. That they (and vegetarians) are a subset of animal lovers. Like, there are animal lovers, and then some of them go vegetarian. And then out of those vegetarians, some of them are vegan. And while it’s true that all vegans also fall under the vegetarian label, we’re not all animal lovers. 

Veganism

   There are three primary benefits of being vegan. Not participating in animal use, abuse and killing is one of them, and if we’re talking about the strictest definition of veganism, it’s definitely the main one. 

   However, you’ll find other vegans who are vegan for the health benefits or the environmental aspect. And perhaps one day we will look at these more in depth at both another day, but if you’re curious about the environmental impact of going vegan, check out this infographic here that explains it pretty well.

   All this to say, you may find some vegans who went vegan for non-animal related reasons. They’re not quite as common, but they certainly do exist. 

What about me?

   Now, all that sounds good and everything, but if it was that cut and dry, this could have been no more than a simple post on social media, so what gives?

   Well, you got me. The fact is, that I went vegan for the animals. And I still am vegan for the animals, primarily. I do care very much about my carbon footprint and my water footprint (if you’re looking to decrease your water footprint, read this post), but the reason I have gone vegan and stayed that way for all these years is the animals. And yet, I don’t love them. 

Love and behavior change

   You may find it odd that someone would go about changing their life in such a major way for individuals they don’t love. Especially if you knew me when I was younger. After all, I was always the one who loved meat more than any of my siblings, cousins and friends. And it’s true, I did really love the taste of meat, and cheese, and eggs too. I ate them whenever I had the chance, which wasn’t very often in our family, because they were more expensive. But when I went to school and ate lunch there or over at a friend’s house, you can bet I was eating as nonvegan as possible. 

   I loved the taste of pork chops and ribs and fried chicken and Mac and cheese and all of those things that people think that they can’t give up. And yet, I gave them up. 

   But the truth is, you don’t have to love someone to change your behavior. No, in fact you don’t even have to like someone to change. The fact is, that when it comes to personal change, the discussion is between you and you. 

The animals

   I was introduced to veganism primarily as a diet at first. I saw a video online about thin, pretty women and wanted to be one. But that didn’t get me to change my mind. I was curious though, because they used a word that I had never heard before in my life: vegan. 

   And so, I started doing some research. What I found was videos explaining the process of animal agriculture, and how bad it is for the environment and for the animals we subject to it. I found slaughterhouse footage, and footage of a regular day on different factory farms. I found explanations for why it isn’t necessary to eat animals or their products. And I began to feel very uncomfortable. 

   When I saw what factory farming is and does and finally made the connection that there is no such thing as humanely slaughtering someone who doesn’t want to die, I was disgusted with my own actions and participation in this industry. The fact is, that steak I was salivating for had been a cow, forced to live in conditions that were not okay, and ultimately, didn’t want to die just so that I could have the pleasure and prestige of devouring their body. The cheese came from milk that should have been reserved for a baby calf, but instead was pumped from their teats as the calf was taken away. And those eggs, while produced freely perhaps, came from chickens that weren’t allowed to roam freely as they pleased, in unsanitary conditions. And the purchase of them went to an industry that grinds up the male chicks alive, because they won’t produce more eggs. 

   There was no two ways about it, this was wrong. And I couldn’t participate in it anymore. 

What is love?

   For me, love requires a sort of preference. At least, as we mean it colloquially. Like, if I say I love you, then you’re one of my favorite people in the world. Even more so than my friends! At the very least, there is a casual kind of love where I think you’re pretty cool and I like you a lot. 

   Well, I don’t feel that way about animals. They fine, and obviously I’m not immune to the cuteness of baby animals, whether they’re farm animals or pet animals or wild animals. I like cuteness, okay? But that’s not love. 

   I don’t love all people, either. And if you ask me if I love people on the whole, well, my answer will probably depend on the day but usually that’s a pretty strong word for me. 

   But I don’t need to love you to respect that you have thoughts and feelings and desires. I don’t have to love you to not want to kill you and serve you up at a barbecue. And I don’t have to love you to think that you deserve to breastfeed your babies instead of taking them from you and then hooking you up to a machine to take your milk too. 

   To me, none of these things are love so much as basic decency. 

The finer points

   It is true, that some people believe that animals don’t have a right to basic decency because they are not human, but I believe they do. Why? For the same reasons humans do! We’re individuals with thoughts, feelings, and desires. We’re capable of suffering and love and living an enjoyable life. So are they. 

   You might also point out that many of the nonvegans are not committing this violence, abuse and killing of the animals. This is also true, but I don’t see how that eradicates culpability. 

   If you know what sort of industry animal agriculture is and you’re still funding it by buying these “products”, then you are paying to have this supply continue. We’re so willing to acknowledge supply and demand in other areas, yet when it comes to animals, for some reason we turn a blind eye. Perhaps because we are uncomfortable with our intimate involvement, perhaps we feel powerless. 

  But either way, I realized that it was simply not rational or helpful to stick my head in the sand on this issue. It wouldn’t erase my part in it. And while I may not be able to stop all of these problems by myself, I can end my participation in it. Maybe that’s all I can do, but I can do it. 

The vegan who doesn’t love animals

   And that’s how I am an ethical vegan of nine years without loving animals. I want you to know that you don’t have to love animals to respect them as individuals. And you don’t have to love animals (or even like them) in order to go vegan. 

   Thank you for reading my thoughts. I hope they were thought-provoking for you. If you’re vegan or interested in more vegan content, consider subscribing to the blog. And as usual, have a fabulous day!