Common Vegan Stereotypes – this article will run you through all the stereotypes vegans are labeled as.
Now, there are so many stereotypes that surround vegans. People think that vegans are hippies, are nerds, and all that. But in reality, vegans are just a regular bunch of people, who tend to have sympathy, a warm heart, and an understanding of cruelty, and they are not selfish.
People have this image of vegans, that they have long hair, tattoos, and are skinny. Oh, and that they only eat grass…
Another stereotype is that it’s believed that vegans do yoga, and are spiritual and all that. Which is true to a certain degree, but non-vegans also do yoga, and are spiritual? It’s all depending on the type of person you are, not if you eat meat or not. Just because you are vegan, doesn’t mean you do yoga every day and have a Yin and yang tattoo. You are just a regular person, who doesn’t want to eat dead animals and torture animals for products such as eggs and milk.
“Vegans Don’t Stop Talking About Being Vegan”
…Is another stereotype… people seem to be put off by vegans because they think that the vegans will just preach their own beliefs and will try to convert every single person on their way, to become vegan.
Although that is true for some vegans, it isn’t true for others. You can’t just put all vegans under that label. Many people do, and it is annoying as hell.
The other issue is, when people are presented with the facts (even if you are not being preachy) non-vegans become defensive, and feel offended. Deep down, they understand exactly what happens in the slaughterhouses, but they just don’t want to admit it to you, or themselves.
“Vegans Only Eat Grass And Are Protein Deficient”
People who think that are either not educated much, or they just want to be nasty. I have eaten so much better since I became vegan than I ever did while eating animal products. As a vegan, you can eat burgers, ice cream, steaks, cheese, chocolate, desserts, and so much more. The vegan alternatives these days are amazing.
Being vegan also makes your palate more adventurous, and also you tend to become a good cook too. I learned so many new things since turning vegan, I never used to use these ingredients much; soy sauce, tofu, bok choi, liquid smoke, nutritional yeast and so much more.
The truth is, no, vegans aren’t deficient in protein AT ALL, and certainly do not eat grass.
How Vegan Stereotypes Affect Vegans:
Obviously not well…I mean, nobody likes to be labeled as something, and nobody likes to be treated differently than others.
The good news is, that veganism is rising, a lot more people are turning vegan every day. Also, the awareness of veganism is so much higher these days, compared to the 90s for example.
The younger generation, in particular, are very much aware of veganism, and a lot of the youngsters are turning vegan.
It seems like younger people have more compassion for animals! However, I have met/know older people who turned vegan, so I guess it very much depends on the person.
Check this guide to find out more misconceptions about veganism.
Summary:
Here are the Common Vegan Stereotypes I have personally encountered. There are probably more out there, but to be honest, I just choose to ignore them these days. Don’t feel attacked or offended if people are labeling you and putting you under some sort of a stereotype, just because you are vegan. The truth is, even if you are not vegan, the chances are, you may get labeled and people may perceive you in a certain way. Not much you can do. Humans will be humans, some humans are just nastier than others. Period!
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