32 Things You Don't Need to Be Vegan

Nov 02, 2020

"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd."
-James Crook

There are all sorts of lists on the internet of things you need to do certain things: things you need for your office space, things you need to buy from a certain store, things you need to try at a restaurant. Everyone's trying to give you "essential" information on unessential things. (I even made a similar list like this, "14 Vegan Staples to Always Keep in Your Kitchen," as if you couldn't be vegan without those 14 foods. Though I'll admit that, as a person with very little culinary prowess, this would be the kind of list I'd find helpful instead of useless, which is why I wrote it.)

And this is a prevalent misconception about veganism: that you need to buy certain products (which is technically true, to an extent), know certain information, like certain people, do certain things, and so on. But I'm here to simplify all this and quell some of the concerns you may have about being vegan.

1. You don't need to be perfect

When many non-vegans are confronted with veganism, one of the most common reactions is that vegans are asking too much of people. Though I can't agree with that, because I believe unapologetic compassion should be the most basic rule by which we all live, I understand, as do most vegans, that being vegan in a non-vegan world can be a challenge. Once you accept that you will make mistakes and that there are certain things in this world that don't fit nicely into the vegan bubble, then you will relieve yourself of some of that stress of trying to be a "perfect vegan."

2. You don't need to be an animal lover

There are plenty of vegans that weren't/aren't animal lovers, but that doesn't mean they hate animals or want to see them harmed. As an introvert, I don't consider myself a "people person," but I still care about human rights and believe that other humans deserve certain fundamental freedoms. And I try my best to not act or think in a way that harms or denigrates them; any prejudices I may have against other people don't give me the right to discriminate against them.

Animal rights is a social justice movement with an aim to gain basic rights to nonhuman animals by raising awareness of how they are treated by humans and why using them is unnecessary. Our own personal feelings about them are largely irrelevant. However, many non-vegans do consider themselves animal lovers despite the fact that they participate in some forms of animal exploitation, another barrier through which we are trying to break.

*Check out "QUIZ: Are You an Animal Lover?" and "Am I Really an Animal Lover?" to learn more.

3. You don't need to be a hipster

I discussed this idea of vegans being hipsters in "Standard Arguments Against Veganism, Pt. 8," so I won't delve too much into it here, but just remember that you are your own person. You don't need to conform to any behaviors that don't align with your personality. Remember that the actions of other people in a certain group don't dictate the way you must act, and they also shouldn't scare you away from joining that group. Regardless, veganism has nothing to do with ourselves; it's about the animals.

4. You don't need to be a hippie

The belief that vegans are modern-day hippies, preaching peace and love and flower power all the time, is not as prevalent now that veganism is becoming more mainstream. Like the point above, you will still be the same person as a vegan as you were when not vegan. You don't need to change everything about who you are to be vegan.

5. You don't need to use reusable bags

One of the more troubling stigmas associated with veganism, and plant-based eating in particular, is that it's all about shopping at Whole Foods and collecting cute reusable bags for your groceries. Way back in "How to Become an Introverted Vegan Activist, Pt. 2," I shared that I do most of my grocery shopping at Walmart because most products there are less expensive than at regular grocery stores (and certainly less expensive than high-end health food stores). Though I won't deny that reusable bags are better than disposable plastic or paper bags, that's not what being vegan is about.

*Check out "A Vegan Introvert's Guide to the Grocery Store" for tips on how to find plant-based food.

6. You don't need to be an environmentalist

Veganism is not inherently an environmental issue, and it is only because of human practices that these issues have become connected. Though environmentalism is a huge part of veganism to me personally because the environment is home to billions of wild creatures that are being threatened by humans, you don't need to be concerned with all things environmentalism as a vegan. For many people, environmentalism is not their calling. As long as you are aware of the issues of human-caused environmental degradation and are willing to take steps to eliminate it (like being vegan), you don't need to be an environmentalist.

*Check out "Starbucks & Panera: Why Environmentalism Isn't Enough" to learn more about the relationship between veganism and environmentalism.

7. You don't need to be a democrat (or be political at all)

It's unfortunate that we live in such a politicized world and that things like caring about animal rights -- a form of basic compassion -- is seen as a political statement. Though many vegans align more with progressives, as we seek to change the status quo, that doesn't always mean we all affiliate with any political party or that we even care about politics.

8. You don't need to be pro-choice

Some pro-life advocates will try to use vegans' more progressive nature against us by demanding to know our stance on abortion, assuming us to all be pro-choice. (An ironic question, seeing as most people balk at the thought of comparing nonhumans and humans, as if by doing so we are saying that the two are absolutely equivocal in every way. But when they get the opportunity to compare humans and nonhumans when they believe it to benefit their argument, they see no problem with it.) Wherever your beliefs fall on the spectrum, being pro-choice has nothing to do with animal rights, and this excuse is nothing but a deflection away from the issue.

9. You don't need to be an atheist

This idea stems from the belief that vegans are anti-religion secularists, but making this kind of grand assumption about a large group of people is simply buying into a stereotype. In A Prayer for Compassion, for instance, we learned that many people go vegan because of their faith and that the relationship between animal rights and religion predates modern veganism by hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

10. You don't need to be anti-capitalist

Some vegans reject the idea that capitalism is the best economic model for a modern, benevolent human society because it props up big businesses, like animal agriculture corporations, and protects them to a fault. However, regardless of where you stand on the issue, it's largely irrelevant when it comes to your daily choices and your thought processes (which is what veganism is really about).

*Check out "Standard Arguments Against Veganism, Pt. 7" and "Is Cross-Contamination Anti-Vegan?" for more information on this issue.

11. You don't need to be anti-vax or anti-medicine

Especially since we're in the middle of a pandemic right now, we must be open to the fact that there are some vaccines and medications we need to take to protect ourselves and others. Though most vaccines and medications include animal ingredients and are tested on animals, which does conflict with the ethics of veganism, the vast majority of us recognize that vaccines and certain medications are essential to be healthy and to protect public health.

12. You don't need to buy only organic, non-GMO, locally-grown foods

Though it's better for the environment (and therefore wild animals, and even humans) to buy products that are free of chemicals and are farmed in a more sustainable manner, it's not a core tenet of veganism that all the products you purchase be farmed sustainably or ethically. If you are able to buy organic, non-GMO, local foods then you should, but if you can't, then there's no need to worry about it; your vegan card won't be revoked.

13. You don't need to be healthy

There's no such thing as being vegan for health, no matter what some people will try to tell you. Veganism is a lifestyle that seeks to minimize any and all forms of animal exploitation, and our own personal health has nothing to do with that. While it's true that a balanced whole foods, plant-based diet is far healthier than an animal-based diet or a diet high in processed foods, that's not a vegan issue. Though we should all seek to minimize the harm we inflict on ourselves by choosing healthier dietary options, the primary focus of veganism is animal rights, not human rights.

14. You don't need to be oil-free

Oil is not a health food and should only be consumed in small quantities, but, again, veganism isn't about health. It's strange that oil is such a hot topic within the vegan community, but your consumption of oil is irrelevant to animal rights. (Are you sensing a pattern here?)

15. You don't need to try all the plant-based meat, dairy, egg, and honey products

This ties back to my prior point (#5) about Whole Foods and reusable bags: You do not need to buy all of these expensive plant-based products just because they're vegan. While these substitutes can be fun to try and may be good foods for transitioning, they're certainly not essential. And you also shouldn't feel like you are personally responsible for supporting the entire plant-based food industry.

16. You don't need to even like the plant-based food alternatives or encourage non-vegans to eat them just because they're vegan

It's perfectly fine to dislike plant-based alternatives and to focus on eating as healthfully as possible, and you shouldn't feel obligated to recommend those products to non-vegans if you aren't satisfied with them. However, this also doesn't mean you should look down on vegans who primarily eat alternatives or recommend them to non-vegans. Everybody eats and outreaches in different ways, and there is no one way to encourage others to make dietary changes.

17. You don't need to have all the fancy kitchen appliances

If you watch recipe videos online to get ideas for plant-based cooking, you may notice that the recipe creators have some of the most expensive culinary appliances on the market: air fryers, juicers, Vitamixes, etc. Really, as long as you have a knife and a pot, you can cook almost anything.

18. You don't need to follow any special diet

A lot of people find their way to plant-based eating while recovering from eating disorders, and putting more pressure on yourself to strictly follow certain diets within veganism is completely unnecessary. While you can be raw or HCLF (high-carb, low-fat) or even keto as a vegan, recognize that your diet doesn't control you, and if you ever feel like you're being too restrictive, then be open to tweaking things that aren't working. And remember that all dietary changes for whatever you feel you're struggling with -- from food addictions to heart disease -- can be fixed veganically; incorporating animal products back into your diet for personal reasons won't help long-term and doesn't align with what the science tells us about healthful eating practices.

*Check out How Not to Diet by Dr. Michael Greger to learn more about cultivating healthy eating habits!

19. You don't need to follow the latest food trends

Some people have smoothies, avocado toast, or thirty bananas every day. If that's something you enjoy, then go for it, but many vegans don't eat that way. Just because influencers are doing something online doesn't mean that it is a standard in the vegan community.

20. You don't need to be young

There's no wrong age to start doing the right thing. Whether you're five or 95, every time you choose to not participate in animal exploitation, you're making a difference. Also, as I mentioned in "Standard Arguments Against Veganism, Pt. 4," we all need to take accountability for our actions because we, especially older generations, are not the ones who will be suffering the consequences. Animal agriculture is the single greatest threat to the planet and all life, so we should all be acting in a way that reduces the probability of climate change catastrophes. And if the patriarchs and matriarchs of families begin making positive changes, think of the trickle-down effect that can have on their family; older generations could influence the younger generations to start caring, too.

21. You don't need to be wealthy

While it's true that many plant-based meat, dairy, and egg products are generally more expensive than some of their animal-based alternatives, that's because this is a burgeoning market with an increasing foothold in the marketplace. As more people regularly purchase these products, prices will become more affordable. It's also important to recognize that animal products are so affordable because animal agriculture businesses receive billions of dollars in subsidies each year to artificially lower their prices; the cost of production to raise animals for their entire lives, ranging from a few weeks to several years, is incredibly expensive.

However, many edible plants are far less expensive than even subsidized animal products -- rice, legumes, pasta, bread, seasonal fruits and vegetables, etc. Unfortunately, though, not everyone has access to foods like this, which leads me to the next point.

22. You don't need to be white

There's a common misconception that veganism is a byproduct of white privilege, and though there are many legitimate reasons for this myth to exist (check out "Institutional Racism & Its Impact on the Food System" to learn more), race should never be a factor in our choice to show compassion to others. This excuse is an attempt to justify people's participation in all forms of animal exploitation instead of acknowledging the realistic reasons why certain food products aren't attainable for some people. (Meaning, living in a food desert doesn't justify taking a family trip to the zoo. There are still other ways to incorporate vegan values into your life even if you, for whatever reason, can't exclusively eat plants.)

Additionally, this marginalizes non-white vegans and the work they do to make veganism and plant-based foods more accessible in non-white culture, as well as overlooks the fact that it was Europeans that normalized and globalized worldwide animal exploitation, particularly in the food system. Most civilizations in every other part of the world largely ate plant-based before the influence and spread of European norms.

23. You don't need to live and breathe veganism

Obviously, every vegan needs to live vegan or else they wouldn't be vegan, but that doesn't mean this one aspect of your identity must control your entire life. It's important to have a life outside of veganism -- hobbies, activities, friends -- so veganism isn't all you think and do every waking hour. Also, recognize that not everyone is as passionate about veganism as people like me, and that's ok too. If you care more about fighting for human rights issues, then you should do that, as long as you don't use that as an excuse to justify participating in animal exploitation.

24. You don't need to follow vegan influencers

Of course, there's the discussion of how many "vegan" influencers are actually vegan, but irrespective of that, you don't need to stay in the know with who everyone is and what everyone is doing online. While social media can be a great tool, motivator, and resource, vegan influencers and content creators don't need to make up all or any of your feed. (Or you can just give up social media altogether because it's toxic.)

*Check out "The Speciesism of Ex-Veganism," "5 Steps to Not Become an Ex-Vegan," and "Why Are There So Many Ex-Vegans?" to learn more about social media vegans.

25. You don't need to care about all of the world's issues

Personally, being vegan has really opened my eyes to other social justice issues, and I care more about making the world a better place for all beings than I ever have before, but you aren't required to speak out against other forms of discrimination and exploitation to be vegan. However, one caveat I'd like to add is that we should recognize that all life is connected, and when we accept discrimination against certain groups, that also opens the door to the exploitation of other groups, like nonhuman animals. While I believe that the future of veganism will expand far beyond just animal rights, vegans today can put all their focus on animal rights, if they are so inclined.

*Check out "The Five Factors of Veganism" to learn about how we can create a vegan world through five areas of concern.

26. You don't need to know about every form of animal cruelty

Look, there are a lot of things wrong with this world humans have created, and we've somehow figured ways to embed animal exploitation into nearly every facet of our lives. Because of that, it can be overwhelming to feel like you never truly know what sorts of products and practices are better or worse for animals. But if you can accept that you'll never know everything, then you'll make your life much easier, though that doesn't mean we should use this as an excuse to avoid learning about other areas of concern.

For now, the focus of veganism is predominantly on the food system and other major contributors to animal exploitation, and the hope is that once we eliminate or greatly weaken these industries, other minor forms of exploitation will die with them. (There won't be any need to use fetal bovine serum for scientific research or to put pig parts in car tires because those products were created as byproducts of the slaughter process. Once we stop slaughtering animals, other industries will evolve with the food system.)

27. You don't need to be an advocate against other forms of discrimination

As I said in #25, you don't need to be passionate about other issues in the world, and you also don't need to be an activist for them, either. You don't need to participate in BLM protests or march with Extinction Rebellion or crusade against fast fashion if those aren't issues about which you feel passionate. However, if you do care about other issues that aren't directly aligned with veganism or animal rights, you should also feel free to devote time to those things as well, as I mentioned in #23.

28. You don't need to watch every documentary

Many vegans, new vegans in particular, feel obligated to watch every documentary, listen to every podcast, read every book, and support every other vegan and vegan organization in some way. Not only is this impossible, but it's unsustainable. I've fallen down this trap, and it just wears you out after a while. (And it gets boring.) Eventually, you will reach a plateau when you've heard enough to no longer need to fill your head with vegan information, especially since most books and documentaries basically hit the same points over and over and over again.

Ironically, that's one of the reasons why I wanted to start this blog: to discuss other areas of veganism that aren't mentioned as often in mainstream vegan media. I don't need to watch more documentaries like What the Health or Forks Over Knives because I already know most of everything they're saying, but on here I can discuss more interesting topics in the realm of veganism, like reviewing movies with animal rights themes or the links between being zero-waste and being vegan or how we use language to justify animal exploitation.

29. You don't need to follow all the activists

Similar to the point above and #24, we sometimes put pressure on ourselves to follow every animal rights activist so we can support them and hopefully influence more non-vegans through their platform. Again, this is simply not possible or sustainable. Following activists can be great, but they shouldn't be used as a proxy for your own activism, nor should these individuals be the ones keeping you vegan. Additionally, there can be quite a bit of toxicity online and conflicting viewpoints as to how to be the most effective activists. If you are going to follow activists, then don't let them determine the kind of vegan or activist you want to be, and don't let social media control your life.

30. You don't need to do every form of activism

While activism is important to create a more compassionate, vegan world, not every form of activism will work for you. (That's why I'm an introverted activist.) Some people need to be on the streets having one-on-one conversations, and others prefer to do everything online. And there are also very niche forms of activism, so it varies wildly from person to person.

31. You don't need to blindly accept other vegans or vegan lifestyles

This is actually a surprisingly important point. Unfortunately, there are quite a few less-than-exemplary vegans, and we shouldn't feel obliged to support vegans that don't fully align with our values.

Takeaway lesson: Not all vegans are good people and not all vegan organizations are ethical, and even if we feel like we should support them out of blind loyalty to the cause, we shouldn't feel the need to compromise on our ethics, especially since ethics are the core of what we stand for as vegans. If we want to live in an ethical world, we will never get there by being unethical.

32. You don't need to have everything figured out

The world isn't black and white, and to assume that veganism somehow is would be foolish. Everything is gray, everything is perpetually changing. You will never know everything, and no matter how hard you try, that won't change. As long as you are doing your best to live in a way that aligns with your values, then you are doing enough.

The only thing you need to be vegan is an open heart and an open mind, to act in a way that benefits everyone, not just yourself.

be conscious, be kind, be vegan