Why vegan? In 30 seconds or less
So, I recently started a new job at a church and through the normal ‘getting to know you’ type stuff, the topic of “why are you a vegan?” obviously comes up a lot. Usually during meals. This made me really focus on my “vegan elevator speech” or whatever you want to call it. Basically, a one or two sentence statement that qualifies or explains the reasons why you do what you do. Mine goes something like this:
God gave man dominion over the animals. Animals are one of God’s creatures that we are to love and respect. I do not want to support an industry that tortures and mistreats animals.
There, that’s pretty much a light summary of what I believe. Of course this is usually followed up by one or two notorious questions:
“So if you don’t eat meat, how do you get protein?”
and
“So I can understand not wanting to kill an animal, but what about cheese and eggs? Nothing dies for those.”
This is good reinforcement for you as to why you believe in being vegan and also can be used as a chance to spark conversation with people who would never think to consider where their food comes from. Also, for new vegans, this might serve as something to hold on to so that when confronted, you have something to say that will, hopefully, knock their socks off.
So here is my question for you guys:
What is /your/ vegan elevator speech? and what are the most common follow up questions?
September 9th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Great question! My answer would be: I have been a vegetarian for 15 years and I’m alive and well. Hence, if we don’t need meat in order to stay alive, how can we morally justify the torture, suffering and murder of hundreds of animals simply to satisfy our taste buds?
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September 24th, 2009 at 12:25 am
I would say:
a)Animals suffer a lot in the production of animal products and b) I think animals should not be treated like things or property, but like living feeling beings.
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October 9th, 2009 at 9:22 am
The replies I’ve most often had (probably because they’ve had some time to think about it as I’ve beeb vegetarian for a long time) are along the lines of “Humans are naturally omnivores, it’s in our nature to hunt and eat animals” Also the protein/ vitaminB12/essential aminoacid thing.
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October 27th, 2009 at 4:13 am
I am vegan because it is wrong to deny any animal, including a human, the basic rights to pursue pleasure and avoid pain.
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November 2nd, 2009 at 5:57 am
one of my best friends says “i can’t eat anything that used to have a face.” she is a world traveling photographer…who is also allergic to all dairy products. hard times, but very faithful!
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November 5th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Animals are NOT property! So we certainly can not eat them.
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December 22nd, 2009 at 6:06 am
It’s amazing to me that people can be faithful vegetarians and think that eating eggs and dairy products is OK. I recognize that the switch is very difficult and I have a lot of respect for people who are struggling to become vegan after being vegetarian for so long (I myself just became vegan 12 months ago and it was after 10 years of vegetarianism). What frustrates me is that there are people, not posters to this blog, who still maintain that buying free-range eggs and milk means that they are fine and that those animals are always treated perfectly ethically. I tell those types of vegetarians that unless I could get raw milk from a cow who has a name and is a pet and is not milked after what is natural, and similarly from a chicken who has a name and is a pet and is not forced impregnated, I will not eat eggs or dairy products. Furthermore, the ingestion of another species’ milk just disgusts me. Why are humans the only animals on planet earth who regularly ingest another species’ milk after being weaned? Ew!
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July 19th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
As a very new but very determined vegan.
I say:
I just cannot stand the guilt anymore, I cannot sleep at night knowing that for my belly an animal has suffered. I am healthy and happy and guilt free and I have not had to sacrifice too much to do that. Why is it ok to treat animals in such a horrifc way for the majority to be satisfied!? Open youre eyes!!!
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