Why Vegans Need to Stop Arguing About Labels

Is anyone else sick of everyone arguing about the impossible burger??

I can’t be the only one. It was like world war three up in here. So imma lay out the reasons why everyone needs to just majorly chill and get over it.
And while we are it, let’s get over all these silly label wars altogether. Okay here we go….

If You Haven’t Got Anything Nice to Say….

Remember when your mom told you if you have nothing nice to say, don’t say it.

While I acknowledge that spreading information so people can make informed decisions can be incredibly important and sometimes the realities are unpleasant, we have to get to a point where we say to ourselves “is saying this negative thing going to in any way have a positive impact?”

If the answer is no then just shut up.

We get it, you don’t feel the impossible burger or anyone who uses anything tested by animals is truly vegan but who is it helping to say that repeatedly. Who is it going to hurt?

vegans arguing about the impossible burger

Vegans and Their Labels

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a group of people as obsessed with labels as vegans. I have never seen a vegetarian yelling at a pescatarian for calling himself vegetarian.

I’ve never had someone yell at me when I say I’m from Florida even though I was born in Seattle. Because who cares!?!

The next time someone decides to go after someone in a vegan group for not being “vegan enough” or that they are actually “plant based” or “vegetarian”, they need to stop and remember that all they are doing is dividing a community that would be stronger united! When has standing divided ever served ANY community.

Additionally, I dare anyone to prove to me even one improvement in animal welfare or animal rights that came from getting in Facebook arguments over what people call themselves. You are already in a vegan group which means everyone is either vegan or trying to head that direction.

The End Results

Now think of the negative reactions caused by your statements. I have more than once heard people say “I never hated vegans until I became one”. They are talking about all of the argumentative fools who can’t just keep scrolling.

I’ve also seen “I don’t even want to call myself a vegan anymore. I’m not going to start eating non vegan or using non vegan products but I don’t want to be associated with vegans anymore.” Yep, it was because of all the aggression that is going on in vegan groups.

Not Being Able To Find Vegan Food

To me personally, the most horrifying thing is when I saw someone post that they were trying to transition to veganism but literally couldn’t find anything to eat because they had seen posts about how sugar, palm oil, companies who also have non vegan products, etc. weren’t vegan enough and they could no longer figure out what was and wasn’t vegan.

Let me ask you how long that girl who literally can’t find food to eat, because people have made such strong and angry statements, is going to last as a vegan.

Yes they use bone char to filter sugar but it’s nearly impossible to know which pre made foods do and don’t use those products. Maybe it’s healthier to avoid those products all together, but many people use those premade, accidentally vegan products to get by, especially before they figure out how to cook vegan.

Real Vegans Would Never Go Back To Being a Carnivore

Before you use your last and final argument, that if they really cared about the animals than they could never go back to being a carnivore, let’s ask ourselves this, if you really could not find any food to eat because you can’t figure out what is and isn’t vegan, how long would you stay vegan?

And if this new vegan can no longer tell the difference between eating an impossible burger and a real burger because they feel like they are being attacked and they hear people saying that they are both not vegan, then why bother with the impossible burger, let’s go straight for the real one.

Even if you would stay vegan, surviving on raw vegetables and air, consider this. When we argue with people, saying that they aren’t vegan enough, that they aren’t doing the right thing, do you think that the end result will be them having a bigger or smaller impact on animals.

Will This Cause a Bigger or Smaller Effect on Animals

If you are vegan for the animals, your ultimate goal should be to do whatever possible to lower their suffering and prevent people from contributing to the industry.

Even if the person you are talking to isn’t truly committed to animal welfare and may go back to their carnivore ways eventually, our goal has to be to make it as easy as possible for them so that they stay vegan for as long as we can, because that is what is best for the animals.

And if you look at the end result, yelling at them and making them feel victimized will only make them go back to their old ways faster, which in turns means the people who want to shame people for their choices and argue to the death about labels are causing a larger negative impact on animals.

Finding a Community

I’ve met a lot of people saying it’s so hard to be vegan because they don’t have a community. All their friends think it’s weird, they don’t feel like they can eat at regular restaurants or at family and friends houses.

Their whole vegan community exists online. But what happens when their online community stops being a supportive place? What happens when they don’t feel like they have a community they can safely ask questions to and talk about things without being attacked?

You CAN express your opinions without belittling others or telling them they aren’t good enough. You can say “the impossible burger was tested on animals, therefore I don’t feel comfortable eating it”, without telling the person that they are no longer vegan if they ate it.

I challenge everyone to read what they are about to write and think, what will be the end result of me posting this? Is it going to help or hurt animals in the long run?