I don’t have a clear vegan anniversary date, but July 2009 was when my husband and I made the ‘click’ to go vegan.

This happened at the first Minding Animals Conference in Australia, an international gathering with leading activists and academics in the field of critical animal studies (I also gave two presentations btw). The atmosphere was amazing and inspiring! 🤗
Veganism was considered normal, a ‘given’, which was a real eye opener, and a big contrast to the more dominant ‘vegetarian/veggie’ focus in those days (especially in Belgium). Despite having been vegetarian for more than 10 years before and being aware of animal rights issues, we realised we were still contributing to animal oppression in many ways. We wanted to change that.

We didn’t make the transition to being vegan overnight, but gradually learned more and more about how to live a lifestyle with respect for animal rights, as far as is possible and practicable. And – just like we gradually went vegetarian together in the nineties – my husband and I went vegan together, it was a shared process and decision.

The most common question we get asked is : ‘but isn’t that hard? Giving up so many things?’

Yes and no. Yes, in the beginning it was hard. We went vegan in a time when alternatives were not as widely available as they are now. There were only 3 vegan restaurants in the whole of Belgium, now there are dozens, and most restaurants now offer vegan options. Vegan shoes, cosmetics, body and care products, etc were very rare, while now they are commonly available.
So with the growing offer of alternatives, it has become fairly easy. But although being vegan can sometimes practically still be challenging, I just don’t see animals or animal ‘products’ as commodities anymore. And as such I don’t consider it as ‘giving up’ anything. So having that ‘mind switch’ makes it fairly easy to be vegan. It’s simply out of the question that I would eat animal flesh, drink mother’s milk, wear animal skin, use any other products containing remains of animals or particpate in actions that involve animal oppression.

Another difficult thing is having to explain or ‘justify’ myself for being vegan. Over and over again. Animal use and abuse, #speciesism is the norm, for food, for entertainment, for clothes, for scientific research and in so many other aspects of life, and deviating from that norm is considered ‘extreme’ and ‘weird’. Although the ethical reasoning with respect to animal rights and veganism is based on solid and sound arguments, and scientifc evidence backs the claims that a plantbased diet is overall better for health, climate and nature/environment, the oppression and exploitation of animals continues and is so vast and pervasive. Billions of animals live a nightmarish life and are brutally killed. And this dystopian realisation is the hardest part of being vegan.

As so many vegans say, my only regret about going vegan is not doing it sooner. Although my personal lifestyle changes are just a drop in the ocean, and we also need structural changes to accomplish total liberation, the combined effort of many vegans does make a difference for the animals.
And my conscience is clear(er). ‘I can look at you in peace now. I don’t eat you anymore.’ (F Kafka).

So my friends. Make the connection and choose for compassion and justice.
Be vegan 🌱💚✊🏼🐾

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