Veganism is gay
Who is judging whom here? It's become popular because it's more palatable for meat-eaters when acknowledging 'alternative lifestyles. Veganism is often seen as "queer" and many queer-identifying people are vegan. Or it could have been because the USA has strict regulatory policies around foreign agricultural workers; hence, they wanted to ensure none were violated during my stay.
There I was, unintentionally promoting the 'vegan agenda' to border security. But at that moment, I had no choice; I was questioned by border security, and there was no way to avoid being 'outed. In short: of course they do, and here’s why For some people, veganism and Pride might seem like unrelated issues – they might think, “what does the wellbeing of animals have to do with LGBTQIA+ rights?” Of course, there.
I shouldn't have been surprised for a couple of reasons. Most of the animals at VINE were rescued from the farming industry. As a vegan-curious gay man I find it curious that none of my gay circle of friends is vegetarian or vegan (some pescatarians), so while I think this question is an interesting one, I’m not sure it is the case that LGBTQ+ people are more vegan than cis/straight people.
Eventually, I got my passport back and began a seven-hour drive to VINE, an explicitly LGBTQ-led farmed animal refuge that promotes social and environmental justice and animal liberation. This distinction of words is purposeful, aimed at clarifying queer as an identity that stands outside of and in opposition to mainstream society and its normalization of various forms of oppression, as opposed to the veganism is gay gay, which has historically been tied purely to one's sexual preferences.
VINE is vegan and unapologetically political in its mission, as am I. It is intended to recast this choice as a simple dietary preference, detaching it from its pressing ethical context and importance, in terms of both climate change and animal sovereignty.
Why some animals on a farm are considered worthy of being saved while others aren't is thought-provoking. They were brought to the sanctuary by owners who felt a connection and compassion for a particular animal on their farm and consequently wanted to give it a better life.
I tend to avoid talking about being vegan among strangers because people make assumptions about you, or worse, they imagine you're judging them just by stating that you, yourself, are vegan. As I drove up the path to the trailer, I was met by sheep, pigs, goats, and cows.
Queerness, however, has been rooted in opposing dominant hegemony. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. The question filled me with dread. However, this isn't surprising given that most of us are willing to spend thousands on our cats and dogs while enjoying a steak or chicken for dinner.
It’s Pride Month, so it’s time to ask ourselves the important question: do vegans outside of the LGBTQIA+* community owe allyship to people within the community? First, organizations like the Animal Liberation Front are considered domestic terrorist groups in the USA, so perhaps security was skeptical about the extent of my involvement in animal rights work.
Their expressions were observant and amused. But is there really a correlation between the two movements?. VINE was a multispecies community, a glimpse into what coexistence can look like between humans and animals.
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And, of course, the hardworking, hiking-boot, flannel, and carabiner clip-wearing lesbians and other queer folks running the place. Queer is political. A win is a win; at least I got someone to read up on animal rights that day. The customs agent called another agent to read VINE's website.