What is a Vegan?

Greetings fellow travellers,

I went out to dinner the other day with a guy from work. Yes it was a date. No, it’s not serious, now stop being so nosy!  On the way there a seagull pooped on my head which was kind of embarassing, but that’s just the kind of thing that happens when you’re a Quirky Vegan.

And, as food was involved, a social “situation” was on the cards too. Ah well, I thought, if he has a problem with me being vegan, then that’s his issue. In the year or so I’ve been vegan I’ve grown something of a thick skin in that regard. It’s very useful for getting rid of jerks, because if someone’s pathetic enough to be a jerk about it, then chances are they’re going to be a jerk about other stuff too.

Him: You’re a vegetarian, is that right? (I drive a car with a GO VEGGIE window sticker, bit of a clue stick there).

Me: Yes I am. Actually I’m a vegan. A real live one!

Him: Does that mean you don’t eat dairy products either?

Me: That’s right. No eggs either, or meat or fish of course.

Him: I don’t think I know any other vegetarians.

Wow. Like, wow. Being vegan, for me is just normal, it seems bizzare that there are people out there who haven’t been tainted by the veg*n stick. Clearly there is work to do.

As stated above, vegans do not eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy products. Without wishing to insult anyone’s intelligence, that would include these items:

*Pork, ham, sausages and bacon

*Beef

*Chicken and turkey

*Duck

*Fish and seafood

*Milk (cow’s, goat’s and that of any other non-human)

*Butter and cheese

*Yogurt

*Eggs. From chickens, ducks, ostriches, and any other bird

*Honey, propolis, beeswax and royal jelly

*Carmine, shellac or cochineal

*Gelatine, aspic and other animal-derived ingredients

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and vigilance is required at ALL times!

Vegans are also discerning about what they will wear, what toiletries and cosmetics they will use, how they will furnish their homes and how they keep them clean. So that means no silk ties or leather sofas. And no wooly sweaters either. In addition to using products that contain no animal ingredients, vegans usually choose to buy those which are not tested on animals, although this is a tricky area and will be dealt with in a future post.

So, in a nutshell, Vegans choose not to eat, wear or use products which contain ingredients derived from animals, dead or alive.

What’s so wrong with dairy and eggs? And wool?

Are vegans just plain crazy? What the hell DO you guys eat?

Stay tuned to find out.

Peace,

~ Quirky Vegan

(If you were wondering, I had a Mediterranean Grilled Vegetable Panini with potato wedges, and it was very nice too.)