Why I am a Vegan (the shorter version)

I thought that I should write a post going through the reasons why I am a vegan. This will not be some kind of long-winded manifesto. One of the aims of this blog is to reserve those long explanations for different blog entries so that I can fully address one topic at a time instead of half-assedly addressing all of them in one giant manifesto.

So, basically, I’m one of those weirdo people who’s decided to not consume animal products, or anything that is the product of animal cruelty. If you’ve read my Introduction, then you’ll know that I was a vegan for a brief period of time during high school and college, but since fell off the wagon. It took a little while for me to find my way back, but here I am! (And I have been welcomed back into the fold by some very enthusiastic people over at the Vegan Freak Forums, too, which really helps me establish a sense of community/belonging).

There are three basic reasons why I am a vegan (in order of importance):

1. I love animals and I cannot condone the needless suffering of them any longer. I do not think animals should be viewed as products, objects or commodities, and have every right not to be exploited or used by humans (this goes for all manner of ways we use animals, from eating them and their secretions, to using them for our entertainment in circuses and zoos).

2. I care about my health, and through my research I think the best diet/lifestyle I can adopt is one free of animal products.

3. Modern agricultural/factory farming practices around the world contribute to various environmental problems and also have a hand in promoting needless world hunger.

And it is for these three reasons (and the varying degrees of detail involving each that I will surely get to at some point or another) that I will no longer knowingly consume anything that has resulted in the suffering of another sentient being. And when I think about how many animals whose suffering I have already contributed to, it turns my stomach. So I’m going to be good to them and myself and let them live the lives that they were meant to–ones in which they are not vehicles for our desires! We don’t need to do what we do to animals, but we do it to them anyway because we want to. I for one can’t allow myself to be that selfish anymore :/

S o I hope this helps clear the air a little bit about where I stand and if you want to ask me anything about anything, don’t hesitate to. Just don’t be nasty cause that’s not nice. And I can be a real bitch if you’re nasty