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Lists; Henchmen of the Vegan Police
By Jeremy Alcorn

At first glance lists seem to be helpful tools enabling vegans to easily categorize those things which they do not wish to physically or materially consume. Recently, I’ve been questioning the use of such lists and have come to the conclusion that while useful if you are willing to except them, lists can serve to hinder newcomer and veteran vegans alike.

For the newcomer who is either considering veganism or has just begun to shape their lifestyle in that fashion, lists make veganism seem daunting and insurmountable. Nothing could be farther from the truth, yet this is what we portray by fashioning vegan dichotomies. When the bar is set this high many fail to weather such heights. People start to feel that veganism is unattainable because it cannot be accomplished without adhering to some rigid framework.

We take something simple and try and turn into a complex elitist club. Everyone has a line that they draw for themselves when it comes to veganism. The problem comes when the standard of measure we use for our personal veganism becomes the dividing line we use to judge others. This is often where the term “vegan police” comes into play. Certain people are fond of adhering to their personal standards so much so, that they judge others by themselves. These people construct veganism from their own preferences and anyone who doesn’t live by their rules is not considered vegan.

Contestants in this game try to prove that they are more vegan than anyone else. Such tactics are destructive to the individuals that experience it and to the movement as a whole. This is a selfish position because such individuals often view themselves as vegan purists. Our position in the animal rights community must become one of totality, but we will never achieve such glory if we continue to vie amongst ourselves as to who is a better vegan. The animal rights position has little, if anything, to do with human purity. The animal rights position is about the complete cessation of animal suffering, not about whether someone eats a miniscule amount of animal product. If we end the suffering of animals, so too will we end animal products.

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Posted/Updated: 1/1/07