Since I announced my pregnancy last year, I’ve been asked quite often whether we would raise our baby vegan. If I saw the question on my blog or social media, I would respond by saying that we decided not to label her diet or lifestyle and I explained why if I had the time. Since I was asked this question so frequently I recently decided to write a blog post on the topic to be transparent about our decision (see: Will you raise your daughter a vegan?). I’ve always been an open book on the blog and figured I could share our thoughts and also ask you to share your own experiences. I enjoy hearing other perspectives because I’ve never been someone who thinks that there is one correct way to do anything. What works for one family might not work for others.
As I expected, there was a wide range of opinions on the topic. Many of you left thought-provoking and respectful comments (whether you agreed or not), and I greatly enjoyed reading them. They led to some wonderful discussions with friends and family this week. However, there were some hateful and threatening comments attacking me, my family, and our decision. According to some, I’m no longer welcome to call myself vegan. This wasn’t entirely surprising; over the past 6 years I’ve often been accused of not being “vegan enough”, being “too mainstream”, or not “doing enough for the vegan movement”, yet here I was receiving hundreds of comments and emails each month from readers telling me my recipes changed their lives, that they were happy to be helping animals, reducing their carbon footprint, and getting healthy even if they weren’t “perfect”. Apparently, my welcoming and non-judgmental approach was indeed the catalyst for major change.
I realize that the scrutiny I’ve faced over the years is from a small percentage of vegans. Tearing each other down is never conducive to furthering the movement though. The majority of vegans I know are incredibly kind and compassionate both to animals and humans alike. However, the personal attacks have made me reflect greatly about whether this label continues to be right for me. Do I want to live my life striving for an elusive perfection that I know I’m too flawed to ever achieve? Or can I do it my way? While some of you will say “don’t let it bother you” and “don’t let them win” I’ll be honest in telling you that experiencing hate on a public forum from your own community wears you down over time. It’s a distraction from my overall purpose and you know what, it sure as hell takes the fun out of the journey.
In the end, I will keep on doing my thing, but without a personal label on my diet or lifestyle. Going forward you can expect to see the same types of crowd-pleasing plant-based recipes on this blog and in my next cookbook; this is how I love to eat and what makes me happy. My goal has always been to encourage others to reduce their animal consumption and embrace more plants in their diet. This is my passion in life not only because of how it has greatly improved my own and those close to me, but for countless other reasons. I still believe that the greatest change happens when we elevate one another, celebrate progress, and of course, share delicious food that challenges the norms of the standard diet. So that’s exactly what I intend to keep doing. There are many ways in which compassionate individuals can spread their message and this is what speaks to my heart. I have no doubt there is something out there for everyone.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years, and also, for reminding me why it’s important to remain authentic even in spite of criticism.
Angela
Please note comments are now closed – May 20/15
I am sooooo glad you wrote this post. I was really disappointed with some of the responses to your very honest and COMPLETELY reasonable post about how you will shape your daughter’s food choices. I really hope that all those vegans out there who were on the ‘bash-train’ don’t use any plastic or consume ANYTHING that could possibly end up polluting our environment and causing destruction to our natural fauna (those animals count too y’all – plastic ends up in way too many birds’ stomachs). I find it so ironic that a big common thread to some of those people’s posts was ‘compassion’ and yet the tone of their words was anything but compassionate. I personally LOVE this blog, and your recipes are hands down the best I have tried on the interwebs. They are so consistently delicious it makes me crazy! In conclusion, your cookbook is BY FAR the most used, dirtest, most spilled-upon in my entire collection which is the highest praise I can think to give you at this time. Keep rocking the plant-based yumminess Angela – your lovers far out-number your sanctimonious haters. Cheers.
Angela, it really disappoints me greatly that anyone would be either hateful or threatening to you or anyone else in this world. None of us are perfect and if each of us made exactly the same decisions on every single topic it would be a pretty freaking boring place to exist. I believe our differences should be celebrated and that we can learn the most from people who aren’t exactly like us. I detest judgement and firmly believe that supporting each other, indeed encouraging and elevating each other is the best, most respectful way to effect change. A person who eats meat is not evil or lacking compassion. They just feel differently about it than those who choose not to eat animal products. My decision to make the changes I have made was strictly based on a desire to be healthier, and while I am an animal lover, I have never felt bad or guilty for consuming meat. And I never will. The God I believe in gave us animals to use as meat and while I no longer eat any animal products but fish, I just refuse to believe meat-eaters are wrong in their choice. You have already ‘beaten’ the narrow-mindedness expressed by these judgemental people by not backing down or stooping to that same level. You seriously rock and I will always be a follower and supporter!
Hi Angela!
I was so sad to read the negative comments on your last post! While I understand that people can have different opinions, tearing you down like that was totally uncalled for! My husband and I have been discussing the same topic in our household too, and when he heard about the nasty comments he said something like, “when people stomp on someone’s face saying that they are morally superior, they cease to be morally superior”. So true!
I wanted to tell you that you are doing a great job and I love your blog! Please don’t let this episode bring you down – you have far more supporters and well-wishers than the naysayers! :)
I support you 100%. I agree with you and admire you very very much. It is sad that you have gotten such nasty treatment. There is more than one right to do something. This is your child, your family, and therefore your decision on what is best for all of you. Ignore the hate. Enjoy the love. Keep on doing what you are doing. If it works for you and your family then that is all that matters. Others are free to do what they feel is best for them and their family. “Vegan enough”, seriously? What an asinine and stupid comment.
Silly people who think they have the choice to decide how others live their life and criticize humans for being human. I think we all have the choice to decide what we do, eat, say etc. We don’t need labels to classify us because we’re all just human.
A pleasant exert from the words of philosopher, writer and pop star Taylor Swift:
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
A phrase that I was told to live by during my training – “perfect is the enemy of good” – I think applies here. I have been vegan-ish for almost a year, and your book was of great help and inspiration to me. My omnivore husband is tolerant, but if I use the v-word (vegan), he quickly shuts down. The first association for many, unfortunately, has become with intolerance and extremism.
You may not consider your efforts to be “perfect”, but you have done an enormous amount of “good” – for me and many… And I passed your good on to a very good friend this weekend in the form of your book – about the fifth one I have bought and given away so far.
Tolerance allows for open, kind discussion and this is what changes minds, not harsh, judgemental and hostile words.
I’m so sorry to hear about the negative comments, I think your website is wonderful and I respect what you do. Thank you for your posts, I find your recipes helpful for my family meals, and love checking to see what else is new on the site. Thank you again!
I can’t believe people can be hateful even about food choices! But the truth is, certain types of people will always find SOMETHING to be hateful about. I have loved your food blog ever since I was told about it by a friend, and many of your recipes have become my daily/weekly favorites! I love your balanced approached, because although I’d love to be 100% vegan, I’m an imperfect human just doing the best I can to eat healthily and responsibly, and everyone is different in what they can do according to their bodies and circumstances. Food is a very personal thing. We should not be judging one another. My husband and I have come under similar criticism at times for calling ourselves “vegetarian” or “vegan” but really it’s hard to label yourself into a certain profile. We sometimes eat fish, sometimes eat dairy, but try not to. So in the end we’ve stopped giving people any particular label, and just saying that we try to eat as much whole foods, fruits and veggies as possible. This way we avoid being judged or criticized (usually) I think you’re blog is great and please please keep it coming! Your recipes and given be breakthroughs when I was stuck figuring out a healthier alternative food (like the coconut whip cream!) Thank you soooo much for what you do!!
Natasha
I have enjoyed reading your blog for the past year or so, and I have always found your recipes and blog posts inspiring. I have always found your recipes and the information you post very informative and they have helped me change my diet. I wish you and your family nothing but the best. Keep going and remain strong and dignified.
I can’t even tell you how many times I have gifted your cookbook. You are truly talented!! Please hold your head high and be confident in what you provide so many of us. Thank you for introducing me to whole foods and giving me healthy recipes for my family! Keep em’ coming!!
Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability. I am a long time reader and have always taken inspiration from you, and not just your (DELICIOUS) recipes, but the personal details you have shared with us that you shared not for attention, but to HELP other people!! Wow thinking about it makes me a bit emotional. I relate to many of your struggles and through years of reading your blog and how you overcame your challenges, I slowly became inspired to battle my own demons.
In the end whatever you ‘label’ yourself doesn’t matter. That is not your mark on this earth. You are SO MUCH MORE than a leader in the vegan movement, you are a brave woman, and a friend to millions of readers around the globe who you have supported for years… Maybe without even knowing it.
And I don’t care what you call yourself as long as you stay true to you. I’ll keep reading your blog if you eat bone broth, or if you eat clay, or if you eat kale. This community might revolve around food, but that is such a small portion of who you are. People need to see this bigger picture, and show some compassion for all of your efforts. Thank you, thank you, thank you Angela for all that you do.
What a powerful post. I’ve always enjoyed your blog and book because of the delicious recipes and precisely because it isn’t preachy. We are not a vegan household but I try to include vegetarian and vegan meals because they’re delicious, and I want to expose my young son to a wide variety of foods. I’ve always found your space to be such a welcoming, non-judgmental place where I don’t leave feeling guilty for not following a stricter diet and lifestyle; instead, I feel better about all the choices I make. I think it’s such a shame that certain individuals would attack your own way of eating and living or accuse you of not doing enough, when the amount of exposure to plant-based living you have personally created between your blog and book must simply be massive. I’ve often wondered if Sarah at My New Roots gets heat for including ghee, or the ccassional egg in her recipes. All this to say, you’re a strong woman to have to bear those comments but also to have so eloquently spoken about them and I hope you continue to do what works best for you and your family, and not what’s best for others.
Angela,
I am a long time follower of your blog and have loved your recipes since I tried the very first one. I have never felt the urge to comment, until I read this post. It makes me sad that you experience any hatred for sharing your amazing recipes and giving us such a wealth of vegan information. I couldn’t bake a frozen (vegan) pizza before finding this blog, now I am happy to say that I make many of your vegan recipes on a daily basis. Please know that many of us would be devastated if you ever decided to quit writing and sharing recipes. Chin up buttercup.
Amy W.
Bonjour Angela,
I’m so sade to read this. Your posts are always full of love and respect. You are a real inspiration, thanks for being who you are!
Amitiés!
Bonjour Angela,
I’m so sad to read this. Your posts are always full of love and respect. You are a real inspiration, thanks for being who you are!
Amitiés!
I love your blog and your cookbook! I have followed you for several years now. I agree that we should all just be kind to each other!! Everyone’s body is different and there is no need to strive for perfection in a certain diet. Listen to your body. Do what is right for you and your family.
Sadly ironic that you, who have inspired so many people to become vegan, are the one being criticized. No doubt you have done more for the cause than just about anyone. Thank you for everything
Angela, how very sad to read. You are a beacon of light that shines for the innumerable animals you have saved through your plant based recipes. Only a fool would fail to see that you inspire the masses to eat less meat. Please don’t feel discouraged. You were courageous enough to put yourself out there where so many of us wouldn’t bother. I hope you feel the love of every animal, human species included, whose lives you improved through your generosity and light.
Namaste.
Well done for being brave enough to put your stance out there Angela :) You are a guiding light for many, and will always be that with your honest approach and truthful nature. Keep doing your thing, you rock it xx
Long time reader and first comment…. I am so sad you even had to make this post!
Your cookbook and website have inspired me to make a ton of amazing plant-based meals, and even better, has my (non-vegan) coworkers, friends and family all asking for the recipes for amazing-looking recipes from your website and cookbook
It really sucks that a few judgmental jerks feel the need to tear you down. Keep doing what you’re doing!