YOUR MONTHLY VEGAN PEP TALK!

When I tell people I'm vegan, there's a few responses I usually get. Either:
A) They think that means I'm gluten free and I have to explain how they're completely unrelated.
B) They pretend like they know what it means, then proceed to ask me what my favorite type of seafood is.
C) They ask me where I get my protein from.
D) They ask me if I can still eat animal crackers, or some other type of snarky remark.
E) They tell me how they could never do it because they love bacon too much.

For the record:
A) Gluten isn't from an animal, and I'm not gluten intolerant nor do I have Celiac's Disease. I can eat gluten fine.
B) Vegan- no animal products or byproducts, including honey. Fish is an animal. As are crabs, clam, shrimp, and all the other beautiful creatures in the sea. Therefore, I don't eat seafood. And for the record, even when I was a kid, seafood grossed me out. I've never eaten a damn clam a day in my life.
C) I get my protein from food, just like you. If you would like a list of vegan protein options, please check out this amazing thing called the Internet, it's got all the answers you desire about my protein.
D) Most animal crackers are vegan.

The one that bothers me the most is E, because I truly believe everyone has the capacity to be vegan. I'm no one special. I don't have magic powers. I'm not a super hero. I'm a regular girl who chose to go vegan, and did it. People always think it's so hard to do but it's not. Does it require work? Of course it did. But it's worth it. Knowing I'm not partaking in the suffering of animals is all I need to motivate me and keep my willpower going. And I think that's what it really comes down to.

You won't die without bacon. I promise you, you'll survive. It's so hard to listen to someone telling me how sad it makes them knowing what animals go through, but like they're telling me while eating a burger. If you feel crushed when you read a story about dog fighting or animal abuse, but don't get crushed by what farm animals go through, there's something wrong.

I think people turn a blind eye, since most of the time, they're not the ones killing the animals that they're eating. But by eating it, you're still responsible for that animal's death, even if the blood isn't directly on your hands. I know if people would just educate themselves, do a little research, and listen to their hearts and not their stomachs, this world would change for the better. I'll never stop fighting this fight for the animals. I'll never be silenced.

Just because you're raised one way doesn't mean you have to live your life that way forever. Humans have been evolving for the better over all the years we've been on this planet. You don't need to eat meat and dairy to survive. You're not Fred and Wilma Flinstone! Make that change. You can do it!

This has been your monthly "go vegan" pep talk. When I wrote my original blog post entitled "2017- The Year You Went Vegan." I meant it. I meant every word. Let's do this!