What’s wrong with being a part-time Vegan?

[CookieDough2017]

Hi there,

I will give you a bit of background ... I have been a pescatarian for 5-6 years. I decided to become a vegetarian late October last year. I slipped up once and ate fish on holiday celebrating my 30th.

I’m now trying to do Veganuary ... In the first week I struggled to do it full time the second week I set myself a target of being a 2-4 times week I found this a lot more easier and I can see myself carrying on doing this throughout the year.

When I tell people I’m doing Veganuary but part-time they laugh and say what’s the point you might as well not bother.

What are people’s problem with me doing this part time? Would love to here from any other part-time vegans out there x

I would just say that you are reducing your dairy / animal product intake, because you are not, in fact, being a vegan.

Do you need to tell people?

You are part-time plant based, not vegan. A vegan lifestyle is extremely different.

Anything you can do to reduce your meat consumption is a plus but you're not vegan, full or part time.

The whole point of veganism is that you find it ethically unconscionable to consume products which have exploited or harmed other living beings. To say you'll only find it unconscionable some of the time is bonkers.

A part time vegan is just a person who eats food. Nothing wrong with that- but it doesn't need a name.

Nothing is wrong with it. I wouldn't bother telling anyone else and just crack on with it.

Nothing wrong with eating a variety of foods, plant-based and not. It only becomes ridiculous if you insist on labelling it! I eat "vegan" food 2 or 3 times a week. It's just called eating!

The problem is with labelling yourself vegan. By definition, a vegan tries to live a life that eliminates any animal exploitation or cruelty, as far as is possible. What you are doing is increasing the amount of plant based foods in your diet, which is great.

I eat mostly vegan - I don't buy and cook dairy, eggs or fish at home but will occasionally eat them outside of home, I don't label myself as vegan (full or part time), I just eat the food I want to eat and if anyone asks I say that I prefer to eat a mostly plant based diet.

You either are or your not.
The phrase goes I have been a vegan for X long.
Meaning the time you have only eat plants.

Of course it's fine to reduce your consumption of animal products. As a vegetarian, I see it as a good thing.

I don't think you can call yourself a 'part time vegan' though - it makes no sense! Being a vegan is about more than just not eating cheese. It's about not wearing leather or using products tested on animals and so on. I see it as an ethical conviction more than just reducing dairy etc.

Carry on as you are, but no need to put a label on it!

If you need a name, you are flexitarian.

You are NOT a vegan. Same with these idiots who say oh I’m a vegetarian but I eat chicken and fish!! No you are not
Either do it or don’t, stop talking shite.

As others have said, no such thing as being a part time vegan. You just eat food, lots of people have a cone of chips but don't class it as a vegan meal . Vegan is a lifestyle choice, you cannot "mostly eat vegan" it is a way of living, an ethical choice. I'm a lifelong vegan as are my children we are in it for the animals.

there is no such thing as a part time vegan... you just eat what you want when you want... like most people.

I had mixed beans with nacho chips yesterday, steak pie for today. I am not a "part time vegan", I was not "a vegan" yesterday. I ate a meal "suitable for vegans", lots of mine are.

Well I suppose it’s just that everyone is a part time vegan. Even carnivores cant eat meat seconds of the day

*all

It doesn't exist.

And this demonstrates exactly why Veganuary is nonsense.

Most people are just cutting back on meat and dairy, which is a good thing, and we should all be doing our best, but the Vegan month thing is just a marketing ploy. I would suggest that very, very, few people are actually "Vegans".

Last nights tea was all plant based for us so we must be part time vegans
Nope we just eat a varied diet.

On the days you are vegan do you use vegan friendly everything and make sure all leather/animal made objects aren't in view?

The vegetarian that eats fish always has me eye rolling Aswell.

Or the vegan with the leather dr martens on that eats in a steakhouse but chooses a salad or risotto whilst sat amongst the smell of cooking meat but process to never support the meat industry

I had soup for lunch which just happened to be vegan in no way does that make me part time vegan it’s just the food I chose for my lunch, tonight I am eating steak. You are just choosing your meals in the same way, there is no such thing as part time vegan.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with doing it part time and I really don’t understand why people are sniffy about it. Anything you can do towards a plant based diet is great.

I’m doing veganary atm and I’m finding it really hard. I’ve been vegetarian for over 30 years (pescatarian for the last 5 due to dietary problems). I thought it would be easy!

Because it makes you just like everyone else? I used to work for a butcher and yet I went vegan a few times last week because I ate crackers and beans on toast with no butter. Does that make me part time vegan despite having no desire to or just lazy?

Stop saying it and do what you want!

What you're doing is varying your diet. Its good. Its not vegan.

If you're vegan you don't eat anything from living creatures. you should also abstain from wearing leather/wool etc as they are also derived from animals. Its quite restricting living with basically cotton/linen and man made materials. (If you're doing it for environmental concerns then man made should be out as well).

Yes I agree, I personally do not know any other vegans. I've only ever met some if I've gone into a vegan store but that's very rare. In my younger childrens school there are no vegetarians let alone vegans.

Also I think transitioning to vegan is a process and it isn’t always possible to do it overnight.