Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Ellen is not giving vegans a bad name, vegans are...

Okay, I can't bite my tongue anymore.  This whole 'Ellen DeGeneres eats eggs' thing makes me feel like my head is going to explode, but not because Ellen "gets eggs from a neighbor" but for all the negative backlash from the vegan community.  I'm totally disappointed by my fellow vegans.

I've been following it on twitter and here are some of the headlines:  "Ellen admits eating eggs", "Ellen is a closeted vegetarian", "Ellen not vegan as she claims".  They go on and on.  It is repulsive.

If you actually watched the clip (below) you will hear that she doesn't say she eats eggs.  She says "We get our eggs from our neighbor.  They have happy chickens."  She never says the eggs are used by her or that she eats them.
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Many of us live in omnivorous households.  My family still eats cheese, so if you see me at the grocery store you will probably find cheese in my cart.  Does this mean I'm not vegan?  Absolutely not.  I'm sure Ellen has a housekeeper/s, chef, and many guests.  Those eggs can be for anyone.

I feel some vegans just sit and wait for a fellow vegan (especially a famous one) to slip up so they can pounce.  That is not what veganism is about!  It's a loving community full of people that care about animals, the environment and their health.  How quickly we forgot all the amazing things Ellen DeGeneres has done for the animals and for the vegan movement.  Even if she does eat eggs, I still don't think she deserves that kind of abuse, no one does.

Vegans are giving vegans a bad name.  When I went to my first vegan meet-up, I stressed out about everything I wore.  I wanted to make sure everything I had on was vegan so I wouldn't be judged for not being vegan enough.  I was newly vegan and all my clothes, shoes, etc. were things I'd purchased before I was vegan.  I shouldn't have to feel like that.  I should be accepted for the shear fact that I don't want animals to be harmed and want them to have a better life.  We are all in this together, one should not be excommunicated and all their good deeds forgotten because of one detail that probably is being completely taken out of context.

If I were someone that was just dipping their toe in vegan waters, I'd be scared it would be too hard.  Vegans are making it seem like veganism is about perfection, and it's not.  No one is 100% vegan.  It's impossible.  You don't know if everything on a food label is accurate or that the food you are being served at a restaurant is really completely vegan like the menu says.

I love Ellen DeGeneres.  I look forward to watching her show everyday while I cook dinner.  She makes me laugh and laughter is like medicine.  It keeps me happy.   Her being vegan is an added bonus.  

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