Why Vegetarian or Vegan?

Any vegetarian or vegan will tell you that they've been asked countless times WHY they are vegetarian or vegan. And the answer is a little bit different for each of us.

Some people made the change for health reasons. Others because of their love for animals. Eating plant-based is also arguably better for the environment.

But almost anyone will tell you that they decided to make the change to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle for a very personal reason, sometimes after learning, seeing, or hearing something that changed everything.

So here's my why. Fair warning, there are graphic details below that are very personal. So if you're not up for that, here's the short answer - I'm a vegetarian because I believe that all living creatures are equal. I would never kill an animal to eat it and I don't believe it's fair to ask someone else to do that for me. I'm also a huge believer in doing right by the earth so if I can have a positive impact on the environment through my diet, even better!

Now for the personal stuff...

As mentioned above, I've always loved animals. In fact, I decided to go vegetarian for the first time in 8th grade! I lasted less than a year though before the meatballs in Spaghetti-O's tempted me. Of all the things, I know!

So I continued eating meat and fish and poultry and kinda feeling bad about it, until... two events kinda happened around the same time.

The first happened when I put word out looking for cat carriers. A family member had rescued a bunch of feral kittens and needed the carriers to get them to the vet for vaccines. Someone emailed me in response saying they had a cat carrier I could borrow and told me there was a picture attached. In retrospect, I don't know why a picture would be necessary or why I opened it, but I did. The picture was of a very tiny kitten being swallowed whole by a snake. The picture was basically looking down the snake's throat to the kitten's face. Traumatic is the only word I have for it. For me, this image will never leave my mind and will never not make my heart ache.

Very soon after that, I watched a documentary about where our food comes from and saw footage from inside a poultry farm. They showed as workers picked up baby chicks, checked their sex, and then proceeded accordingly. Females have their beaks burned down so that they cannot peck each other to death in their future over-crowded, shit-filled "homes". Males are thrown directly into a blender while still alive.

Go ahead and let those facts sink in.

I don't know about you, but that was enough. I didn't need to watch the part about the cows, pigs, turkeys, fish, or any other animals. This was not okay with me and I wouldn't be a part of it anymore.

At this point, you might be thinking one of two things...

One, but it's just a chicken. They don't think and feel like we do. And you're right. They're not on the human level. And if that's okay with you, then that's your decision. We all draw our moral lines in the sand at different places. For example, many Chinese citizens would say that dogs don't think and feel like we do and they're okay to eat. Many Americans disagree.

Two, you might be thinking, but you're a vegetarian so you still eat eggs and cheese, right? Doesn't that contribute to the mistreatment and use of animals that you talked about? And again, yes, you're right. And this is something that I am working to change. I'm not perfect and someday I would love to be able to say I'm a vegan and don't use any animal products. I don't buy leather or products made with down and that's a step in the right direction for me, but I haven't been able to give up the dairy - yet!

So I guess my point here is, if you're a meat eater, that's okay. I completely believe that there are humane and sustainable ways to eat meat. It's just not for me. If you're a vegetarian, that's okay. And if you're a vegan, that's also awesome. We're all working towards a better version of ourselves each day and that better version looks different for all of us.

Thanks for reading along! I'd love to hear your personal stories and beliefs if you're willing to share!