For many, veganism is more than just a dietary choice, but also a form of political activism that challenges the exploitation and oppression of sentient beings. Let’s explore how veganism can be seen as an unconventional form of political participation. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Unconventional political participation</h2>Unconventional political participation refers to how citizens can express their opinions and influence public policies without relying on traditional channels such as voting, joining parties or contacting representatives. Unconventional political participation includes protests, boycotts, petitions, civil disobedience, online activism, and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1467-9477.12204" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">political consumerism</a>. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">How is veganism a form of political consumerism?</h2>Political consumerism uses one's purchasing power to support or oppose certain causes, products or companies. For instance, buying fair trade coffee, avoiding sweatshop clothing or boycotting fossil fuels are forms of political consumerism. Political consumerism can also involve lifestyle choices that reflect one's values and beliefs. Veganism can be seen as a form of political consumerism because it involves boycotting the products and practices of animal exploitation. By doing so, vegans aim to reduce the demand for animal products, challenge the norms and habits of animal consumption and raise awareness about the plight of animals. Vegans also hope to influence the supply side of the market by creating a demand for plant-based alternatives and encouraging companies to adopt more ethical and sustainable practices. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Unconventional political participation</h2>Political scientist Dr. <a href="https://journals-sagepub-com.ezproxy.lib.bbk.ac.uk/doi/10.1177/0032321720930179" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Deborah Kalte</a>, states that “Veganism is particularly viewed as an unconventional form of political participation, as it is conducted to address ethical concerns and to change market practices.” Veganism is unconventional because it addresses a topic often neglected or marginalised in mainstream politics: the rights and interests of non-human animals.&nbsp; Animal issues are rarely on the political agenda, and when they are, they are often framed in terms of human interests, such as food safety, public health or environmental protection (important <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/international-day-of-conscience-ethical-veganism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">topics</a>, but ignore the reality that animal rights are human rights, as many people suffer from working in animal agriculture). Animal issues are also subject to powerful lobbying from the animal industry, which often influences the policies and regulations that affect animals. Veganism challenges this status quo by bringing animal issues to the forefront of public debate by advocating for the radical transformation of human-animal relations. Veganism questions the dominant assumptions and values that justify animal exploitation and proposes a new ethical framework that recognises the intrinsic worth and dignity of all sentient beings. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Implications and challenges of political veganism?</h2>For vegans, political veganism can be a source of empowerment, identity, and community, and a way of expressing one's values, beliefs, and emotions constructively and creatively.&nbsp; However, political veganism can entail difficulties, such as social stigma, isolation, frustration, and often subject to ‘<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/50248907_Vegaphobia_Derogatory_discourses_of_veganism_and_the_reproduction_of_speciesism_in_UK_national_newspapers" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">vegaphobia</a>.’ Vegans may face hostility, ridicule, or indifference from family, friends, colleagues, or strangers who do not share or understand their views.&nbsp; They may also struggle with finding vegan products or services in a predominantly non-vegan society. Moreover, they may encounter dilemmas or trade-offs when their vegan principles clash with other personal or social interests or values. However, as the vegan community grows, more vegans find supportive networks, and they, in turn, support others.&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">What did a study in Switzerland reveal on vegan political engagement?&nbsp;</h2>Dr. Deborah Kalte studied a sample of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342316202_Political_Veganism_An_Empirical_Analysis_of_Vegans'_Motives_Aims_and_Political_Engagement" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">648 vegans</a> in Switzerland. The study demonstrated that a vast majority of vegans are politically motivated and aim to induce change in society at large. They are highly engaged in a broad variety of political activities. Also, politically motivated vegans live the vegan lifestyle more strictly and are more politically active than vegans motivated by personal concerns. Veganism as a form of political activism can challenge and transform the oppressive systems that exploit animals, humans, and the environment. For many, veganism is not merely about self-improvement but collective action and social change; it operates through the market and civil society, using individual and collective actions.&nbsp; Get inspired by vegan activist <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/in-conversation-with-matthew-glover-investing-in-a-vegan-future" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Matthew Glover</a> and check out unique approaches to <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/unique-uk-animal-rights-activism-approaches" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">animal rights activism</a>.

Protestors holding yellow and black signs which read ‘No More Factory Farms’

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How veganism is an unconventional form of political participation

In November 1944, <a href="https://time.com/3958070/history-of-veganism/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Donald Watson</a> announced that because vegetarians ate dairy and eggs, the Vegan Society would create a new term called ‘vegan,’ taking the beginning and symbolising the end of vegetarian. The new term was issued in his new <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Vegan Society</a> newsletter. They recognised that a vegan lifestyle protected people from tainted food - such as tuberculosis, which was <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/2021/01/badgers-cattle-and-scapegoats-is-controversial-science-putting" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">in 40% of Britain’s dairy cows</a> by the 1930s, as well as protecting animals.&nbsp; Veganism is more than a trendy fad. It is a movement based on compassion, sustainability, and a desire for a healthier, more ethical world. While veganism, as we know it today, is a relatively new term, evidence suggests that ancient humans may have been predominantly vegan.&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Ancient history</h2>According to archaeologist Dr. Richard Leakey, our prehistoric ancestors started off on a plant-based diet. He’s quoted in the <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/vegan-diet-history-veganism-plants-b2153951.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Independent</a> saying that: “You can’t tear flesh by hand, you can’t tear hide by hand, and we wouldn’t have been able to deal with the food sources that required those large canines”.&nbsp; This Independent article goes on to state that: “This theory suggests we turned to animal flesh out of necessity when there were shortages of our nut, seed, and wild cereal staples.&nbsp;Hominins are considered to be opportunistic scavengers of meat where they could find it while relying on plant-based diets.” Anthropologists and archaeologists have long debated what our early human ancestors ate. <a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/31625-human-evolution-meat-eating-vegan-africa-grassland-hunting" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Some researchers argue that early humans were opportunistic omnivores, others suggest they were primarily plant-based eaters</a>. Evidence for a vegan diet among ancient humans comes from <a href="https://plantbasednews.org/opinion/are-humans-designed-to-eat-meat/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">their teeth</a>. The teeth of our early human ancestors were flat and broad, consistent with a plant-based diet. In contrast, the teeth of carnivores are sharp and pointed, ideal for tearing meat. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Cultural veganism</h2>The rise of agriculture around <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110615094514.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">10,000 years ago</a> led to the widespread consumption of animal products, but even then, plant-based diets remained common in many cultures. In ancient India, for example, vegetarianism was a deeply held religious belief, and many Hindus still follow a plant-based diet today. Vegetarianism was also encouraged by the sacred texts of Buddhism and Jainism.&nbsp;<a href="https://vegsoc.org/about-us/world-history-of-vegetarianism/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">These religions taught the doctrines of non-violence and respect for all life forms</a>.&nbsp; Some of the earliest known vegans in India were the followers of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, who lived around 600 BCE.&nbsp;<a href="https://bitesizevegan.org/vegans-in-ancient-times-the-history-of-veganism-part-one/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">He taught that all living beings have souls and that harming them creates negative karma</a>. Jain monks often carry brushes to sweep the ground in front of them to <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/jainism/living/ahimsa_1.shtml#:~:text=Monks%20and%20nuns%20follow%20the%20doctrine%20of%20ahimsa,they%20don%27t%20swallow%20and%20thus%20harm%20any%20flies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">avoid accidentally crushing insects when they walk</a>. As well as wearing muslin cloths over their mouths in case they swallow any insects is also observed. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1718908630/Image_1_96_pic1_1a41a7410c.png" alt="Jain monks standing outside in the sun"><a href="https://flic.kr/p/RXzKz7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Güldem Üstün</a>/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">CC BY 2.0</a> After ancient times, the meatless lifestyle didn’t fully catch on in the West until relatively recently, although it popped up during health crazes and religious revivals, such as <a href="https://time.com/3958070/history-of-veganism/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Ephrata Cloister</a>, a strict religious sect founded in 1732 in Pennsylvania, which advocated vegetarianism. And via some Western philosophers, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.utilitarianism.com/jeremybentham.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Jeremy Bentham</a>, who compared animal suffering to human suffering, saying that neither was acceptable. <a href="https://zerxza.com/food-nutrition/the-timeline-of-vegan-movement/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Bentham even compared consuming animal products to racism and feeling superior to other races</a>. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">5 historical advocates</h2>A famous early advocate of veganism was <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/vegan-diet-history-veganism-plants-b2153951.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Pythagoras</a>, a Greek philosopher and mathematician who lived around 500 BCE.&nbsp;He believed that all animals had immortal souls that would be reincarnated after death, and he practiced “abstinence from beings with a soul.” He also influenced other Greek thinkers, such as Plato and Socrates, who were recorded as following vegetarian and vegan diets. Another early philosopher, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Porphyry-Syrian-philosopher" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Porphyry (c. 234 - c. 305)</a>, wrote <a href="https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/publications/porphyry-on-abstinence-from-killing-animals-translation-and-comme" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">On Abstinence from Killing Animals</a>, an early and thorough case for ethical vegetarianism and veganism. He opposed animal killing and abuse and upheld animal rights and interests with reason and compassion. <a href="https://www.globalvegans.com/news-campaigns/celebrating-historic-vegans%3A-the-five-earliest-proponents-of-veganism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Al-Ma’arri (c. 973 - c. 1057)</a>, a blind Arab poet, pacifist and philosopher who renounced meat, eggs, cheese, and honey, <a href="https://www.peta.org/features/1000-year-old-poem-animal-rights/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">wrote</a>: “Do not unjustly eat fish the water has given up / And do not desire as food the flesh of slaughtered animals / Or the white milk of mothers who intended its pure draught / for their young”. <a href="https://plantbasednews.org/opinion/on-international-womens-day-inspiring-vegan-women-changing-the-world/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Angela Davis</a> is well known for advocating human rights and social justice since the 1960s. In 2009, Davis became vegan and stands up for all sentient beings, which “endure pain and torture as they are transformed into food for profit, food that generates disease in humans whose poverty compels them to rely on McDonald’s and KFC for nourishment.” American feminist scholar and animal rights advocate <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cja_from_dallas/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Carol J. Adams</a>, wrote the groundbreaking book <a href="https://caroljadams.com/cja-bio" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Sexual Politics of Meat</a> in 1990, which analysed the links between patriarchy, meat-eating, and the oppression of women and animals. She also coined the term “<a href="https://caroljadams.com/the-absent-referent" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">the absent referent</a>,” which refers to how animals are made invisible and objectified in language and culture <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Today</h2>Today, the evidence in favour of a vegan diet is more compelling than ever. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28792455/#:~:text=Evidence%20suggests%20that%20plant-based%20diets%20may%20reduce%20the,and%20type%202%20diabetes%20by%20about%20one%20half." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Studies have shown that</a> a plant-based diet is associated with a reduction in the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Additionally, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/13/meat-greenhouses-gases-food-production-study" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">the production of animal products has a significant impact on the environment</a>, contributing to deforestation, water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Veganism is growing around the world. According to a global survey conducted in 2021 by Rakuten, 81% of consumers had tried plant-based milk, 48% had tried other dairy alternatives, 44% had tried vegan meat alternatives and 25% had tried a vegan egg replacement. <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/media/statistics/worldwide" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">In a 2021 global survey by NSF</a>, 88% of food industry practitioners said that they expect demand for plant-based products to increase. There are significant pro-veganism movements in Western countries. So how old is veganism? It depends on how you define it. As a term, it is relatively new. As a concept, it’s ancient history. What’s going on now - delve into the world of how the <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/how-the-animal-agriculture-industry-uses-language-for-protection" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">animal agriculture industry uses terms to spin its agenda</a> and take a look at how vegan brands <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/toeing-the-line-how-and-why-brands-use-funny-vegan-product-names" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">cleverly play on words to promote ethical eating</a>.

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How old is veganism, really? Was ancient history plant-based? 

Twentieth Century Fox/Everett/Rex Features

From Flipper to Free Willy, Beethoven to Babe, generations have grown up watching animal characters on screen. But behind the scenes, there is a darker reality that many viewers are unaware of: the exploitation and abuse of animals in the entertainment industry. According to the <a href="https://www.nhes.org/animals-in-film-and-televison/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">National Humane Education Society</a>, animals in film and television are often subjected to injury, death, stress, neglect, and deprivation of their natural needs and behaviours. They are obtained from various sources, such as wildlife traders, zoos, circuses, or breeders, and are trained using harsh methods such as electric shocks, whips, or food deprivation.&nbsp; Animals are forced to perform unnatural or <a href="https://www.freedomforanimals.org.uk/tv-and-film" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">dangerous acts</a>, such as jumping through fire, fighting with other animals, or being exposed to loud noises or explosions. They are confined in small cages or trailers, transported long distances, exposed to different climates and environments, and often discarded or killed when they are no longer useful or profitable. Animals are not props or commodities. They are sentient beings who deserve respect and compassion. They are not here for our entertainment. <h2>‘No Animals Were Harmed’ </h2>American Humane is an organisation with the authority to monitor the use of animals in American-produced film and television productions. However, their oversight is limited. They do not have the power to stop or prevent animal cruelty, but only to report it. They do not monitor all productions, but only those that request their presence and pay for their services, and do not access all scenes involving animals, only those filmed in the United States. In the past, it has been reported that their ‘<a href="https://sentientmedia.org/animals-in-entertainment/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">No Animals Were Harmed</a>’ label was used even when animals have <a href="https://aldf.org/article/animals-in-film-capitalizing-on-suffering/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">suffered</a>. A tiger used in Life of Pi almost drowned on set but still received a ‘No Animals Were Harmed’ award from American Humane. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1711556945/Image_1_90_pic_2_4f35823f0a.png" alt="Videographer holding a camera in a dark room">Kyle Loftus/Pexels <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Off-screen harm</h2>The use of animals in film and television also has negative impacts on animals off-screen. It can create false or misleading impressions of animals’ personalities, intelligence, emotions, and needs. It can encourage people to buy or adopt certain breeds or species of animals without considering their suitability. It can increase the demand for exotic or endangered animals as pets or trophies and contributes to the decline of wild animal populations and habitats. The 1996 live-action adaptation of 101 Dalmatians revolves around Cruella’s obsession with making a coat out of the fur of Dalmatian puppies.&nbsp;The film used real dogs for some scenes and caused a <a href="https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/The-Dalmatian-Syndrome-Part-2#:~:text=Within%20a%20year%20of%20the%20movie%27s%20release%2C%20these,Bay%2C%20Florida%2C%20had%20an%20alarming%20surge%20of%20762%25." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">surge</a> in demand for Dalmatian puppies as pets, which led to many of them being abandoned or mistreated by irresponsible owners. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">TV</h2>Sometimes watching TV feels like we’re living in a dystopian nightmare, as modern shows continue to abuse animals for entertainment.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since the show aired in 2002, I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!&nbsp;has received thousands of viewer complaints and heavy campaigning from animal charities and wildlife experts, including Chris Packham, for animal cruelty and mindless exploitation. Although, after much public outcry, it stopped the celebs from eating live creatures, it continues to feature and harm them.&nbsp;19,000 people supported the RSPCA’s Unhappy Campers: I'm a Celeb <a href="https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/imaceleb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">campaign</a> in November 2022, and the fight continues.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The RSPCA reiterates, “Since <a href="https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/imaceleb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">I'm a Celebrity</a> was first aired, animals have been dropped, thrown, handled roughly, crushed, chased, overcrowded, scared by contestants and prevented from escaping stressful experiences.”&nbsp;&nbsp; The RSPCA reiterates, “Since <a href="https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/imaceleb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">I'm a Celebrity</a> was first aired, animals have been dropped, thrown, handled roughly, crushed, chased, overcrowded, scared by contestants and prevented from escaping stressful experiences.” <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1711557667/Image_2_24_pic_3_ea7c43b326.png" alt="2023 I’m a Celebrity. . . Get Me Out of Here! Contestants">ITV <h2 class="ql-align-justify">CGI</h2>CGI and special effects have advanced significantly where photorealistic animals are created, proving there is no need to use animals for entertainment. CGI is not new and entered Hollywood in the <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/culture/how-cgi-has-taken-animals-out" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">1970s</a>, being used in productions such as Westworld and the early Star Wars films.&nbsp; Exotic animals have traditionally been exploited in cinema, whereby in the 1980s, there were around <a href="https://interestingengineering.com/culture/how-cgi-has-taken-animals-out" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">ten exotic animal</a> companies in the Los Angeles area where studios procured animals for film. Now, due to the increase in CGI, there are two, and hopefully, this will become zero as more productions use technology to render animal characters.&nbsp; <a href="https://nofilmschool.com/cocaine-bear-cgi-bear-breakdown" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Cocaine Bear</a> used CGI bears, which not only stops the exploitation of bears but also allows more artistic autonomy when directing these characters. <a href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/fantasy/his-dark-materials-armoured-bears-behind-the-scenes/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">His Dark Materials</a> used CGI and puppetry to bring magnitude and choreography to their bear character.&nbsp; In a 2020 interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv8l8gHG6qQ&amp;t=150s" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Still Watching Netflix</a>, Bridgerton’s Regé-Jean Page admitted that “a bunch of the horses in the series are fake.” The actors sat in carriages in a studio using greenscreens in the background, again, proving there is no need to use real animals. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1711558259/Image_3_4_pic_4_4a92389c80.png" alt="Cocaine Bear promotional film poster graphic"> <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Animals on social media</h2>Between 2020 and 2021, The <a href="https://www.smaccoalition.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: rgb(254, 254, 254);">Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition</a> (SMACC) documented 5480 individual links to videos containing animal cruelty content on YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Unfortunately, social media plays a part in the complicit exploitation of animals. If you engage with animal content, such as a video of a pet playing, the platform’s algorithms will likely feed you more animal content, which could result in animal cruelty videos disguised as animal rescue. There has been a growing trend of fake animal rescue content, including wild and exotic animals, whereby creatures are put into dangerous situations so that a rescue attempt can be captured.&nbsp; Additionally, content whereby animals are made to perform or are in captivity is common viewing, and due to the sprawling nature of social media, it is difficult to monitor and control.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; World Animal Protection urges users to help curb online cruelty with their <a href="https://www.worldanimalprotection.org.uk/blogs/online-animal-cruelty" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: rgb(254, 254, 254);">five steps</a>, including reporting any concerns to <a href="https://www.smaccoalition.com/report-a-concern" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: rgb(254, 254, 254);">SMACC</a>, and not watching or sharing content.&nbsp; As consumers of entertainment media, we must be aware of the ethical issues involved in using animals for our amusement and question the sources and methods of obtaining and ‘training’ animals. At the very least, we can boycott productions that exploit or harm animals by not watching. Take to social media to voice our concerns and write complaints. We can support productions that use animatronics, CGI, or documentary footage of animals in their natural habitats.&nbsp; For vegan-approved entertainment, we recommend these <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-captivating-vegan-podcasts-worth-tuning-into" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan podcasts</a> and binge-worthy, cruelty-free <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/too-good-to-miss-vegan-shows-to-binge-watch" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan shows</a>!

Scene from Life of Pi where the protagonist is in a boat in the ocean with a Bengal tiger

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Are film, TV, and social media complicit in animal cruelty?

Vegan activism takes many forms from campaigns, marches, outreach, and public speaking, to making plant-based food for your non-vegan friends. To be vegan is to be active in striving for a world that does not exploit animals, and instead, acknowledges them as sentient beings, capable of thoughts, feelings, and emotions, just like us.&nbsp; Creative writing is a powerful tool that can shine a light on worldly issues. Vegan poetry can give a voice to the animals who cannot defend themselves and inspire others to do so. Highlighting this conscious disconnect from non-human animals, as well as providing hope for the future, vegan poetry is a powerful form of activism. We had the chance to interview some vegan poets and discuss the importance of activism through poetry. <h2>J. H. Dickinson</h2>J. H. Dickinson is an author, researcher, therapist, artist, and creative writing facilitator from Northumberland. Dickinson is an advocate for human and non-human animals as well as the planet. Her poetry explores ideas of post-humanist thinking to spark conversation about socially challenging subjects.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1710071264/Image_1_17_06f2030852.png" alt="J. H. Dickinson (vegan poet) in a room inside"> Dickinson’s collection of poems “I, Animal: Examining the Animal-Human Divide” explores different themes, including hunting, reimagining, and hoping to expose and evolve from the current societal views on non-human animals. Dickinson’s poetry collection is a powerful piece of vegan activism, revealing the truth to the non-vegan about what these animals go through, and reinspiring the already-vegan.&nbsp; Julie was inspired to start writing vegan poetry in 2017 in response to the despair she felt after campaigning against the 2017/18 Taiji dolphin drive hunt, spending every night on social media to draw attention to the seasonal drives. She also campaigned to support Sea Shepherd. Julie found herself periodically scribbling away, in desperation to vent. The “Blue Cove” poem in the book was born from this process and experience.&nbsp; Julie explains how poetry is fit for purpose in tackling emotive and emotional ideas - connecting intimately with the reader and is a powerful medium for persuading and engaging.&nbsp; After seeing footage of a calf trying to get back through a fence to a group of heifers, Julie decided vegetarianism was no longer enough and went vegan. Other images of calves in a state of neglect, what Dickinson coined as the “sobering reality I could no longer avoid,” made her ditch dairy. As for activists, Dickinson was influenced by Jo-Anne McArthur (and her beautiful yet haunting photography), Melanie Joy, Priya Sawhney, Joaquin Phoenix, and going back to Tolstoy.&nbsp; Julie’s favourite poem in the collection is “From an old tin roof,” about a pigeon who lands on the poet’s roof with “Grey and white feathers, dehydrated, done.”&nbsp;&nbsp; “That little pigeon,” Julie says, “was as important to me as any living thing. . . because we all live and die. . . and there is something precious and vital about that.”&nbsp; We took a closer look at one of the poems in the collection: “Earthly Child.” I breathe deep green thoughts and move&nbsp;at a pace uncontrolled.I refuse to strip bare my home.To kill the creatures that walk, fly,swim and slither. My usual human self fallsaway, broken, changedby evident lack of capitalist consumption.&nbsp; I drift in silken rivulets of&nbsp;light,fractingthroughwater, surface,and deep bodied blue. I am earth and gravel and gritand bone of ancestor.I am history and pulseof memory,&nbsp;both humanand animal sentient.&nbsp; I connect and feel rooted,gnarly, and heavywith plant material.I sense, I infuseand touch lifewith a deeper resonance. Earthly infantile,&nbsp;they call me ‘child,’human sentimentalist,&nbsp;insane vegan. But I am falling,&nbsp;dreaming.&nbsp;Humming throng ofvibration.&nbsp; To my original heart-casaI return.I will guard, protect,&nbsp;sing a song of truthof sentient inhabitantsand earthly home.&nbsp; “Earthly Child” is one of the oldest in the collection. Julie wrote it during a walk near Hadrian’s Wall. “Earthly Child,” Julie explains, is about “being symbiotic with the planet, connected, compassionate, with child-like curiosity, senses afire and attuned to everything, becoming free and whole.” <h2>P. G. Holroyd&nbsp;</h2>P. G. Holroyd writes punchy, unapologetic, and to-the-point poetry. He states, “There is no excuse for animal abuse in this day and age.”&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1710071327/Image_2_5_ae423af6fb.png" alt="P. G. Holroyd (vegan poet) outside by the coast on a sunny day"> Holroyd started writing poetry in 2021 after protesting at Camp Beagle as puppies were being bred solely for experimentation. Holroyd’s poetry takes an active stance in exposing humanity for its awful treatment of animals. No animal is left out in Holroyd’s collection, as he tackles speciesism with a provocative voice “to make non-vegans think about their food and the way animals are treated.” With over 100 vegan/animal rights poems as well as 150 poems on other subjects, Holroyd is constantly writing, explaining, “More poems are still flooding my brain.” Holroyd shares how his written words read with conviction and have influenced other vegans to start writing their poetry; he has read his poetry at many events, including N.A.R.D in Bournemouth in 2022.&nbsp; Holroyd was not inspired by any activists to go vegan, and did his research after giving up most meat in 1985, stating how “4 years ago, something just clicked.” He states he was angry at himself for not realising the horrors of the meat, dairy, and egg industry sooner, and ponders that maybe some of that anger and passion fuels the poems he writes.&nbsp; Holroyd tries to make his poems almost songlike, with flow to them, “The V-Word” and “Humane Slaughter” are a couple of his favourites to read out loud.&nbsp; V-Land took a closer look at one of the poems, “Poultry Poetry,” in his collection GreenBeard's Vegan Verse: A Collection of 35 vegan and animal rights poems. Just a few weeks old and you have them for dinnerDoes that make you feel proud, do you feel like a winner?These helpless babies have just been bornAnd in just a few weeks their bodies are wornFattened so quickly they outgrow their legsUnable to stand, bred for meat, not for eggsThen turned into burgers and nuggets and thingsAnd you gorge on their bodies, their legs and their wings Chickens and turkeys and ducks and geeseYou suck on their bones, all covered in greaseTheir feed funnelled in as if fuelling a truckYou eat the same way ‘cause you don’t give a fuckTheir overstuffed bodies make them look fully grownTheir lives just begun, and to slaughter they’re thrownYou call it a feast and give thanks for your mealBut those lives weren’t given, the true word is a steal You say it’s up to you, what you eat is your choiceBut what would they choose if they had a voice?They’re sentient beings, they can feel, they can thinkAnd we reduce them to scraps to be washed down the sinkYou see them as something, not the someone they areSome inanimate object, like a bike or a carIf we could see through their eyes, do you know what we’d find?Monsters do exist in this world, and they’re called Mankind Holroyd explains how “Poultry Poetry” was written to highlight the fact that these birds are abused from day one, exposing humankind for their violence, and calling them monsters.&nbsp; This poem asks the reader to look through the eyes of the birds, and in doing so, simulates this world of enduring violence to make individuals think about the consequences of their consumption. “Poultry Poetry” is a strong piece of vegan activism with its questioning tone and profanity making it extremely provocative, especially when read out loud.&nbsp; Both collections are inspiring pieces of activism. Contrasting this ‘vegan voice,’ with the voice of society and giving the animals a voice, Dickinson and Holroyd shine a light on this societal disconnect and demand change towards a vegan world.&nbsp; Want to read more about vegan activism? Check out our interview with Earthling Ed who <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/ed-winters-shares-why-he-s-compelled-to-champion-vegan-activism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">shares why he’s compelled to champion vegan activism</a> and be inspired by <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/art-as-activism-vegan-artists-to-follow-on-instagram" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">five activist artists</a>.

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Activism through poetry: Giving a voice to the voiceless

Veganism and plant-based culture are on the rise. Below are five books curated, ranked, and honestly reviewed to help get you started on your plant-based journey - and what better time than World Book Day? <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Should We All Be Vegan?: A primer for the 21st century&nbsp;</h2><a href="http://www.mollywatsonwriter.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Molly Watson</a> wrote this insightful book providing the truth about the conditions and consequences of intensive animal farming. Molly Watson, a San Francisco food writer and editor, has written various health-focused books and is passionate about ethical consumerism. This vegan book highlights animal cruelty beyond slaughter, describes physical distortions and genetic engineering, and grants true insight into the condition of animals within factories. If you aren't already aware of animal husbandry and farming, this book explains the revolution of animal culture and how it has affected its environment. The book also paints a picture of the positive effects of veganism within vegan fashion, vegan celebrities encouraging the lifestyle and musicians such as Morrissey. It’s on the lighter side of nonfiction, including many photographs and real-time references.&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Becoming Vegan</h2>Published in 1984, was written by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brendadavisrd/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Brenda Davis,</a> a registered dietitian, plant-based pioneer and public speaker. This vegan book is valuable for someone who would like an overview of the benefits of following a vegan diet and lifestyle. Davis describes vegan ethics as a predetermined right within our “philosophers and spiritual leaders” already leading the way as they had emphasised compassion towards animals. This vegan book provides a thorough background on vegan and vegetarian history and serves as a definitive and expert guide. Becoming Vegan again describes accurate statistics on the poultry/dairy industry and fish welfare - it is not for the faint of heart or to be recommended as a beginner's guide to veganism.&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">How To Go Vegan: The why, the how, and everything you need to make going vegan easy</h2>A short guide created by the founders of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/weareveganuary/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Veganuary</a>, the UK charity founded in 2014 by Jane Land and Matthew Glover. Veganuary is a charity with a global reach that encourages people around the world to go vegan for one month in January. This book answers all of the questions of how and why you should become vegan and offers a helping hand while transitioning. This book contains many vegan ambassadors who have shared their personal inspirational stories and the benefits of becoming vegan. How to Go Vegan describes the suffering of animals for meat, milk and eggs and provides a backstory to animal welfare standards in other countries such as the US, Switzerland, Sweden and Canada. How to Go Vegan is a great starter guide and even includes mini notes in case you desire a short read. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Why Veganism Matters: The Moral Value of Animals</h2>This book grants a philosophical outlook on veganism; written by <a href="https://www.abolitionistapproach.com/about/gary-l-francione/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Gary L. Francione</a>, a teacher of animal rights theory for over twenty-five years and founder of <a href="https://www.howdoigovegan.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">HowDoIGoVegan.com</a>. This book poses social questions and compares and describes being vegan as the baseline for animal rights advocacy. He also highlights vital animal ethicists such as Peter Singer and Tom Regan. The book is heavy reading making many references to social constructs, protecting rights, and legal rights of animals.&nbsp; <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Yes Ve-gan!: A blueprint for vegan living&nbsp;</h2>A book by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/selene.nelson/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Selene Nelson</a>, a British author, journalist and vegan activist. This influential starter guide is one of the best vegan books as an introduction to veganism which is easy to navigate and read. This book gives us a clear insight into environmental damage happening to our planet. Nelson also describes her own story creating a relatable and down-to-earth narrative for those who want to live a kinder and more sustainable life. This book ends on a positive note, urging readers to change to a vegan diet as it will cut greenhouse gasses and global acidification.&nbsp;&nbsp; If you liked learning about these 5 compelling vegan books, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/the-greening-of-literature-perspectives-of-a-vegan-publisher" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">the greening of literature: perspectives of a vegan publisher</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-top-tips-for-self-publishing-a-vegan-book" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">5 top tips for self-publishing a book</a>.

Stack of colourful hardback books and an open book at the top of the stack, on a blue background

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Dive into plant-based culture with these 5 compelling vegan books


Five dog breeds are classified as banned in the UK: the Japanese Tosa (pictured above), Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Pit Bull Terrier, and as of January 1st 2024, XL Bullies. The ban on these breeds falls under Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), but what does Breed Specific Legislation mean?&nbsp; According to the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/65/contents" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dangerous Dogs Act 1991</a>, it is illegal to breed, sell, give away, or abandon a dog classed as a banned breed. It is also against the law to own a banned breed unless the owner has been granted an <a href="https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/endcruelty/changingthelaw/bsl#:~:text=The%20courts%20are%20now%20permitted,sets%20out%20the%20following%20conditions." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">exemption certificate</a>, has 3rd party liability insurance, neuters the dog, and adheres to keeping them muzzled and on a leash when out in public for the dog's lifetime. With strict rules in place for banned breeds, does Breed Specific Legislation serve its purpose in keeping the general public safe?&nbsp; According to many experts and organisations throughout the UK, the adamant response is that no, it does not. <a href="https://www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign/bsl#:~:text=We%20are%20not%20alone%20in,and%20louder%20than%20ever%20before." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The RSPCA report</a>ed: “BSL fails to protect public safety and hasn’t achieved what it set out to do. Hospital admissions due to dog bites continue to rise year on year and tragic fatalities as a result of dog incidents have continued. [Between 1999-2019] the number of hospital admissions for the treatment of dog bites increased by 154%, despite the prohibition of certain types of dogs.” A troubling concern with the government's approach to tackling dog attacks, is that Breed Specific Legislation fails to address one of the leading causes of dangerous dog behaviour; irresponsible dog ownership. Dogs have specific needs, and when these needs aren’t met, just like a human, their mental state changes, often resulting in physical changes too. One of the most recent, relevant studies shows that <a href="https://www.injuryjournal.com/article/0020-1383(96)83411-5/fulltext" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">banned breeds are no more likely to bite than other breeds</a>.&nbsp; Furthermore, <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/297447/dog-bite-victims-occurances-in-england/#:~:text=There%20were%2021%2C918%20dog%20attacks,during%20the%20provided%20time%20period." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">dog attacks happen regularly across the country</a>, many of which are <a href="https://www.merseyside.police.uk/news/merseyside/news/2023/two-people-charged-after-woman-died-following-dog-attack-in-netherton/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">not by banned breeds</a>. BSL targets specific breeds as a way of solving the problem, when the sobering reality is that <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2024/01/17/petrified-boy-face-ripped-off-christmas-eve-dog-attack-20127602/?ico=related-posts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">any dog can attack</a>, not just the breeds that the government have deemed to be a danger to the public.&nbsp; So what is the solution to the rising dog attacks in the UK? Experts are adamant that <a href="https://www.vettimes.co.uk/news/academic-calls-for-licensing-to-address-aggressive-dogs/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">responsible ownership is vital to reduce dog attacks</a>. Caring for a dog is a long-term commitment of ten to twenty years (breed dependant), and it is vital to understand what is involved before getting a dog of any breed. Before rehoming, rescuing, or buying a dog, potential dog owners need to ask these questions. •&nbsp;Can I <a href="https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/dog-advice/cost-owning-dog" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">afford</a> to feed, home, and care for a dog?•&nbsp;Can I provide a dog a <a href="https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/environment" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">safe home</a> to live in?•&nbsp;Can I make time to properly <a href="https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/how-much-exercise-does-your-dog-need?psafe_param=1&amp;_$ja=tsid:%7Ccid:1403862223%7Cagid:61029692051%7Ctid:dsa-383790862483%7Ccrid:269371529025%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:10107132369872979937%7Cdvc:c%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:1006764&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAzoeuBhDqARIsAMdH14FaBQiOlAGfmLDu4IWgekXEM-rdpdnIBw0z-sOLCP0laJ4y28FRHSoaAu05EALw_wcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">exercise</a> a dog regularly as they require?•&nbsp;Can I make time to <a href="https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/training" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">train</a> and <a href="https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/how-to-play-with-your-dog?amp&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAzoeuBhDqARIsAMdH14EPqqtKp8KRCqyxYdsdHwS3KCCh-eIPvEQS4ucgK-rRPko1NUSih2YaAn5MEALw_wcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">play</a> with a dog?•&nbsp;Am I physically and emotionally available to <a href="https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/understanding-your-dog/make-your-dog-happy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">love and care</a> for a dog?&nbsp; If the answer is no to any of those questions, then a dog is not a suitable animal companion. The absence of any of the above is likely to contribute towards a frustrated, potentially anxious dog, which is <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/american-xl-bully-ban-exemption-dog-attacks-b2488530.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">often a contributing factor to dog attacks</a> in the UK. Another distressing concern with Breed Specific Legislation, is the <a href="https://www.bluecross.org.uk/our-campaign-to-end-breed-specific-legislation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">death rate to innocent dogs</a> that have not shown any signs of aggression. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1707943589/Image_1_88_pic_2_5cee80f483.png" alt="Pit Bull Terrier dog on some grass next to its chew toy">stacydubuc/Flickr/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">CC BY-SA 2.0</a> BSL uses a broad spectrum of measurements to identify whether a dog is within a banned breed ‘type,’ and many <a href="https://www.itv.com/news/2023-11-15/xl-bully-ban-leaves-owners-of-other-dog-types-fearing-for-their-pets-lives" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">dogs that meet these measurements are at risk of being seized and destroyed</a>, regardless of whether they are a banned breed or not.&nbsp; Any bull-breed-type dogs that find themselves in shelters and meet the government guideline measurements cannot legally be rehomed, so <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/dec/31/judicial-review-hearing-granted-xl-bully-ban" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">rescues are forced to euthanise them</a>, although many <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12914671/vets-refusing-destroy-xl-bully-ban.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">veterinary practices are refusing to put healthy dogs to sleep</a>. Animal Rights Activist <a href="http://www.instagram.com/thefitveganpsychic" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Leigh-Catherine Salway</a> is one of many members of the <a href="http://www.instagram.com/save_o_bullys" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Save Our Bullies</a> movement experiencing this first hand: “We’ve been inundated by distraught owners who have had to choose between <a href="https://planetradio.co.uk/greatest-hits/rutland/news/xl-bully-eviction-ban/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">keeping their dogs or losing their home</a>, or struggling to pay the exemption fees because of the XL Bully ban. We need to <a href="https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/backyard-breeders-making-10k-per-29604932" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">ban backyard breeders</a> and invest in responsible ownership. BSL does nothing to protect the public and innocent dogs are dying all over the country because of it.” Many UK residents agree, with the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dontbanmelicenceme/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Don’t Ban Me – Licence Me</a> group campaigning to end BSL, calling for better education and licensing of dogs instead of a ban. Their <a href="https://www.licenceme.org.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">recent petition</a> gained over 600,000 signatures from the general public, and support from animal welfare and dog behavioural experts.&nbsp; Some countries have a ‘deed not breed’ approach preferring to use dog licensing and have reportedly fewer dog attacks than countries with Breed Specific Legislation. UK dog licences were scrapped in 1987, with the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 following shortly after. Yet this approach has seen a <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/297447/dog-bite-victims-occurances-in-england/#:~:text=There%20were%2021%2C918%20dog%20attacks,during%20the%20provided%20time%20period." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">significant rise in dog bites</a> since the legislation was brought in.&nbsp; The Dog Control Coalition, a group of accredited animal organisations including, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the_blue_cross/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">The Blue Cross</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/battersea/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Battersea</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/britishvets/?hl=en-gb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">British Veterinary Association</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dogstrust/?hl=en-gb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Dogs Trust</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hoperescue/?hl=en-gb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Hope Rescue</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/teampdsa/?hl=en-gb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">PDSA</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/official_scottishspca/?hl=en-gb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Scottish SPCA</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thekennelclubuk/?hl=en-gb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">The Kennel Club</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/uspcaofficial/?hl=en-gb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">USPCA</a> are united in their request to rethink BSL: “For 32 years, the Dangerous Dogs Act has focused on banning types of dog and yet has coincided with an increase in dog bites and the recent deaths show that this approach isn’t working. The UK Government must tackle the root issue by dealing with the unscrupulous breeders, who are putting profit before welfare, and the irresponsible owners whose dogs are dangerously out of control.” If you have been affected by Breed Specific Legislation, you can seek advice from <a href="https://www.ddawatch.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The DDA Watch</a> or <a href="https://wheldonlaw.co.uk/dog-law-solicitors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Wheldon Law Dog Specialists</a>. If you’re unsure how to decide if a dog is the right companion animal for you, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/international-animal-rights-day-peter-egan-s-call-for-compassion" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Peter Egan’s Call For Compassion</a>, and we discuss the ethical <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/furry-friends-in-a-vegan-world-ethical-dilemmas-of-pet-ownership" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">dilemmas of pet ownership</a>.

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Breed Specific Legislation: Should certain dog breeds be banned?

A theatre company with purpose, <a href="https://www.patchplays.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Patch Plays</a>, recognised that there are many forms of vegan activism and chose the stage as a platform to make a difference. Their focus is on animal ethics and the environment and they state that “attending a night at the theatre might not seem like you’re saving the world, but Patch Plays hopes to platform important stories that can start a conversation and inspire a little positive change.” Their latest play, Blood On Your Hands, written by Grace Joy Howarth, was recently performed at the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/swkplay/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Southwark Playhouse</a>. V-Land UK had the privilege of also attending a shorter version of the show which they performed last year. At that time, it only featured the two main characters so it was rewarding to see how it has been developed with an extended cast and added depth. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1707942218/Image_1_87_pic_2_a7808d8831.png" alt="Blood On Your Hands play promotional graphic">Patch Plays It is the story of the forgotten victims of the meat industry and examines the human impact on some of those who work in slaughterhouses. Centred around a Ukrainian refugee and ex-veterinarian, Kostyantyn, it brings to life the harsh realities of working in such an environment. It also incorporates an animal rights angle so the audience is shown what it means to advocate for the non-human victims who end up at these abattoirs. The other protagonist is Dan, a young man trapped by poverty and lack of opportunity. Despite this, he is happy-go-lucky in nature. The humorous moments, encountered as they build their friendship, invoke a sense of unease given the context of their work setting. We see Kostyantyn and Dan navigating the day-to-day challenges life has thrown at them. With the support of flashbacks we learn more about their backstories and their extended relationships. Kostyantyn’s wife and children are back home in war-torn Ukraine, keen to join him for a better life. Dan struggles with his ex-girlfriend who has become an animal rights activist after learning about his experiences at the slaughterhouse. Adding further to the unease is a scene representing the kill floor. The horror is presented using plastic sheets, knives, blood, and body parts, to great effect. It is one of several moments in the play that really hits. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1707942459/Image_2_22_pic_3_a34c4766ac.png" alt="Scene from Blood On Your Hands play with a slaughterhouse worker and a women holding a placard"><a href="https://scontent-lhr8-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/250209141_115182194282780_5791298902826643229_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&amp;ccb=1-7&amp;_nc_sid=5614bc&amp;_nc_ohc=3cBR67CTQuUAX9VzyxW&amp;_nc_ht=scontent-lhr8-1.xx&amp;oh=00_AfC7dB1E7CBqaI11_v9sbpcgarAOqzOIBA2YdcgQiJgcFg&amp;oe=64F5A35E" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Patch Plays</a> Overall, it is an emotional, thought-provoking ride. Whether vegan or not, you will leave the show with new perspectives and something with substance to discuss. Definitely one to see if the opportunity presents itself again.&nbsp; Follow Patch Plays on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/patchplaystheatre/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/patchplays2020" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Facebook</a> to ensure you don’t miss out on future productions. Their previous plays include, <a href="https://www.patchplays.com/meat-cute-1/project-one-f5w4d-6ntmm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Meat Cute</a>, about a woman on a mission to veganise her Tinder dates that was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe 2023. Theatre as a form of vegan activism was in full display during this particular play.&nbsp; They are without doubt a theatre company to keep an eye on and we look forward to whatever comes next. For more inspiration on different forms of vegan activism you might be interested in our articles detailing <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/unique-uk-animal-rights-activism-approaches" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">unique activism approaches</a> or a listing of <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-vegan-artists-using-music-as-a-form-of-animal-rights-activism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">artists using music as a form of activism</a>.

Slaughterhouse worker (from Blood On Your Hands play) holding two knives above his head and looking upwards

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Theatre as a form of vegan activism: Blood On Your Hands play review

The UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity Viva! <a href="https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/commuters-shock-stunt-strings-up-9095908" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">made headlines</a> this week with its ‘<a href="https://are-you-an-animal-lover.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Are you an animal lover?</a>’ campaign. The controversial PR stunt was led by <a href="http://www.instagram.com/vivacharity" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Viva!</a> Founder, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3QjJE6KKMU/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Juliet Gellatley</a>, and co-founder of plant-based food company THIS!, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C3QVrGjo0HP/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Andy Shovel</a>, displaying dead animals on the back of a truck at iconic locations throughout London, asking the question: ‘Are you an animal lover?’ A pretend cat and dog hung from butcher's hooks labelled ‘pet’ whilst a real slaughtered pig hung beside them labelled ‘animal.’&nbsp; “This stunt serves as a reminder that the beef burger you order or the bacon sandwich you cook isn’t a faceless ingredient; the only distinction between a deceased pig and a deceased cat or dog is your perception,” Viva! Founder, Juliet Gellatley, said in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHEjkUSwIi8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">statement</a>. The UK is renowned for being a nation of animal lovers, with Brits sharing their homes with a diverse selection of animals. <a href="https://worldanimalfoundation.org/advocate/pet-ownership-statistics-uk/#:~:text=Ten%20million%20or%2034%25%20of,8.2%20million)%20owning%20a%20cat." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Recent statistics show</a> that over 10 million UK households share their home with dogs, 8.2 million with cats, and another 1.5 million with birds and small mammals, and 49% of the British public consider their animal companion a part of the family. The definition of family can vary, but for the most part, a family member is someone we care for deeply and enjoy spending time with. Yet, whilst an estimated <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/308201/leading-ten-pets-ranked-by-population-size-in-the-united-kingdom/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">35 million animals across the UK</a> considered as loved and cherished family members and homed as pets, in stark contrast, there are over <a href="https://plantbasednews.org/culture/ethics/inside-uk-farming-industry-how-animals-killed-britain/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">1.2 billion land animals that we kill and consume as food</a>.&nbsp; Which gives pause to question; do people in the UK truly love animals, or do we only love our pets? <a href="https://twitter.com/Rob_Percival_" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Rob Percival</a>, author of <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-meat-paradox-brilliantly-provocative-original-electrifying-bee-wilson-financial-times-rob-percival/4957577?ean=9780349144573" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Meat Paradox</a> theorises, "In every society, old and new, from the Arctic to the Amazon, East to West, animals are placed in categories. Some are 'food,’ others are 'not food,’ and the latter category often includes 'pets.’ Some scholars think this is a way of channelling our empathy. Killing 'food' animals can be disturbing, so we tactically withdraw moral concern from these species and focus that concern on our chosen category of 'non-food' animals. In our society, to give one example, this leads us to treat pigs and dogs very differently, despite their evident similarities in cognition and sentience." The ethical inconsistencies of routinely slaughtering and eating billions of animals whilst homing and bonding with others is certainly difficult to comprehend logically.&nbsp; After all, what is the difference between a dog and a pig, other than that we choose to love one, and to eat another? Dogs are incredibly loving companions and are welcomed family members amongst humans, and yet we mass breed, confine, and <a href="https://www.hsa.org.uk/faqs/general#n1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">slaughter over 10 million pigs in the UK</a> each year, when multiple studies have shown that pigs are incredibly affectionate, with an intelligence level higher than dogs, equal to that of a five-year-old child. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1707954491/IMG_3786_274140d24f.png" alt="Close-up of a small pig with mud on its face on grass">Brett Sayles/Pexels In the UK, <a href="https://www.hsa.org.uk/faqs/general#n1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">pigs are slaughtered at the age of four to seven months old</a>, either in groups by gas asphyxiation, or hoisted by their hind legs and bled out via the throat. This is deemed humane slaughter in the UK, and yet, if this was the method of killing dogs for human consumption, would we feel the same way?&nbsp; The very idea of eating puppies instead of pigs, is unfathomable to many, with the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12111167/Charity-urges-westerners-holidaying-China-avoid-Yulin-dog-meat-festival.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Yulin Dog Meat Festival in China widely petitioned and protested against</a>, but is what we do to pigs, cows, chickens, lambs, deer, pigeons, turkeys, ducks, pheasants, fish, and many other UK animals any different? If we love and cherish dogs, cats, and the many other creatures we share our homes with, why can’t that love be extended to all animals? Is the vegan concept of equality for all creatures from land, sea, or sky, so outrageous or extreme as some believe it to be?&nbsp; Sadly, for many people, the carnistic response is that it is.&nbsp; Carnism is the concept that it is natural, normal, necessary, and nice (known as the Four N’s) for humans to use and consume animals for the products we use daily, from flesh and organs for food, to skin and furs for clothing, etc.&nbsp; The term was popularised by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/beyondcarnism/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Beyond Carnism</a>’s President <a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmelaniejoy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Melanie Joy</a> in her book <a href="https://carnism.org/book/why-we-love-dogs-eat-pigs-and-wear-cows/#:~:text=About%20the%20Book,never%20dream%20of%20eating%20others." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows</a>. This has led to much-needed discussions on why we harm some animal types whilst protecting others, and how this varies in different cultures.&nbsp; The discussion of carnism vs veganism highlights Western culture's somewhat hypocritical views on how other countries treat animals. Misleading advertising campaigns play a vital role in this; it is widely believed amongst animal lovers that the UK has outstanding animal welfare, when <a href="https://viva.org.uk/campaigns/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">multiple investigations</a> prove this to be untrue. Currently, <a href="https://www.ciwf.org.uk/factory-farming/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">two of every three animals are factory farmed in the UK</a>.&nbsp; The grim reality of life for farmed animals across our country has been documented thoroughly in recent years, with charities such as Viva! creating an award-winning exposé: <a href="https://viva.org.uk/animals/campaigns/hogwood/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">HogWood: A Modern Horror Story</a>; <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/ed-winters-shares-why-he-s-compelled-to-champion-vegan-activism" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Ed Winter</a>’s sharing the hidden truth within UK farming in his (free to watch) documentary <a href="https://www.landofhopeandglory.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Land of Hope and Glory</a> and <a href="https://www.therealcolourofmilk.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">MILK</a>; and Joey Carbstrong’s recently released <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pignorant-Joey-Carbstrong/dp/B0CV8HQ3QV" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Pignorant</a> (available to watch free on Amazon Prime UK). So where does this leave animals?&nbsp; The back and forth between carnism and veganism is a debate that could continue for aeons. And for animals living within the agricultural world, time is short. Painfully so. It is a little-known fact that <a href="https://viva.org.uk/animals/slaughter-how-animals-are-killed/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">most animals killed for food in the UK are slaughtered within their first year of life</a>. Some, in the first months, weeks, or in many cases, the first days.&nbsp; For further resources on animal-free nutrition see how to get B12 as a vegan, and if you’d like to try great-tasting vegan food, check out our <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/category/food-and-drink" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">food &amp; drink</a> section, we’re spoilt for choice!

Viva! ‘Are You An Animal Lover?’ campaign in London, England

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Exploring the controversial Viva! campaign: Are you an animal lover?

Activism takes many forms and over the years social justice movements have approached the fight to obtain rights in many ways. Direct action, marches, protests, petitions and even social media can play a part.&nbsp; If you are of an artistic disposition, you can use your creative skills to great effect. A perfect example of this is music. As a medium, it has the ability to evoke strong emotions. It can be powerful and visceral, enabling a strong animal rights message to be heard and acted upon. Below are V-Land’s top 5 vegan artists who use music as a form of activism. <h2>Moby</h2>After going vegan in 1987, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/moby" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Moby</a> is now a prolific and vocal advocate for animals. Much of his music is influenced by this position and in 1996 he released the album titled <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/3xmlMrPhua2HDRR0YwkUH0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Animal Rights</a>. This deviated from his usual style, and given the subject matter, it wasn’t that well received by his broader fan base. Nonetheless, he has amassed a catalogue of 20 studio albums and sold over 20 million records.&nbsp;&nbsp;An interesting watch is his feature-length documentary, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9q1IidazY8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Punk Rock Vegan Movie</a>, which looks at punk rock’s links to animal rights activism. As anarchists, punk rockers were more likely to question societal norms, including how the food we eat is produced.&nbsp; <h2>Prince</h2>Like Moby, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/prince" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Prince</a> needs little introduction. His music impacted a generation, and with over 150 million records sold worldwide, he is one of the best-selling artists of all time.&nbsp; After going vegan in the 1990s he released the single, “<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/1PxVh7MUB9iGtd3opcfXnJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Animal Kingdom</a>”, in 1998. This firmly rejected the notion that it was OK to exploit animals for any purpose. A year later, he released the album <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/54xp79ruakOSPWUE7YawIe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic</a>. On the cover, he wore a tight-fitting blue outfit, typical of his style. It was a definite statement piece in presentation and meaning. In the sleeve of the album, he wrote: “If this jacket were real wool, it would have taken seven lambs whose lives would have begun like this… Within weeks of their birth, their ears would have been hole-punched, their tails chopped off and the males would have been castrated while fully conscious. Extremely high rates of mortality are considered normal: 20-40% of lambs die before the age of 8 weeks: 8 million mature sheep die every year from disease, exposure or neglect. Many people believe shearing helps animals who would otherwise be too hot. But in order to avoid losing any wool, ranchers shear sheep before they would naturally shed their winter coats, resulting in millions of sheep deaths from exposure to the cold.” Unfortunately, he is no longer with us, but his contribution to the movement lives on and still influences people to this day. <h2>Macka B</h2>With a career spanning decades, this British-born Jamaican reggae artist has a <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ph6mRzG0lANVJRBTUIxI2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">back catalogue</a> any musician would envy.&nbsp; Following the principles of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ital" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Ital</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/officialmackab" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Macka B</a> adheres to and promotes the benefits of a whole food plant-based diet.&nbsp; <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/0IDk2BLXypQbSK6yi4ekuH" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Wha Me Eat</a> is a firm favourite. It chronicles the very relatable tale of vegans having to explain what they do and, more importantly, don’t eat. For a more playful, solo vegetable-focused track, check out <a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/2sLd6kJMLkVi2jgy1RTIC7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Cucumba</a>. The song regales the multiple health benefits of the humble cucumber. You might be surprised by its versatility. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1691099221/Image_1_61_pic_2_8a6d0275cb.png" alt="Macka B holding a microphone and smiling "><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=61711688" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Krd</a>/<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/?ref=openverse" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">CC BY-SA 4.0</a> <h2>Mobius Loop</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mobiusloopmusic" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Mobius Loop</a> are an independent philosophical folk band with veganism at their core. Their desire for improvement includes humans, with songs and lyrics that reflect this mission. With 3 albums under their belt, the latest offering, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/4HhVBH6NGI1kecyRnt6E9U" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">2020 Vi5ion</a>, includes the strong anti-hunting song, “<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/6Yymx8C9GFUyw2Bbp3cSZf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Foxtrot Tally Hoedown</a>”.&nbsp; Eccentric in presentation and performance they are well worth checking out <a href="https://www.mobiusloop.co.uk/tickets" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">live</a>. <h2>Vegan Queen V&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/veganqueenv" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Vegan Queen V</a> is a solo female pop singer who is passionate about both human and non-human rights. Her debut album, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/4aPKaroFeAqZhYKYBrHYke" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Freedom Warrior</a>, was released in May 2022. It is exclusively dedicated to highlighting all the ways in which animals are exploited. “<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/1ZzO2Eph7WNE0iE3v5KzNq" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dominion</a>”, the opening track, is a melancholic questioning of why humans continue to abuse their position of power. If you listen to just one album today, this should be it.&nbsp; <h2>Honorary mentions&nbsp;</h2>Another dedicated animal rights album worth adding to your playlist is <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/3KdauY9XaYaiqGjdRdTjdW" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Animal Liberation</a> by <a href="https://musicdigi.com/post/artist-spotlight-3a-liberation-drummer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Liberation Drummer</a>.&nbsp; And our final pick is <a href="https://www.instagram.com/andyjonesofficial" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Andy Jones</a>. He has released multiple albums which include tracks like “<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/2kAjcUSZhG0dDPG0tYXCU9" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">I See You</a>” and “<a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/0ZdVU77zIrDi3PyYpBaXM5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Better Than This</a>”. Like the artists above, if you want to get creative with your animal rights activism, check out which vegan artists to follow on Instagram in our article, <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/art-as-activism-vegan-artists-to-follow-on-instagram" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">art as activism</a>. For even more inspiration on how to get started, or for additional options to expand your activism, have a look at <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/unique-uk-animal-rights-activism-approaches" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">unique UK animal rights activism approaches</a>.

 Moby singing into a microphone and playing guitar

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5 vegan artists using music as a form of animal rights activism

It’s Pride Month! With parades, marches, and parties happening throughout June all over the world, this month celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community. Pride honours the 1969 Stonewall riots, which were a catalyst for the gay rights movement and the creation of gay activist groups in the USA and around the world. You may be thinking, what does veganism have to do with Pride and the LGBTQIA+ community? Whilst it is necessary to note that sexuality is not a choice - whereas an individual chooses to go vegan - both movements are married by their challenging of norms, promoting inclusivity, and their mission for a more compassionate world. It is no coincidence that a large number of LGBTQIA+ people are vegan.&nbsp; <h2>Social justice movements&nbsp;</h2>LGBTQIA+ and vegan movements are united in their stride for social justice. Veganism is inclusive of non-human and human animals within its philosophy of harm reduction and collective liberation and, therefore, it inherently supports the LGBTQIA+ community. Hence, to choose a vegan lifestyle is to support and defend all life, and to protect those subjected to harm, violence and oppression.&nbsp; Article writer for Curve Magazine, Josie Le Vay created a Facebook poll in 2017 asking people if they identified as LGBT+ and posted it in UK vegan Facebook groups. Out of the 925 responses, <a href="https://www.curvemag.com/blog/health/why-are-so-many-lgbt-people-vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">66.4% said they were LGBT+</a>, and with the number of vegans rising each year, that figure may continue to rise.&nbsp; <a href="https://plantbasednews.org/opinion/opinion-piece/opinion-pride-is-a-protest-and-so-is-veganism-we-must-keep-fighting/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Dan Matthew’s from PETA said</a>: “Many animal rights activists support the LGBTQ+ community, and vice versa because we identify with those subjected to society’s ignorance and arrogance”. <h2>Identity&nbsp;</h2>As well as identifying these overlaps between groups, it is important to view them as separate. In the article ‘<a href="https://theveganreview.com/intersection-queer-culture-veganism-lgbtq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Exploring the intersection of queer culture and veganism</a>’ published earlier this month, Chloë Morgan looks into how individuals define their sexuality and their veganism in relation to their identity; sportsperson JP Casey, who is non-binary and vegan, states how “being vegan isn’t as much a part of my identity as being queer.” They describe how they’ve been to vegan food events with non-vegan friends, “but have attended fewer queer nights with straight friends”. They add: “I would more readily describe myself as a queer person than a vegan person”. JP Casey highlights how their sexuality is more important in relation to their identity. It is fixed, whereas veganism is chosen. Casey further states that vegans “don’t face anything near the kind of legal and social challenges queer folk do”. Therefore, bringing them together in terms of marginalisation can be seen as rather problematic, as “it’s illegal to be queer in some parts of the world, but no one is imprisoning vegans”. There are still <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-43822234" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">64 countries </a>that have laws that criminalise homosexuality as of March 2023 and whilst vegans who protest are often arrested, it is not illegal to be vegan.&nbsp; In contrast, gut health influencer and scientist-clinician <a href="https://theveganreview.com/intersection-queer-culture-veganism-lgbtq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dr Sunni Patel</a> believes that being vegan is as much part of his identity as being queer. “[Both] play an important role in my life and make me who I am today and what I stand for.” Dissimilar to JP Casey, Patel suggests an equalness to their veganism and sexuality, both possessing a key part of their identity.&nbsp;&nbsp; Writer <a href="https://theveganreview.com/intersection-queer-culture-veganism-lgbtq/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Kelsie Colclough </a>shares her experience of being queer and vegan in a society that expects conformity: “Growing up, I knew I was different in some way but didn’t have the word to describe it until I was a teenager.” She says that people think her veganism and asexuality both deprive her of something: “When you don’t fit into the image people have of how you ‘should’ live, [they] can get weird about it,” she explains.&nbsp; <h2>Compassion for all</h2>Whilst there is a similarity between the vegan and LGBTQIA+ communities as both strive for freedom, it is important to consider them as two separate movements. Protesting for equality and a compassionate world for all, they overlap, but are not inextricably related from both sides. Not all people in the LGBTQIA+ community are vegan, but all vegans should support the LGTBQIA+ community.&nbsp; It is important to remember that veganism transcends the protection of and refusal to eat animals, instilling a much larger mission, to protect, defend and support all animals, humans, and sentient beings. If you’re looking for more content pertinent to Pride Month, why not check out our interview with <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/up-close-and-personal-with-sean-o-callaghan-aka-fat-gay-vegan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Fat Gay Vegan</a> and our list of <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/10-amazing-lgbtqia-to-follow" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">amazing LGBTQIA+ people</a> to follow.

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How do LGBTQIA+ and vegan movements overlap? Where do they differ? 

Buddhism is a religion famous for its approach to compassion and enlightenment. As with any religion, the Buddha's teachings can be interpreted in a myriad of ways, and the same goes for the Buddhist stance on food. There isn’t a universal Buddhist diet that everyone follows in exactly the same way as one another. Are Buddhists vegan? Not necessarily, in fact, not all Buddhists are even vegetarians. But that doesn't mean the religion doesn't have a rich vegan culture. From a way of life that condemns the killing of animals, what else would you expect? Join us for plenty of facts about Buddhism as we explore veganism's place in the religion.&nbsp; <h2>What is Buddhism?</h2>Buddhism is a religion that arose in India around 2,500 years ago and follows the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). Today, there are over <a href="http://worldpopulationreview" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">520 million practising Buddhists</a> across the globe, making it the world's fourth-largest religion. This article will mention two of the biggest schools of Buddhism: Theravada and Mahayana. Buddhists are encouraged to follow a concept called the <a href="https://www.londonbuddhistvihara.org/teachings/the-noble-eightfold-path/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">eightfold path</a>. By following this path, practitioners can end their suffering and eventually reach enlightenment. This path is made up of eight guiding principles: • Right understanding - Remember that actions have consequences&nbsp;• Right intention - Follow the Buddhist path•&nbsp;Right speech - Don't lie, slander, abuse, gossip etc.•&nbsp;Right action - Behaving in a way that doesn't harm others, e.g. killing, stealing etc.•&nbsp;Right livelihood - Earn a living that doesn't cause harm, e.g. no trading livestock or weapons•&nbsp;Right effort - Avoid unwholesome thoughts and feelings•&nbsp;Right mindfulness - Become aware of your thoughts and feelings•&nbsp;Right concentration - Practice meditation&nbsp; <h2>Veganism in Buddhism</h2>Is veganism an essential part of Buddhism? Put simply - no. Some Theravada Buddhists will argue that since the Buddha wasn't vegetarian or vegan, removing animal products from the Buddhist diet isn't necessary to achieve enlightenment. Surprisingly, the<a href="https://americanmonk.org/vegetarianism-theravada-buddhism/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(13, 13, 20);"> </a><a href="https://americanmonk.org/vegetarianism-theravada-buddhism/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Buddha even laid down rules for eating meat</a>. Essentially, it's okay for monks to eat meat as long as it was a donation and the animal wasn't killed specifically for them.&nbsp; However, for a Buddhist monk living in a monastery, eating meat is not a personal choice. They can't go to the local supermarket and pick out all their favourite goodies. Instead, Buddhist monks often survive purely on donations.&nbsp; But most Buddhists aren't monks living in monasteries - especially here in the UK. So, what did the Buddha say about eating animal products for everyone else?&nbsp; Again, nothing. But, as Buddhism strictly prohibits taking life and causing harm to others, many interpret this as following a vegan diet. For example, in the<a href="https://globalcomment.com/why-arent-more-buddhists-vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(13, 13, 20);"> </a><a href="https://globalcomment.com/why-arent-more-buddhists-vegan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Mahayana sect of Buddhism</a>, there are clear and strict rules that condemn eating meat (no caveats for monks here).&nbsp; And since it's impossible to create meat without harming animals, this makes a lot of sense. Buying a steak from your local butcher is just causing suffering by proxy. While you didn't personally kill an animal, you did fund the process.&nbsp; Even in the Theravada practice, where eating meat is allowed under certain conditions, lay people (non-monks) are still advised to eat a vegetarian or vegan diet. Why? To avoid funding unethical animal farming practices. So, what about milk and eggs? The Buddha taught us to respect animals. Still, we've all seen how modern farming practices treat them. We're talking cramped factory farms riddled with diseases. Calves removed from their mothers for increased milk production. And the purposeful killing of male chicks in the egg industry. There's suffering wherever we look. <h2>The lowdown</h2>If you're interpreting 'right action' as not to intentionally cause harm, even by proxy, veganism is the way forward. It's a compassionate diet that removes unnecessary suffering from our food supply. And plenty of great healthy vegan food recipes are just waiting for you online! Yet since the Buddha didn't teach us not to, consuming animal products doesn't mean you're not Buddhist. At the end of the day, it's all down to each individual's interpretations of the Buddha's teachings.&nbsp; Above all else, be mindful of what you eat and where it comes from. Does something have to suffer for you to eat dinner, or is there a compassionate option instead?&nbsp; If you enjoyed learning about how veganism and Buddhism overlap, ponder further on the topic of moral encounters with non-human animals with <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/mind-being-world" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">author David G. Brooks</a>, and discover how <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/going-back-to-our-roots-the-benefits-of-tree-hugging" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">tree hugging has roots in environmental activism</a>.&nbsp;

Three Buddhist monks in red robes eating a Buddhist diet together sat down around a table  

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Is a Buddhist diet vegan? It’s more complex than you'd think

According to <a href="https://www.vegansociety.com/news/media/statistics/worldwide#:~:text=Behavioural%20changes,150%2C000%20(0.25%25)%20in%202014." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Ipsos Mori polls</a>, the number of UK vegans quadrupled between 2015 and 2019. A key driver of this trend is the massive growth in the market for plant-based alternatives to meat and animal products - this market is predicted to more than double to a whopping <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1280394/global-plant-based-food-market-value/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">$160bn by 2030</a> in the US alone. So, how is veganism affecting the meat industry? Plant-based alternatives to meat seek to imitate and replace animal products that are often a major constituent of particular dishes. Their purpose is to reduce the demand for meat, dairy, eggs, and fish by substituting them with a close analogue - one which is made entirely from plants. People in the animal agriculture industry know and understand this, and often interpret the rise of the plant-based market as a palpable threat to their slice of the pie. As a result, the animal industry has taken certain steps to protect its interests - however, none of these steps has involved reducing slaughter or scaling back production. Instead, animal industries often employ new marketing campaigns in a rash, last-ditch attempt at retaining their market share. One example of this came in January 2022, when Dairy UK and the ADHB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) teamed up to deliver their “We Eat Balanced” campaign. On the surface, this campaign was designed to reignite the nation’s passion for British farming, British meat, and British dairy products. Under the surface, however, this campaign was actually a timed, calculated attack by Big Agriculture on the popular <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/sign-up-to-veganuary-every-month-can-be-veganuary-month" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Veganuary</a> movement, which had been gaining ground every January since its inception in 2014. In an attempt to drive home the benefits of eating animals, the “We Eat Balanced” campaign placed special importance on the inability of “foods of plant origin” to adequately provide naturally occurring vitamin B12 and iron. It is therefore clear that the objective of this campaign involved generating not only renewed interest in meat and dairy, but also public mistrust in the nutritional benefits of a plant-based diet. The animal agriculture industry, with the backing of larger bureaucratic bodies such as the ADHB, is actively engaging in both defensive and offensive manoeuvres to protect its interests. However, lobbyists for the meat and dairy industries have begun to recognise that persistent social movements (such as veganism) often tend to be quite robust and have the advantage of momentum. As such, Big Ag employs other tactics in its battle to protect farming businesses. In recent years, the animal agriculture industry has looked increasingly to language for protection. In 2017, the dairy industry successfully pressured EU courts to prohibit plant-based milk companies (such as Swedish brand Oatly) from using any milk- or dairy-related terminology in their branding or on their packaging. This legislation was a considerable blow to the plant-based milk industry, but it served to show the underlying fragility of Big Dairy. On the back of this recent success, European dairy attempted in 2020 to further ban the use of terms such as ‘creamy’ and ‘buttery’ on plant-based products, but fortunately this move was unsuccessful. These kinds of regulations are a significant tactical weapon in the animal industry’s arsenal. When a plant-based company can no longer legally refer to the very foodstuff that its products aim to imitate or replace, it becomes more difficult to market and sell those products. Their labels may become less visible, less appealing, and less illustrative. Those in the animal agriculture industry know this - and thus language becomes weaponised in their quest for market dominance. However, some companies have found innovative ways to draw attention to this while still advertising, such as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/this.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">THIS</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alpro/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Alpro</a> (with their <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CbumtoEACEC/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">This Is Not M*lk range</a>), and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/oatly/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Oatly</a> (with their message: “<a href="https://www.theinspiration.com/2022/03/oatly-we-cant-legally-call-this-ice-cream-but-you-still-can/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">we can’t legally call this ice cream, but you still can</a>”).&nbsp; In a recent landmark case, the government of France went one step further and passed a decree that intended to outlaw the use of any animal-related terminology on foods that contained no animal-derived ingredients; the new decree would pertain only to food produced in the country. However, this news prompted a swift backlash from many producers and manufacturers in France. After only three weeks, the decree was overturned by France’s highest court. The status of this decree is safe - for now.&nbsp; It is clear that ‘language’ is slowly becoming the main theatre in which Big Agriculture and veganism jostle for power. Whereas the animal agriculture industry tends to succeed in gatekeeping animal-related terminology, the vegan movement is not backing down. In fact, there is reasonable cause for optimism: plant-based food producers are constantly using new and innovative ways to market their products, often in comical and sarcastic ways.&nbsp; Read more about the <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/toeing-the-line-how-and-why-brands-use-funny-vegan-product-names" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">funny ways in which plant-based food companies toe the legislative lines</a>.

The word ‘banned’ written in white chalk banned crossed out on a blackboard

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How the animal agriculture industry uses language for protection


Companies that sell alternatives to meat and dairy products are generally prohibited from using words like ‘chicken’, ‘milk’, or ‘cheese’ to help describe and define their products. At its core, this is a result of persistent lobbying from the animal agriculture industry. Those involved in the exploitation of animals often want to prevent plant based food companies from ‘appropriating’ their language. This is certainly the case in the EU. Ever since a <a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/data/eu-28-european-court-prohibits-use-dairy-names-non-dairy-products" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">European Court of Justice ruling in 2017</a>, plant based milk companies have been banned from using the word ‘milk’ both in their marketing and on their packaging. Take a stroll through your local supermarket: you are likely to see some pretty funny vegan product names in the free-from section. Instead of ‘soy milk’ and ‘almond milk’, you will probably notice products with names such as ‘oat drink’, ‘m*lk’, or just ‘soya’. Plant based food companies are forced to creatively rework their language in order to adhere to the law. To do so, they must improvise when naming and marketing their products. These names tend to come across as amusing - and, sometimes, a little sarcastic. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">A vegan play on words</h2>Perhaps the most notable way in which funny vegan food names find their way onto product packaging is with a play on words. This is displayed aptly in the plant based cheese sector. Take <a href="https://www.instagram.com/honestly.tasty/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Honestly Tasty</a>, a plant based cheese brand from London, as an example. Whilst they no longer market their <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CVOKab4qYaf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">award-winning</a> plant based blue cheese as ‘Veganzola’ (instead sold as ‘Blue’), they do retain a play on words for their camembert-style, almond-based <a href="https://honestlytasty.co.uk/collections/products/products/shamembert" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Shamembert</a>. Cheese-naming innovation is not the only string to Honestly Tasty’s bow – their cheeses are delicious, and belong on any plant based cheese board. It would be difficult to mention vegan cheese and play on words in the same sentence, without giving a shout out to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lafauxmagerie/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">La Fauxmagerie</a> – the first vegan cheesemonger in the UK, based in Shoreditch. Derived from the well-known word ‘fromage’, ‘fromagerie’ is the French term for ‘cheesemonger’. The clever people over at La Fauxmagerie not only remember their GCSE French, but they also know their cheese. Some of their classics include <a href="https://lafauxmagerie.com/collections/la-fauxmagerie/products/melting-faux-camembert" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Camemvert</a>, <a href="https://lafauxmagerie.com/collections/la-fauxmagerie/products/balham-blue" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Balham Blue</a>, and <a href="https://lafauxmagerie.com/collections/la-fauxmagerie/products/smokey-cheddah" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Shoreditch Smoked</a>. Outside the cheese world, many other brands also employ a play on words in their marketing. Of particular play-on-words fame is <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vegetarianbutcher/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Vegetarian Butcher</a>, whose array of <a href="https://www.thevegetarianbutcher.co.uk/products/retail/impeckable-chicken-breast.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">impeccably-named</a> products is vast enough to warrant a dedicated article! In no particular order, their products include <a href="https://www.thevegetarianbutcher.co.uk/products/retail/what-the-cluck.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">What the Cluck</a> chicken-style chunks, the <a href="https://www.thevegetarianbutcher.co.uk/products/retail/good-karma-shawarma.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Good Karma Shawarma</a>, and the <a href="https://www.thevegetarianbutcher.co.uk/products/retail/frozen-patty-on-the-back.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Patty on the Back</a> vegan burger. Not all of their products are vegan, though, so make sure to check. <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Just, ‘no’</h2>Some plant based companies keep it simple, content with using nothing more than a form of ‘no’ or ‘not’ in their product names. This strategy is two-fold. Firstly, these names make it clear to the consumer that the product in question does not contain animal products. Secondly, they help to make it clear what animal product it aims to imitate. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lomalindauk/?hl=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Loma Linda</a> follows this philosophy with their <a href="https://thevegankind.com/p/loma-linda-tuno-mayo-can-142g" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">TUNO</a>, a plant based alternative to canned tuna. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/crackd_it/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Crack’d</a> take a similar approach with their <a href="https://thevegankind.com/p/crackd-the-no-egg-egg-replacer-490g" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">No-Egg Egg</a>. Some companies even use this naming convention for products aimed at our canine friends; <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thepackpet/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Pack</a> produces plant based dog food, with a range that includes the <a href="https://thepackpet.com/products/tasty-meals" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">No-Moo Ragu</a>, the <a href="https://thepackpet.com/products/tasty-meals" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">No-Cluck Casserole</a>, and the <a href="https://thepackpet.com/products/tasty-meals" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">No-Fishy Dishy</a>. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1666976449/Image_1_25_pic_2nd_edit1_13c66c7051.jpg" alt="Image 1 (25) pic 2nd edit1.jpg"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/lomalindabrand/photos/3194108380872920" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Loma Linda</a> <h2 class="ql-align-justify">Vegan sarcasm</h2>Some of the UK’s best known plant based brands opt for sheer sarcasm in their marketing. Perhaps as an overly-explicit attempt to prevent the consumer from becoming confused, these companies use irony and sarcasm in a refreshing approach to plant based marketing. Here, it is nearly impossible to forget to mention <a href="https://www.instagram.com/this.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">THIS</a>, who are blunt but to-the-point when they tell the consumer that <a href="https://this.co/products/rashers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">This Isn’t Bacon</a> and that <a href="https://this.co/products/sea-salt-and-cracked-black-pepper/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">This Isn’t Chicken</a>. Alpro also tell the consumer in plain words that <a href="https://www.alpro.com/uk/products/not-mlk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">This Is Not M*lk</a>. Earlier this year, <a href="https://www.oatly.com/en-gb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Oatly</a> aimed its crosshairs directly at EU legislators when they ran a campaign that read; “<a href="https://www.theinspiration.com/2022/03/oatly-we-cant-legally-call-this-ice-cream-but-you-still-can/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">we can’t legally call this ice cream, but you still can</a>”. This represented an unapologetic critique of the naming conventions by which plant based companies were legally forced to abide. These final examples just go to show that plant based companies – in one way or another – will always find innovative ways to tell the consumer what it is that their products aim to replace. As long as legislation is in place to regulate plant based companies, funny vegan product names are here to stay. Many plant based brands not mentioned here use similar, comical names. Some honourable ‘muncheons’ include: I am Nut OK’s <a href="https://www.iamnutok.com/shop/fetamorphosis" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Fetamorphosis</a> and <a href="https://www.iamnutok.com/shop/bluffalo-notzzarella" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Bluffalo Notzarella</a>, Veg ‘An’ Love’s <a href="https://thevegankind.com/p/vegan-love-veg-an-love-shepherd-less-pie-408g" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Shepherd-less Pie</a>, Yogan’s <a href="https://thevegankind.com/p/yogan-vegandelphia-by-yogan-plain-spreadable-cheese-alternative-180g" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegandelphia</a> and Moo Free <a href="https://www.moofreechocolates.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Chocolate</a> If all of this talk of plant based cheese makes you feel hungry, go check out our article on the <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-artisan-cheese-worth-treating-yourself-to" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">best vegan artisan cheeses on the market</a>.

Funny vegan food product called ‘What The Cluck’ by The Vegetarian Butcher

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Toeing the line: How and why brands use funny vegan product names


Halloween has many different names across many different traditions: All Hallows Eve, Night of the Living Dead and Old Hallowmas to name a few. Yet, interestingly, Halloween’s origins have been documented to have originated in the ancient <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhain" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Celtic festival of Samhain</a>, one of many Sabbats that pagans celebrate in the <a href="https://www.history.co.uk/articles/the-wheel-of-the-year-the-calendar-of-pagan-festivals-explained" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Wheel of the Year</a>, an ancient calendar system rooted in nature, giving thanks for the seasons and all that they provide us with. Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “SAH-win”) is the third and final harvest within the Wheel of the Year where traditionally, people would give thanks for the harvest, and say farewell to the summer before welcoming in the winter months with a mix of Samhain traditions and rituals. It is said that on the night where summer meets winter, the veil between worlds is at it’s thinnest, allowing the opportunity for spirits to slip through and visit lost loved ones, on the condition that they return to the land where spirits reside before the sun rises on the next day, and the veil between worlds is closed once more. Spooky to some, beautiful to others. Suffice to say, there is a lot more to this prominent date in the Gregorian calendar than what we see on television shows or in movies. So how did Samhain become Halloween, a holiday now celebrated across the globe with fancy dress costumes, trick or treating, and watching your favourite horror flick with friends? It is documented that during the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1st as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">All Saints Day</a>, a day dedicated to the worship of saints, and that holiday incorporated some of the pagan traditions of Samhain. The evening before All Saints’ Day was aptly called All<a href="https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1913-10-26/ed-1/seq-73/#date1=1777&amp;index=12&amp;rows=20&amp;searchType=advanced&amp;language=&amp;sequence=0&amp;words=All+Eve+eve+hallow+Hallows&amp;proxdistance=5&amp;date2=1963&amp;ortext=&amp;proxtext=&amp;phrasetext=all+hallows+eve&amp;andtext=&amp;dateFilterType=yearRange&amp;page=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </a>Hallows’ Eve, an evening to worship the saints, and the following day, All Souls’ Day, a day to worship those who have passed. Looking at the history of Halloween’s origins through a vegan lens, many Christians historically <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meat-free_day" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">abstained from meat</a> on All Hallows' Eve, opting instead to eat certain vegetarian foods including apples, potato pancakes and soul cakes. With that thought in mind, here are some vegan-friendly Samhain rituals the whole family can enjoy for a fun-filled Halloween. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1666535171/Image_one_18_pic_2_edit_1_0219cfa2b3.jpg" alt="Pumpkin flesh and seeds">RonomanJR/Canva Pro <h2>Pumpkin carving</h2>A tradition many already practise, believed to be Celtic in origin. A simple Samhain ritual affordable to most households to keep unwanted spirits at bay, and that is great fun for all ages. Simply cut the top off a pumpkin, scoop out the insides, carve in a design of your choice, then light a candle and place it inside your ‘lantern’ on the eve of Halloween. It is said to keep unwanted souls at bay.&nbsp; Fun fact: Some tell the tale of Stingy-Jack, a man in cohorts with Satan himself, there are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack-o%27-lantern" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">many variations of his tale</a>, but the end result is the creation of Jack O’ Lanterns. Samhain offering: Take your unwanted pumpkins to woodland areas after 31st October has passed, and leave for any wildlife that passes, they’ll happily gobble it up and it also acts as a natural dewormer for our animal friends. <h2>Apple bobbing</h2>Another popular Samhain tradition that’s fun for all ages is apple bobbing. In Celtic traditions apples are a sign of fertility and abundance. During frivolities on the eve of Samhain people would try to bite into an apple bobbing in water, and the first to take a bite would be the next in line to marry. To try this at home simply fill a large bucket with water and get dunking.&nbsp; Fun fact: If you cut into an apple sideways, you will find a pentagram, a symbol prominent throughout history and often used as a sigil for protection and abundance, often associated with witchcraft and prominent within Wiccan rituals and rites. Samhain offering: Keep the seeds and get planting. <a href="https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/get-involved/our-campaigns/defend-nature" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Nature is struggling</a> and apples are a great food source for many wild animals and insects. <h2>Honouring the dead</h2>Perhaps one of the most sought after aspects of this tradition is the opportunity to make contact with lost loved ones. The Celts were firm believers that on the night where summer ends and winter begins, spirits roamed freely as the veil between worlds was at its thinnest. This is the perfect night to write a letter to someone you’ve lost, light a candle in their memory, or for those brave of heart, try to connect with them through divination.&nbsp; Fun fact: Pagans would often leave spirits offerings of hospitality, for example; those that harvested grain, would create a corn dolly. Scary to some, endearing to others! Samhain offering: Leave a dish with a lost loved one's favourite food out overnight. If it’s gone in the morning perhaps they received it, or you’ll have given a wandering fox a full tummy on a cold night. <h2>Trick or treating</h2>Perhaps the most well known of Samhain traditions and rituals is that of trick or treating. And whilst pagans did not partake in this particular activity, it is pagan in origin. On the night where spirits roamed free, people would often don a disguise of their own so as not to come into contact with any evil spirits that may have crossed over. That combined with the tradition of honouring the dead with food, has since become the tradition enjoyed today. Fun fact: The first ever trick or treaters would visit the houses of wealthy families and receive pastries called soul cakes in exchange for a promise to pray for the souls of the homeowners’ dead relatives. Children later took up the practice and it has since evolved into the most prominent tradition associated with the 31st of October. Samhain offering: Along with offering sweet treats, add a few fruit options in your bowl, you’ll be surprised how many children take them! We wish each and every V-Lander a very vegan Halloween and a Blessed Samhain, whichever way you choose to spend it. Here’s some <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-trick-or-treat-sweets-worth-stocking-up-on-this-halloween" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan trick or treat sweets to enjoy</a>, and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-vegan-chocolate-bar-brands-to-add-to-your-shopping-list" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">chocolate bars to add to your shopping list</a> to stock up for the night, and embrace the fact that any holiday can be a vegan one.

pumpkin and other fare showing Halloween’s origins

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Halloween’s origins: Vegan-friendly Samhain traditions

This year is the festival’s 75th anniversary. It is back with a bang after a COVID-induced lull that saw it cancelled in 2020 and scaled back in 2021. The <a href="https://www.instagram.com/edfringe/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Fringe</a> came into existence when a relatively small group of eight theatre companies took over unconventional spaces to put on their shows. It has grown in size and stature since those early days and this year there are close to 3,500 productions across hundreds of venues. These venues include many unusual spaces in bars, churches, universities, temporary tents and units, and the like.&nbsp; While close to a third of the shows are comedy, there is a wonderfully eclectic mix of serious theatre, dance, circus, cabaret, and so much more. If it is not already in your diary, it is running until 29th August so there is still time to plan a trip. Here at V-Land we were fortunate enough to spend a few days in the city for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s opening weekend and we wrote about our experience of it through a vegan lens.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>Food</h2>Edinburgh punches above its weight for vegan restaurants and plant-based options. You certainly won’t go hungry given the many tantalising delicacies calling out to be sampled. During The Fringe there are additional street food vendors hoping to nourish the countless festival goers. Many did have vegan options but it lacked any dedicated vegan vendor. Plant-based haggis, falafel, dumplings and pies were all on offer. The pies were particularly tasty and we tried both of their vegan options; curried cauliflower and mushroom. It was disappointing that the mash contained dairy but we swapped it out for mushy peas and it also came with a generous dollop of tomato relish. The flavour combinations worked really well and the mash was not missed. When it came to breakfast, we focused on the permanent local eateries. This was a recurring highlight as we sought to set ourselves up for the day’s marathon of shows. On the first morning in Edinburgh we headed to a vegan bakery - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/blackrabbitedinburgh/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Black Rabbit</a>. Their generously portioned ‘BLT’ was complemented with a latte and cruffin. A cruffin is a hybrid of a croissant and a muffin and the one chosen was filled with raspberry jam and custard. From our point of view, a trip to Edinburgh just for food and this custard filled cruffin alone would be perfectly justified. The second morning saw us make two pit stops. First was waffles and coffee at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lpcedinburgh/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Love, Peace &amp; Coffee</a> followed by another Edinburgh vegan bakery, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/considerit_chocolate" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Considerit</a>. Considerit specialises in doughnuts but also serves ice cream, chocolate and coffee. The doughnut choices are insane and even include a savoury option. We narrowed it down to the s’more, lemon &amp; black sesame and Biscoff. It’s almost impossible to choose which was our favourite. Our final morning resulted in a visit to the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/naked_bakery/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Naked Bakery</a> where we ordered the full Scottish breakfast, pastries and cupcakes. The café’s vibrant cakes and pink theme is more than enough to brighten anyone’s day. Of course we only sampled a small number of the possibilities so for many more vegan food options across the city check out <a href="https://www.happycow.net/searchmap?s=3&amp;location=Edinburgh%2C+Scotland&amp;filters=vegan-vegetarian-bakery&amp;metric=mi&amp;limit=81&amp;order=default&amp;lat=55.96349502710252&amp;lng=-3.1839226881145226&amp;zoom=11.5&amp;page=1&amp;radius=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Happy Cow</a> or the dedicated <a href="https://veganedinburgh.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Edinburgh</a> listings website. <h2>Theatre</h2>With a myriad of shows to choose from it was surprising to discover just one that referenced veganism in its listing. The show <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/chris-hall-and-mark-bittlestone-two-sour-gays" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Chris Hall and Mark Bittlestone: Two Sour Gays</a> describes itself as “A stand-up comedy show about being gay! And about being vegan (Chris), getting piles (Mark), collecting crystals (Chris), getting piles (Mark), being in love (Chris) and getting piles (Mark).” Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the show as it was fully booked. Definitely one to look out for in hope that they take it on tour.&nbsp; In a show that features the best up-and-coming one-liner comedians we got to see <a href="https://instagram.com/adelecliffcomedy?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Adele Cliff</a>. She is the proud winner of the best joke at the Edinburgh Fringe four years running. They were only given a 5-minute slot but during this time she happened to state she was a vegan. Her main show <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/adele-cliff-in-the-dark" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Adele Cliff: In the Dark</a> describes itself as “Knowledge is power, power corrupts, corruption is bad, Adele is good. Come see why Adele thinks ignorance is bliss.” When questioned she told us she does mention veganism in her show but it is only in passing. Of course there will be many vegan performers we don’t know about but it was nice to stumble across one while navigating the plethora of weird and wonderful possibilities.&nbsp; Of the shows we did see, veganism was mentioned in quite a few of them. This is obviously a reflection of its increasing popularity as it was not as prominent in previous years. The question is, will any of them be awarded the best joke at the Edinburgh Fringe this year? Here’s a sample from those told for you to decide: • An asexual comedian stated that one of his previous boyfriends was vegan, which actually meant neither of them were a fan of meat. • Another said that many vegans and vegetarians have cats, which just means they outsource their meat consumption. • One called out David Attenborough for preaching about the death of the planet when he isn’t actually vegan himself. • Finally, another said his ex was vegan and put him under pressure to care more but he didn’t even care about his friends so why would he care about chickens. For further food inspiration in Scotland we have listed our picks of <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/edinburgh-and-glasgow-s-best-vegan-food" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Edinburgh and Glasgow's best vegan food</a>.

 black and grey microphone on a stand, behind it is a theatre with multiple stands and red lights

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Edinburgh Festival Fringe through a vegan lens

Veganism is as popular as ever in 2022. With so many people looking towards a plant-based diet for the animals, for their health and the environment, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/weareveganuary" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Veganuary</a> participants were at an all-time high. It's little wonder that we are educating ourselves about our impact on the earth when we have so many strong vegan role models to look up to, and along with public figures, activists and business professionals, there are many vegan musicians who have made the switch too. Here's a list of some of our favourite vegan music artists. <h2>Billie Eilish</h2><a href="https://instagram.com/billieeilish?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Billie Eilish</a> was raised vegetarian before making the decision at around twelve years old to go vegan. After making such a strong choice at such a young age, Billie, like many vegan celebrities, uses her spotlight to expose the truth about animal agriculture and encourage fans to go vegan. <h2>Lizzo</h2>A fairly new vegan, <a href="https://instagram.com/lizzobeeating?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Lizzo</a> decided to switch to a plant-based diet in 2020, after being vegetarian for seven years and then ditching dairy altogether. The Grammy Award-winning songstress posted a TikTok to tell her fans about the switch saying "As a new vegan I’m enjoying exploring flavours from plants and plant-based proteins!" <h2>Moby</h2>Although it won't be news to anybody that <a href="https://instagram.com/moby?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Moby</a> is vegan, he's been vegan since 1987, we couldn't let such a commitment to animal welfare pass our list by. Moby famously told Rolling Stone that he went vegan at nineteen, all because of his cat Tucker, and that he “would do anything to protect him and make him happy and keep him from harm. I would never in a trillion years think of hurting this cat. So why am I eating other animals who have four, or two, legs, two eyes, amazing brains, and rich emotional lives?" We couldn't have put it better ourselves! <h2>Will.i.am</h2><a href="https://instagram.com/iamwill?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Will.i.am</a> went vegan in 2018 while pursuing a healthier lifestyle after discovering he had high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The <a href="http://www.instagram.com/blackeyedpeas" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Black Eyed Peas</a> vocalist has openly discussed the health benefits he found in veganism and the corruption within the food industry. Will.i.am posted a video to Instagram highlighting the importance of plant-based diets and wrote that vegans were “a group of people taking a hardcore gangster approach to wellness and conscious living.” <h2>Erykah Badu</h2>Neo soul queen, best-selling author, wellness advocate and vegan music artist <a href="https://instagram.com/erykahbadu?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Erykah Badu</a> stopped eating meat in the late 1980s and went vegan in 1997. In the 2003 documentary Holistic Wellness for the Hip-Hop Generation she discussed what it means to be healthy and the dangers of low-quality food. <h2>Travis Barker</h2><a href="https://instagram.com/travisbarker?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Travis Barker</a> has been vegan since surviving a tragic plane crash in 2008, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/blink182/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">the blink-182</a> drummer's experience inspired him to focus on his health and take up a plant-based diet. He had been a vegetarian since the age of thirteen but now enjoys a healthy vegan and gluten-free diet. He also helps his wife <a href="https://instagram.com/kourtneykardash?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Kourtney Kardashian</a>, to maintain a mostly plant-based lifestyle, she is committed to mindful and meat-free eating and claims to be ninety per cent vegan. We hope you enjoyed our roundup of vegan music artists, who are your favourite vegan celebrities? Leave a comment on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/vlanduk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Instagram</a> and let us know who we've missed! You may also want to check out our list of <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/8-famous-uk-vegans-to-follow-on-social-media" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">eight famous UK vegans to follow on social media</a> and find out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/are-there-many-vegan-tv-characters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">are there many vegan TV characters?</a>

Billie Eilish singing on stage at Pukkelpop 2019

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Vegan music legends 

Vegan artists are activating empathy and outrage through their art. Utilising meme culture to satirise and expose the exploitative animal industry, drawing out the vulnerabilities and sentience of nature, and reminding us of our responsibilities to care for our animal family. Here are a few vegan artists to check out and share:&nbsp; <h2>Dina Farris Appel&nbsp;</h2>Even the title of Dina Farris Appel’s painting “<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/515467383/vegan-art-vegan-art-vegan-art-print-cow" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Not Your Mum, Not Your Milk</a>” successfully prosecutes our guilt in stealing another's precious lifeforce. Most adults wouldn’t fancy human milk in tea, so it seems odd to accept milk from udders in so many walks of human life.&nbsp; Appel’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vegan_artist_dina/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Instagram</a> provides vegan and environmental art and insights into art materials that are not vegan: “Some coloured pencils have beeswax, and Crayola crayons have animal products in them.” Were you aware of paint brushes made with animal hair, paints containing charred animal bones, and gelatin within certain paper types? Definitely one to follow and you can order her artwork via her <a href="https://www.etsy.com/ie/people/dinaappel1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Etsy shop</a> too. <h2>Choice Bison</h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/choicebison/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Choice Bison</a> was commissioned to create a vegan <a href="https://www.peta.org/blog/choice-bison-mural-killing-animals-is-killing-us-all/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">mural in Brooklyn</a>, “Killing Animals is Killing Us All: Go Vegan”, bringing to attention the inhumane slaughterhouse conditions both animals and employees inhabit. This painting is more honest than any advert, or cookery show encouraging meat consumption. “It’s time to question the sanity in normalcy - especially when it comes to our relationships with animals,” says Bison.&nbsp; From larger-than-life murals, and political activist art, to tiny exhibitions, Bison is also a sought-after <a href="https://www.instagram.com/choicebison/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">tattoo artist</a>.&nbsp; <h2>Barbara Daniels</h2><a href="http://www.instagram.com/barbaradanielsart" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Barbara Daniels</a> is renowned for reversing the roles that humans and animals play in modern day society in order to raise awareness, and gain empathy, by reimagining the world from an animal’s perspective as an artistic focus. Barbara states, “The goal of my art is not to preach about what’s right or wrong, but simply to hold a mirror up to humanity and imagine life from the perspective of the many species dominated by the human race.” And we have to say, Barbara achieves this poignantly. Her latest art book, ‘<a href="https://www.barbaradanielsart.com/dominion-over-man/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dominion over Man</a>’ is out now. <h2>Chantal Poulin Durocher</h2>Canadian artist <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chantal_poulin_durocher_artist/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Chantal Poulin Durocher</a> not only rescues dogs in Panama but has mastered capturing sentience through painting. After classical art training at the Mission Renaissance Fine Art Institute, Chantal Poulin Durocher has crafted a unique fusion of classical and contemporary work. Committed to more than a “mere pictorial research or the aesthetic goal.” Her piece <a href="https://www.chantalpoulindurocher.com/8vv6yw94nkmrys23nv0y8up0hfube7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">We Are The Same</a> perfectly demonstrates how imagery speaks louder than words: superimposing human and cow - breaking our dissociation with nature. Using fine lines echoes our detailed and sensitive symbiosis with nature.&nbsp; Chantal Poulin Durocher recognises the influence art has on our senses:&nbsp;“I really feel I have a little mission, to show the beauty, the sensibility, the similarity and the vulnerability of the animals through my art.” <h2>Jo Frederiks</h2>Animal rights activist <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jofrederiks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Jo Frederiks</a> punches through with hard-hitting narratives of atrocities in animal agriculture. Frederiks uses graphite and oil paint to use storytelling techniques by subverting the familiar, such as reframing the famous Uncle Sam’s “We Need You!” poster proclaiming <a href="https://www.jofrederiksart.com/juiedprxatj1b5393wjwg6nhjk65wu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);">“</a><a href="https://www.jofrederiksart.com/juiedprxatj1b5393wjwg6nhjk65wu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">I Want You to Stop</a><a href="https://www.jofrederiksart.com/juiedprxatj1b5393wjwg6nhjk65wu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(38, 38, 38);">”</a> in her piece Stop the Insanity. Her art forces us to look at our culture of hypocrisy with paintings such as “Why Love One and Kill the Other?” Whereby severed farm animal heads lay on a barbeque alongside domestic animal heads.&nbsp;&nbsp; In a candid interview with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/veganorigo/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Vegan Origo</a>, Frederiks shares how going vegan changed her precarious relationship with food: “Becoming vegan shifted my focus from being very self-absorbed about my body and how much I could or couldn't eat, to an entirely different viewpoint - animal liberation - it was no longer all about me.”&nbsp;&nbsp; Activist art, whether via murals, posters, tattoos, prints or sculpture, elicits questions around topics that can sometimes be hard to engage with through conversation alone. If you have a favourite vegan artist who challenges and inspires let us know on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/vlanduk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Instagram</a> or <a href="http://www.twitter.com/vlandukmag" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Twitter</a>, we’d love to hear from you!&nbsp;For more alternative activism approaches, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/the-greening-of-literature-perspectives-of-a-vegan-publisher" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan literature</a> as a form of activism.

Painting of a blue cow on a red background with the words Not Your Milk on it

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Art as activism: Vegan artists to follow on Instagram

Looking for something to watch tonight? Look no further, we’ve compiled a list of the most eye-opening must-see vegan shows and documentaries for vegans and non-vegans to binge-watch.&nbsp; <h2><a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80234791" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Milk System</a> </h2>The Milk System looks at the billion-pound milk industry and uncovers surprising truths. Interviewing farmers, dairy owners, politicians, lobbyists, NGOs and scientists, this docufilm asks what the costs are and what the future of the milk industry will be. Not to be confused with the multi-award-winning <a href="https://milked.film/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Milked documentary</a> which is equally jaw-dropping. Both films are available on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/netflix" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Netflix</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/waterbearnetwork/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Waterbear</a> and are a must-watch! <h2><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.ceb96f18-5698-5b30-7c88-f238c6a57f85?autoplay=0&amp;ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">What the Health</a> </h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/wthfilm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">What the Health</a> follows animal activists <a href="http://www.instagram.com/kipanderson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Kip Andersen</a> and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/firstsparkmedia" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Keegan Kuhn</a> as they embark on a quest to expose the inconsistencies consumers are told about what foods are healthy and why. This eye-opening docufilm expertly portrays what the food pyramid should look like, and also relays the benefits a plant-based diet has on chronic illnesses. Other health-focused vegan documentaries include <a href="http://www.instagram.com/gamechangersmovie" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Game Changers</a> and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/forksoverknives" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Forks Over Knives</a>, all are available to watch on Netflix. <h2><a href="https://eating2extinction.com/the-movie/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Eating Our Way To Extinction</a>&nbsp;</h2>Narrated by Kate Winslet, this film takes viewers on a journey around every corner of the globe, exploring the story of our ever-changing planet. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eating2extinction/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Eating Our Way To Extinction</a> is a powerful documentary delving into how our dietary lifestyles are bringing our planet to the brink of collapse, and is available to watch on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/primevideouk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Amazon Prime</a>. <h2><a href="https://www.seaspiracy.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Seaspiracy</a></h2>In this thought-provoking documentary, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/seaspiracy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Seaspiracy</a> director Kip Anderson lifts the veil on ‘sustainability’ and ‘responsibly sourced’ fish, uncovering the harrowing realities of the fishing industry and its devastating effects on both the ocean and marine life. Kip Andersen is also the director of the documentary <a href="https://www.cowspiracy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Cowspiracy</a> – another must-see film primarily focusing on the environmental effects of beef production with life-changing insights. Both docufilms are available to watch on Netflix. <h2><a href="http://www.nationearth.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Earthlings</a>&nbsp;</h2>Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor and vegan activist Joaquin Phoenix, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/earthlingsfilm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Earthlings</a> is a pivotal starting point in many people going vegan. It was the catalyst for renowned vegan activist Ed Winters and the reasoning behind his more commonly known name of <a href="http://www.instagram.com/earthlinged" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Earthling Ed</a>. Earthlings covers many of the acts humans participate in that are harmful towards our fellow earthlings, leaving no stone unturned, and we must warn, it is hard to watch. Other animal rights documentaries that highlight the treatment of animals but that are more animal agriculture focused include, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/dominionmovement" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Dominion</a>, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/theendofmeat" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The End of Meat</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hogwood-modern-horror-Jerome-Flynn/dp/B08B8VDRSL" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Hogwood - A Modern Horror Story</a>, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/thelastpigfilm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">The Last Pig</a> &nbsp;and <a href="http://www.instagram.com/landofhopeandgloryfilm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Land Of Hope and Glory</a>.&nbsp;For those not fond of documentaries, a fantastic film available on Netflix is <a href="https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/80091936" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Okja</a>, the tale of a young girl and her rescue mission to save her animal companion from slaughter. Cast includes Hollywood stars <a href="http://www.instagram.com/jakegyllenhaal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Jake Gyllenhaal</a>, Tilda Swinton and Paul Dano.&nbsp; Our list could go on, with more enthralling vegan shows being released each year, but we thought we’d round up with three additional shows that may not be vegan, but still well worth watching. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/v-land/image/upload/v1657226445/Image_1_12_pic_2_edit_23c933e2c8.jpg" alt="Image 1 (12) pic 2 edit.jpg"><a href="https://www.beforetheflood.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Before The Flood</a> <h2><a href="https://www.beforetheflood.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Before the Flood</a> </h2>Directed by <a href="http://www.instagram.com/fisherstevens" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Fisher Stevens</a>, <a href="https://www.beforetheflood.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Before The Flood</a> multi-award-winning Hollywood actor and environmentalist <a href="http://www.instagram.com/leonardodicaprio" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Leonardo DiCaprio</a> as he looks at how climate change affects our planet and what society can do to prevent the demise of endangered species, ecosystems and native communities across the planet. Whilst it doesn’t focus heavily on animal agriculture as a main contributor, it highlights many human activities that urgently need to change if we’re to avert the truly cataclysmic turn of events heading our way if we continue on our current path. Available to watch on Netflix and the Disney Channel. <h2><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8618654/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Kiss the Ground</a> </h2>Narrated by vegan <a href="https://www.instagram.com/woodyharrelson/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Woody Harrelson</a>, this documentary discusses regenerative agriculture, a movement that looks to rebalance our world, turn back climate change, feed the world, avert the biodiversity crisis and replenish the planet's water supplies. <a href="https://instagram.com/kissthegroundmovie?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Kiss The Ground</a> is available to watch on Netflix. <h2><a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80230601" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Down to Earth with Zac Effron</a>&nbsp;</h2>This eight-part series takes <a href="http://www.instagram.com/zacefron" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Zac Effron</a> around the world exploring nature, living sustainability, and green energy. Along the way it is peppered with other activities you’d expect from a travel show. For the most part it is light entertainment, but does touch on important issues and is a lighter watch, not as heavy as some other environmental docuseries. Available to watch on Netflix. <h2><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Size-Me-Morgan-Spurlock/dp/B07M5Q7M84" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(75, 172, 72); background-color: transparent;">Super Size Me</a> </h2>Morgan Spurlock goes on a quest to eat McDonald’s for thirty days, for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the effects are truly horrifying, accurately showing how fast food can affect our health. Super Size Me explores the physical and psychological changes that occur during the month-long challenge and is a stark reminder not to overindulge in junk food. Have we missed your favourite vegan show from our list? Share it with us on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/vlanduk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Instagram</a> or <a href="http://www.twitter.com/vlandukmag" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">Twitter</a> we’d love to hear from you!&nbsp;Now that you have your viewing sorted, why not focus on your music? Check out our article on <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/vegan-music-legends" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">vegan music legends</a>.

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Too good to miss: Vegan shows to binge-watch

Having trouble with the whole veganism vs. culture thing? Don’t worry! We’ve got your back! Here are 5 tips that can be used to tie your culture in with veganism!&nbsp; Whether you are Caribbean, Asian, African, Middle Eastern, Latina; no matter what your ethnic background is, we understand it can be difficult to adjust to the vegan life with so many limitations around our cultures - especially if the culture is heavily influenced by meat or animal-derived products. <h2>Get creative </h2>Substitute meat/fish for alternatives like potatoes, veggies, beans and pulses. You show them where you get your protein! It’s very easy to substitute meat; it may be hard for new vegans, however as you slowly progress, it becomes something natural: eventually it no longer feels like substituting at all! Blend up some veggies; boil some lentils and potatoes, maybe even use protein-packed alternatives like seitan or soy. Add it to the dishes you love, season your food and play around with textures! Start to enjoy the process and create a relationship with the food you eat. <h2>Research into natural and vegan cosmetics for your specific type of skin and hair type</h2>Hair and skin can be a pretty big factor, but a little research can go a long way. There are many affordable, vegan and cruelty-free products such as <a href="https://www.cantubeauty.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cantu</a> hair care line &amp; <a href="https://deciem.com/en-ca/theordinary/theordinary-hair" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Ordinary</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.sukinnaturals.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sukin</a> skincare line. Shea butter, cocoa butter and rosewater are all great cheaper options as vegan moisturisers for the skin and hair! Look at ingredients in detail, not only checking that they are vegan but also make sure that they truly bring benefits to your skin in the long run. Try multiple routines and find the right one for you, this is especially important for kinky/curly hair types or those of us with a darker skin tone. Follow <a href="https://instagram.com/cassandrabankson?utm_medium=copy_link" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cassandra Bankson</a>, she showcases the best vegan skin care products your face and body can absorb. Become a vegan ‘skintellectual’. <h2>Buy some vegan cookbooks around your culture (or even regular cookbooks and substitute the meat)&nbsp;</h2>Vegan cookbooks such as Original Flava’s Caribbean vegan cookbook <a href="https://www.instagram.com/originalflava/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Natural Flava</a> by Craig &amp; Shaun McAnuff has an array of mouth-watering Caribbean recipes. Another great book is <a href="https://eatfeelfresh.com/book/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Eat Feel Fresh</a> – a plant-based Ayurveda cookbook by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/iamsahararose/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sahara Rose Ketabi</a>. Cookbooks are very good for getting some inspiration around your cooking and do wonders for helping you find the most convenient recipes for the week. This broadens the spectrum of playing around with your food while adding your own cultural authentic twist.&nbsp; Whatever you choose to cook, make sure you’re comfortable eating it! As much as we want to keep our meals as authentic as possible, don’t be afraid to follow a cookbook and perhaps add your own seasonings to adjust the meal to your palette. <h2>Watch Youtubers, read blogs and go to events (online or in-person) to learn more about adjusting to veganism within your culture</h2>There’s something for everyone! Getting information about food, cosmetics and your wellbeing throughout your vegan journey is very important, especially when it comes to specific cultures and perhaps being in an area where certain items aren’t easily accessible. Try a quick Google or YouTube search, ‘(Insert country) vegan food’ or ‘Vegan products for curly/kinky hair’ or ‘Vegan online seminars/zoom’. Maybe have a look on <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Eventbrite</a> at vegan events near you. Sometimes there are physical events such as cooking classes, talks, skincare &amp; beauty classes, fitness &amp; much more. Looking into blogs, videos and events will expand your possibilities and vegan journey. <h2>Remember your veganism doesn’t make you any less authentic than anyone else</h2>Take pride in your veganism and if it’s not traditional, make it a part of your tradition by adding small things to suit you. After all, authenticity is a very fine line. ‘Authentic’ is different for everyone: stay fully aware and remind yourself that you are taking part in your own culture in a way that doesn’t harm anyone or anything.&nbsp; We have all received some form of criticism on our vegan journey, where someone has mentioned that we are no longer a part of our culture - they try to strip us from our ethnic background, in my case they comment that, ‘You are not a Jamaican anymore’. That’s simply not true. You know who you are, don’t forget that! Encourage yourself through this journey! If the interplay of religion and veganism is intriguing to you, check out <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/is-a-buddhist-diet-vegan-it-s-more-complex-than-you-d-think" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">is a Buddhist diet vegan? It’s more complex than you'd think</a>.

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How to tie your culture in with veganism: Vegans of Colour

You’ve transformed into a chicken. Feathers and a darting head. Looking down, you see your chicken feet. Surrounded by the noises of clucking, whirring machinery, and the shuffling of your chicken friends. Are you dreaming? Or was that virtual reality (VR)? Vegan activists, directors, and artists are embracing technologies to give us insights into the lives of animals. <a href="https://www.peta.org/blog/petas-innovative-virtual-reality-experience-turns-chicken/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">I, Chicken</a>, is a VR experience whereby you are a cartoon chicken going through your day. Eating, walking, and finally on the conveyor belt up to the machinery that will kill you. Participants have reported feeling more empathetic towards the plight of a farmed chicken due to gaining a closeness with the animal’s situation.&nbsp; If you are unfamiliar with the impact of using a VR headset, let me give you an example of how dramatic it can feel: I click on a channel, not knowing where I would find myself. I was standing in a helicopter, travelling over canyons. It felt so realistic, I had to take my headset off as I’m scared of heights.&nbsp; Don’t worry, not all VR is scary. I use a dance game that allows me to be a bad dancer in the privacy of my bedroom: I've travelled underwater with live footage iridescent rainbowfish circling me, and I’ve meditated in majestic forests.&nbsp; VR’s immersive world-building tricks our brains into thinking it’s real. You are propelled into an immediacy that requires you to interact, and the heightened stimulation of being in an alternate 3D narrative is novel. You are compelled to give the experience your full attention.&nbsp; I, Chicken was exhibited on a tour around American universities. Feedback from student participants supported the notion that it’s hard to empathise with animals when we are so far away from their journeys, and that this VR experience was an effective way of getting information out to people and changing their perceptions.&nbsp; <a href="https://instagram.com/animalequality?utm_medium=copy_link" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Animal Equality</a> has developed <a href="https://ianimal360.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iAnimal</a>, which exposes factory farming via secret filming, via a 360-degree perspective of the lives of cows, pigs, and chickens. This is hard-hitting footage and has been taken to the streets to show the general public. Viewers not only see the plights these factory farmed animals face but are given the space to ask the campaigners questions, making people feel like they are part of the conversation. Combining VR with campaigning events can start to break down the barriers and help us to work collectively.&nbsp;&nbsp; Another striking way VR can bring us closer to the animal world without the need for zoos or intruding on at-risk ecosystems, are immersive documentaries such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.phoria.com.au/projects/ecosphere/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ecosphere</a>, whereby you can “Explore the great savannahs of Kenya, discover the ancient jungles of Borneo and dive into the rich coral reefs of Raja Ampat”.&nbsp; Last time I saw an elephant was many years ago in India. It was chained up. I was asked if I wanted to ride it - I didn’t. I wanted to see it doing its own thing, in its own environment, walking around, picking leaves. I’ve never wanted to visit an actor in a cage. I can happily watch them in a film. Experiencing ecosphere, I was face-to-face with an elephant. Its trunk curiously moved towards me. I was meters away from families of elephants, their relaxed pacing through the savannas of Kenya. I got a vivid sense of their enormity and got close enough to enjoy the sounds of them crunching leaves.&nbsp;&nbsp; If we are to cut down on our carbon footprint and avoid flying, VR provides an alternative for exploration. Furthermore, not everyone can travel due to their circumstances - it provides insights for people in an accessible way.&nbsp;As an educational tool, it’s changing people’s perceptions: exposing animal mistreatment and allowing us to marvel at nature without exploiting or caging it. If you’d like to find out more about how tech can be a driver for positive change, check out<a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-wholesome-environmental-video-games-encouraging-positive-change" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);"> 5 wholesome environmental video games encouraging positive change</a> and <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/10-apps-changing-the-world" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">10 apps changing the world</a>.

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Virtual reality: Bringing us closer to nature

If you were to walk into a bookstore and ask for the “vegan literature” section, you would probably be met with a blank expression, or, after some degree of confusion, directed to the vegan cookbooks. That doesn’t mean that vegan literature doesn’t exist, just that it’s not easy to find. This is a challenge not only for those who write vegan literature but for the publishers who produce such books for bookstore sections that don’t yet exist. As co-founder of Ashland Creek Press, I’ve learned a lot over the past ten years about the emerging field of vegan literature, and what I’ve learned gives me a lot of hope for the greening of literature in the future. <h2>Create what you want to see in the world</h2>In 2008, I wrote a novel, <a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/books/touristtrail.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Tourist Trail</a>, which tells the story of a vegan penguin researcher and her love affair with an anti-whaling activist (also vegan) who is on the run from the law. I found an agent to pitch the book to mainstream publishers, yet she was ultimately unable to find a home for the book. While the animal rights themes in the book made it a challenging sell, the larger challenge was one of categorization, or lack thereof. The feedback we received was, essentially, “We don’t know how to market this.”&nbsp; Publishers typically acquire books that fall within clearly defined categories, such as literary fiction, women’s fiction, romance, thriller, mystery. While climate-change fiction, or cli-fi, is beginning to appear, there is no “vegan fiction” category - and this lack of category, to large publishers, often implies a lack of a built-in audience.&nbsp; My partner Midge Raymond and I both spent many years working in publishing, so we decided to publish The Tourist Trail. By the end of the process we realized there might be other authors out there who have similarly struggled to find homes for their work, and we founded Ashland Creek Press in 2011 with the goal of seeking out these manuscripts. We have since published more than thirty titles, and we now focus even more on animal protection and vegan-themed books. <h2>Environmental literature is evolving</h2>Environmental writing of the past often features those who fished and hunted the land, even while doing their best to help protect it. And this belief system, wherein writers “get close” to nature by extracting from it or by doing battle with it, remains largely intact today. While a hundred years ago, hunting and fishing were generally undertaken as a matter of survival, today, there are too many alternatives to justify these acts. A growing chorus of writers believe that animals have suffered long enough and that all animals deserve equal protection. And these are the writers who are helping to redefine environmental writing. We meet these writers not only in the works we publish but in our Writing for Animals program, which helps writers with the nuances of writing empathetically and authentically about animals. And there is room for myriad genres as animal writing evolves. The romantic comedy <a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/books/greenandred.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Green and the Red</a>, written by French author Armand Chauvel and translated by American Elisabeth Lyman, tells the story of a French meat company executive who is on a mission to shut down the local vegetarian restaurant in order to take it over for a pork museum—and the antics, love story, and conclusion show that writers can have fun while making serious points about where our food comes from. In her satirical novel <a href="https://www.ashlandcreekpress.com/books/darkgreeneuphoria.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">My Days of Dark Green Euphoria</a>, A.E. Copenhaver uses our collective climate anxiety as a force driving her narrator from a pure life of eco-consciousness to a liquor-soaked environmental free-for-all—until she finds the right balance.&nbsp; The Tourist Trail is an eco-thriller; Cher Fischer’s <a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/books/fallingintogreen.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Falling Into Green</a> is an eco-mystery; Blair Richmond’s Lithia Trilogy (<a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/books/outofbreath.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Out of Breath</a>, <a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/books/ghostrunner.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Ghost Runner</a>, and <a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/books/lastmile.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Last Mile</a>) are paranormal romances featuring vegan vampires. There is no limit to the ways in which we can write - and read - vegan-themed literature. <h2>“Accidentally vegan” literature</h2>Just as we have “accidentally vegan” foods, like Oreo cookies, we also have literature that appeals to vegans while not being authored by or written specifically for vegans. The novel <a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/books/loveandordinarycreatures.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Love and Ordinary Creatures</a> by Gwyn Hyman Rubio tells the story of a captured cockatoo who has fallen in love with his owner (a common behaviour pattern among the species). Readers spend the entire novel inside the head of this bird and, by the end of the book, they understand the tragedy of the life of a caged bird and, by extension, all wild animals that must endure lives imprisoned. Likewise, Mindy Mejia’s <a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/books/dragonkeeper.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Dragon Keeper</a> raises similar issues about zoos and Komodo dragons. In this way, “accidental” vegan literature can be just as enlightening as purposefully written “veg-lit,” in that it even more subtly opens readers’ hearts and minds.&nbsp; E. B. White, a man who raised and slaughtered pigs, likely didn’t set out to urge his readers to give up pork when he wrote <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte%27s_Web" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Charlotte’s Web</a> - and yet this book has subtly and powerfully inspired countless readers to rethink their relationships with animals. Likewise, readers consider animal testing and experimentation after reading Robert C. O’Brien’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Frisby_and_the_Rats_of_NIMH" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH</a> or Karen Joy Fowler’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Are_All_Completely_Beside_Ourselves" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves</a>. <h2>Today’s niche is tomorrow’s mainstream</h2>Back when we founded <a href="https://ashlandcreekpress.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ashland Creek Press</a>, environmental literature was decidedly a niche. Now, it is becoming far more popular among mainstream publishers. And because of this, we are turning more toward animal-focused, vegan literature - because in this area, we still have a long way to go. Yet we see great hope. Midge’s novel <a href="https://midgeraymond.com/books/mylastcontinent.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">My Last Continent</a> has not one but two major vegan characters and was published through a major publisher (Scribner). And Deb Olin Unferth’s novel<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/45892219-barn-8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Barn 8</a>, about a chicken rescue, was published by the independent but relatively large publisher Graywolf Press.&nbsp; I believe this new era of writing is only just beginning, and that even though “vegan literature” sections may not yet exist in most bookstores or on virtual bookshelves, the more we write, publish, and read, the more visible these books will be.&nbsp; <h1>Are you an aspiring author but feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of self-publishing? Don’t fret, an author who has been there, done that, shares some of her hard-earned wisdom in <a href="https://www.v-landuk.com/article/5-top-tips-for-self-publishing-a-vegan-book" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(75, 172, 72);">5 top tips for self-publishing a vegan book</a>.</h1> John Yunker is a writer of plays, short stories, and novels focused on human/animal relationships. He is the author of the novels The Tourist Trail and the sequel Where Oceans Hide Their Dead and editor of the anthologies Writing for Animals and the Among Animals series. His plays have been staged at myriad theatres in the United States, from Oregon to New York, and he is co-founder of Ashland Creek Press, a publisher devoted to environmental and animal rights literature. This essay is adapted from John’s essay in&nbsp;The Vegan Studies Project,&nbsp;edited by Laura Wright.

Two long books shelves in a public library