No, Vegans Aren’t All the Same (Let’s Debunk Some Myths)

What Veganism Really Means – Week 3

Zenee Elisè

Oct 16, 2025

Let’s get one thing straight:

Veganism is not a personality.

It’s not an aesthetic.

It’s not a body type.

It’s not a white woman in yoga pants holding a green smoothie.

“Veganism is a political and ethical stance. Not a trend. Not a club. Not a purity contest.”

But if you only looked at the most visible corners of the internet, you wouldn’t know that.

White Veganism Isn’t the Standard. It’s the Problem.

For a long time, I didn’t feel like I belonged in vegan spaces—especially online.

Most of the vegan creators I saw were thin, white, affluent, and usually promoting wellness in a way that felt more like “clean eating” than collective liberation.

There was no room for nuance.

No conversations about food deserts, cultural foods, or affordability.

No acknowledgment of how this movement often erases the people most impacted by environmental injustice and animal exploitation.

“White veganism” centers individual purity over systemic change. It weaponizes shame, ignores access, and pretends race, class, and culture don’t exist.

And it made me feel invisible.

Let’s Break the Stereotypes

If you’ve ever felt like you weren’t “vegan enough” because you don’t fit the image; you’re not alone.

Here’s what I want to be clear about:

You don’t have to be thin to be vegan
You don’t have to be rich to be vegan
You don’t have to be white to be vegan
You don’t have to be perfect to be vegan

You can be disabled, fat, low-income, Black, Brown, neurodivergent, trans, or just figuring it out and still be valid in this movement.

“Veganism is not a moral hierarchy. It’s a path of intention and everyone walks it differently.”

What Accessible Veganism Actually Looks Like

It looks like choosing canned beans over fresh produce because that’s what your budget allows.

It looks like reusing leftovers, seasoning your tofu with adobo, eating plantains with rice and lentils, and honoring your cultural roots through food.

It looks like frozen meals when you’re tired, and choosing compassion over perfection when life gets messy.

It does not look like expensive superfoods or $15 açai bowls.

It does not require you to erase your culture, your joy, or your body to “do it right.”

Centering Voices That Actually Represent Us

I’m grateful for creators who are reclaiming space and redefining what veganism looks like.

Here are a few I personally follow and admire:

@iamtabithabrown – Black, joyful, whole-hearted vegan cooking and storytelling
@queerbrownvegan – Deep dives into environmental justice, queerness, and decolonizing sustainability
@veganzinga – Political, raw, and unapologetically bold voice for animal liberation and BIPOC-centered veganism

We need more voices like these. We need less gatekeeping, less shame, and fewer barriers to entry.

You’re Allowed to Take Up Space Here

If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t “look vegan,”

If you’ve ever felt excluded, talked down to, or judged,

If you’ve ever thought you had to lose weight, spend more money, or be perfectly plant-based 24/7 to be accepted,

I want you to know:

You’re allowed to take up space in this movement. You belong here. Exactly as you are.

Your compassion counts, even if you’re still learning.

Next in the series:

You Can Still Choose Compassion (Even When It’s Hard) — coming next Thursday

✉️ This is part of my 5-part series: What Veganism Really Means.
Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss the rest.
And if you’ve ever felt excluded from the vegan movement, share this with someone who needs a reminder that they’re not alone.

Currently

Reading- All These Law Books😭

Listening (music)- “bloodonmyhands” by Tate McRae (ft. Flo Milli)

Listening (podcast)- “Busy Blooming Podcast” by Tess Barclay

Waiting on- reaching a 100 newsletter subscribers👀

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