Communicating Animal Rights

When vegans talk about going vegan we are suggesting nothing less than a major lifestyle change - a rest of our life eating a plant-based diet, wearing plant-based or synthetic clothing and using cruelty-free products. The reasoning behind all this is obvious and for most established vegans it gets easier as time goes on. The benefits are many, especially after researching it and finding the food perfectly safe and healthy. Collectively, if everyone knew that most of the world’s greatest problems would be averted. That’s why we, as vegans, are willing to go to great lengths to communicate.
In our attempts to communicate we shouldn’t even hint at judgement (making moral judgements about other people) because of the damage it does. “You should be vegan” is almost guaranteeing antipathy. It’s like bungy jumping, because I’ve done it do I expect you to believe me, that it’s a really great experience? As vegans we have to remember that being cholesterol free and cruelty free feels good but to take that first step, even psychologically, it’s a big step. Even bigger if we are yet to be convinced about safety issues.
Because this health worry is both a reason and an excuse, we can’t be certain enough to make any judgements about people’s decision not to change to a vegan diet. Our uncertainty also reminds us why judging people in general is a waste of time, which could be better spent on the business in hand.
Our only focus should be on our thoughts for the animals because every one of them is standing there, right now, in captivity, waiting for their life pass. They have nothing to wait for but the day of their execution.
Advocating for our silent clients’ rights means speaking like lawyers. We need the facts at hand, about animals’ living conditions and mutilations, etc., in case we need to mention it. We need to know the environmental angle and the connection between our Western food supply and the global food shortage. But firstly and mostly we need to have in our heads the main facts about food.
In a conversation about veganism the first thing one usually gets talking about is food. Non-vegans would think it absurd to be vegan and yet be ignorant of the nutrition side of things. We have to be ready to field questions about animal derived protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B12, fats, sugars, etc. and explain how plant origin food (the vegan diet) is safe and beneficial. Once we can ‘cover’ the safety angle then we can talk about animals and what humans are doing to them. Only then can we expect people to take their the first step into this wonderful world that is largely inspired by ethics.