The Food Police seem to be everywhere these days. It's difficult to post anything about food online without someone screaming about oil or salt, or even just complaining that they don't like the ingredients. I think it's about time for the food police to retire.
The Food Police
I don't usually take to the internet to rant. There have been the infrequent occasions when I've had a rough day or someone has angered me to the boiling point and I have posted something on Twitter or my personal Facebook page, but usually I keep things to myself. Until today. I just can't hold my tongue anymore. About what, you maybe be wondering? It's the Food Police.
The Food Police seems to be a volunteer run operation, and I think maybe those volunteers should find other organizations that would welcome their time. An animal shelter perhaps? Or maybe a soup kitchen?
The Vegan Police
It used to be that The Vegan Police would roam around through the streets of the internet, as well as through the streets of real life, and call people out on their non-vegan behavior. "Are you sure those shoes aren't leather?" "You consider yourself vegan and you smoke? Don't you know cigarettes are tested on animals?" "Is that mascara from Covergirl?"
I'm not sure where The Vegan Police came from. Were they just visiting from Planet Vega? Did they evolve from some form of fear? What exactly was their mission? Did they think that the world would implode if a new vegan still wore old wooly sweaters from her non-vegan days? Were they afraid of being misrepresented in the public eye?
I've never been a fan of The Vegan Police. They were famous for turning off potential vegans with their all-or-nothing attitudes and anger towards the non-vegan world. If going vegan makes someone angry and judgmental, why would anyone want to convert?
100% Vegan
Now, don't get me wrong - I'm 100% vegan. I don't eat meat, dairy products, eggs or honey. I read labels before I buy anything. If any animal products have passed through these lips at any point in the past 12 years, it was accidental. I don't wear wool, leather, down, silk or anything made with shells. I've requested non-down comforters and pillows when traveling and staying in B&Bs. I don't buy products tested on animals, and I'm a big supporter of vegan businesses.
It's when people claim they're vegan and they actually eat fish and eggs that irks me. I will tell people that while I commend their actions to reduce animal products from their lives, they aren't actually vegan. Saying you're vegan when you're not confuses people who don't know what vegan means and muddies the definition of veganism. What I don't advocate is the admonishment of people in transition and people who may need support in their new vegan lifestyle. I also don't like the depiction of the angry vegan in the omnivore world.
I noticed that Police activity seemed to die down a few years ago. My theory was that the vegan movement seemed to be growing and there was safety in numbers. Or maybe it had to do with more vegan products on the market and less people "cheating"? Whatever the reason for the dwindling number of Police on the prowl, the world seemed like a calm, carefree place for a little while.
Enter the Food Police
Then boom, from out of nowhere came a new form of Vegan Police - The Food Police. The Food Police want everything they eat (and everything that everyone else eats) to be vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, sugar-free, soy-free, nut-free, fat-free, salt-free, non-gmo, completely organic, 100% unprocessed, made with kale, and, if possible, in smoothie form.
I've seen bad reviews on vegan cookbooks because the recipes contained within it's pages were made with oil, sugar or wheat. I just read a review where someone gave a vegan cookbook a bad review because the recipes weren't healthy enough. I'm most definitely an advocate of healthy eating but, I also know that the words "vegan" and "healthy" are not synonymous.
I've received so many nasty comments about what I eat, that I've stopped posting photos of food on my public Facebook page. I was told that I eat too much processed food because I posted a photo of a Vegan Cuts Snack Box, I've been reprimanded for eating too many carbs, warned about eating GMO corn (how do you know my corn was GMO, dude?), told I need to learn how to control my appetite because I ate a taco at an airport where the only vegan options were wilted iceberg lettuce salads and tasty tofu tacos (which would you choose?), and I was accused of killing orangutans because I reposted someone else's photo of vegan cheese.
Healthy Eating
As a health coach, I'm a proponent of healthy eating. I encourage my clients to cut back on processed foods, sugar, oil, gluten and GMO foods and I suggest that they buy organic whenever possible. If they falter, I don't reprimand them like naughty school children, so I most certainly would never consider trolling the internet to berate strangers for the same behavior. What would prompt someone to chastise a total stranger over his or her eating habits? Does anyone really think it's helpful?
Whenever I get a negative comment about food that I've posted on Facebook, it makes me want to take a photo of myself jamming a sugary, soy covered, gluten filled, oil laced pastry into my face, just out of spite, even though that's something I wouldn't normally consume. (It also prompts me to block the commenter from being able to comment again.) I really can't think of anyone who would be thankful for unsolicited advice from a stranger about what they are doing wrong with their lives. Can you?
Where Did the Food Police Come From?
Where did this new form of Police come from? Perhaps the vegan movement has gotten too big now, and has split into factions. There are the gluten-free vegans, soy-hating vegans, oil-free-salt-free vegans, comfort-food vegans, vegans who just don't want to eat animal products, sugar-free vegans, and list goes on.
Maybe we have just become too comfortable in the realm of social networking and have completely lost all sense of manners and politeness. Surely the person who said that I eat too much processed food doesn't walk up to her friends and coworkers and tell them what they should and shouldn't be eating. Or does she?
The Food Police Need to Retire
Whatever the reason for this infighting, it needs to stop. Veganism will never get anywhere as a movement if we bicker, point fingers and judge each other. We will never be taken seriously in the omnivorous world if we can't get along with each other. Most of the vegans I know dream of living in a vegan world, but why would anyone from the outside want to join us if all they see is in-fighting? If you're a member of The Food Police, I suggest that you consider early retirement. It's time for you to turn in your badge and place yourself on self-imposed, indefinite leave.
Heather
Thank you! You have eloquently verbalised what I have been screaming in my head since I transitioned to veganism at the beginning of the year.
Carrie
We have been transitioning over the last few months. I still miss a label or order something off a menu trusting the wait person instead of asking for an ingredient list. We are not in a position to buy all new cleaning products, accessories, and clothes just yet but we are working on it. We have good intentions and want to adapt fully to a vegan lifestyle. Just today I found out the Silk brand is not vegan and Im sure Ill be learning even more on our journey. I don't want to be policed but appreciate productive help from veterans. I feel if I ask questions or even comment on a post that Im going to be persecuted. I feel those who police and criticize others are detouring new vegans. I have had to do a lot of research and these negative comments keep coming up. We need to make it as easy as possible with as many resources as possible. The easier it is the more people will follow and convert to harmless living. Thanks for your post!
Kris
YES! YES! Thank you! I'm so tired of reading those posts and reviews! For heaven's sake, people, the soy, sugar and carageenen in a couple of vegan marshmallows are not going to derail your healthy diet! The negativity is annoying, but the misinformation is downright dangerous, leading people to believe they have to exclude so many foods. Balance, y'all and peace!
AP
GREAT POST!!! I've been eating a vegan diet for years, however I am almost embarrassed to admit to it in public. There are several people I refuse to eat out with in public because they're behavior is obnoxious and embarrassing. Food is our friend, it doesn't need to become an enemy or a way of seeing who is better than who. Awesome post. I LOVE it. YES!
Richa
very eloquently put dianne. It is like a no win situation. i think the social media world needs an etiquette lesson. This applies to so many other issues outside food too. People passing judgements about anything and everything.
Abby
Pardon my language, but holy crap thank you so much. You've summed up my (vegan) thoughts 100 percent and have said it better than I ever could. We'll never be able to weed out the ignorance, but at least we can keep it in perspective and when prompted--educate, don't berate.
Thanks again for this post!
Deb
Well said and THANK YOU! Sometimes I read the crap spewing out of those negative posts and just want to go eat a steak or something so I can have as little as possible to do with those people! And I say this as someone who is trying to make the transition into veganism.
Robin
Bravo! Thank you for saying what a lot of us must be thinking. We aren't doing anyone any favors by criticizing them. No one is perfect at everything they do. And most of us don't want to be. We just want to keep getting better. At the end of the day, can't we focus our energy on helping the animals?
Annie
YES, ma'am! I feel guilty whenever I post a recipe that contains wheat or maple syrup or semi-sweet chocolate chips! I want to eat delicious food that's mostly good for me and doesn't contribute to the harm and killing of animals. Thanks for putting this out there.
janae @ bring joy
I'm not 100% vegan--maybe 95 or 99 or 98%??, but who cares--I do my best to avoid animal products but if there's butter or honey in something someone has prepared for me, no sweat.
I've never liked the judgemental attitude about being 100%, I think being married to a vegan-supporting omnivore has taught me to chill out. Also, I think the strict regimine of no-oil/no-salt/no-sugar (EVER) is unsustainable & I really wonder how many people can realistically do this? If a lifestyle is not sustainable, who cares how GREAT it is, if no one can realistically put it into practice. Thanks for the rant--I know many, including myself are saying amen to the points you've made.
Angela @ Canned Time
Dianne, thank you for taking the time to put this problem into words for us all, and so beautifully and heartfelt. I didn't expect when I changed to non dairy, then non gluten then vegan that I would be so ridiculed for my healthy conscience and cruelty free changes by family, friends, even my Mom thinks I've joined a cult of some kind. But the real blows come from fellow Vegans who as you say, feel the need to ridicule instead of relate to society. I blame much of the trend on the anonymity factor. Why do seemingly intelligent professional good family men destroy careers for the sake of being someone they're not for a few hours a day on line? Why is there a road rage problem when we're all just trying to get to our destinations safely.
Its more about empathy for the animals but also my fellow brothers and sisters that makes me resist certain foods. The nutrition is a super bonus to me but I was attracted to Veganism for its kindness . The Food Police would be bullies whichever cause they'd taken up, I believe because they haven't learned how to be better people (yet). They've learned how to eat better, treat animals better, but not necessarily be better people. I always had a problem with feminists who wanted have the freedom to do all the disgusting things the men had always been famous for. Why?
Anyway, your rant is fueling my rant. I had a big let down a few months into Vegan living when I encountered many of these Food Police, but fortunately there are enough loving, kind Smart Vegans out there so as not to return to the repugnant practice of animal cruelty. I think we'll learn, slowly, how to move the Vegan way of life forward as with most significant changes on the planet and people like you will definitely lead the way.
Thanks for you time. For you patients. And most importantly for speaking your mind in such a civil and kind manner as to make us all stop and think for a moment. Wonderful thoughts and thanks so much for sharing them ♥
pdw
I confess that the food police reside comfortably in my head. Because of MY OWN autoimmune disease and multiple allergies, I am vegan and grain-free and avoid a number of other foods. I also have to be careful of foods that are high-histamine, inflammatory, high-fructose, or might trigger my ulcer. Obviously I have to cook from scratch anyway, but I am also a proponent of McDougall and Novick and believe that a whole food, no oil added, low sugar and low salt diet is the best equation for long-term health.
That doesn't mean I don't eat bread (I make my own awesome tortillas) or occasional dessert (especially when out to a birthday party or church potluck -- yes, I have to make and bring my own), or that I don't occasionally use canned beans instead of dry. It doesn't mean that I can't have chocolate (provided my histamines are low enough to tolerate it.)
But it also means I have to keep my mouth firmly shut when considering other people's food choices. A diabetic is eating a sugary dessert? A vegetarian is eating fish? Someone who claims to be gluten free is eating her date's noodles? An overweight person is going back for seconds? Shut up! None of my business! The food police may be ringing alarms in my brain, but that's where they're going to have to stay. The only person whose diet I can control is my own. That's a full time job as it is. Who needs the aggravation of taking on someone else's diet as well?
Chris
Yes. And THANK YOU!
Javier
The same happen to me, I have a vegan blog and they keep sending messages about the sugar, flour, tofu!! all soy products!! all the time. I really don´t pay attention the them, but they don´t stop!!
Alex
Oh god, the vegan police. I *think* that most vegans want fewer animals to be used by humans, and if that's the case, even baby steps count. Every person who leans into it makes a huge difference for those animals who don't end up as food, and even the vegetarian-on-Mondays people create increased demand for veg food and that's noticed by restaurants and food stores. It all helps, and it should never be discouraged.