The Dorky Vegan

Yes, that’s right, after two weeks and lots of money, I finally have my beloved MacBook back. You know what that means? More work on my webpage! Not today, though. I’m exhausted and am devoting the rest of today to sleep. We had our Radical Cheerleader sleepover last night, and true to any sleepover party, we didn’t actually get much sleep… but we did get a lot of work done! We came up with a few new cheers, made the moves to one, brainstormed a few ideas for a name (I really, really like the Vegan Death Squad), and watched But I’m a Cheerleader!, Bring It On, and Cheer Up! (the documentary about the NYC Radical Cheerleaders). All very exciting.

A really nice girl, Marta, from the protests gave me a disc yesterday with all the photos and videos from the protests that they’ve taken. Including us cheering! So I’m working on trying to condense them so they don’t take forever to load on my webpage. For now, however, you can watch one if you don’t mind waiting for it to load (I suggest clicking on the link and then going to take a shower).

Other than that… yeah, I have a lot to write but I’m really tired. So it’ll have to be later. I get out of work early tomorrow and have Tuesday off so I can get work done then. Right? Yeah.

I feel like I have to write something positive after that rant about my aunt. To be honest, my family is really supportive of my being vegan, despite not “getting it”. One of my goals is to get my brother to go vegan (he’s vegetarian), he’s extremely resistant to it but I was at that age too. I’d love for my mom to at least become vegetarian, she doesn’t eat a lot of meat (having had two vegetarian children in the house) but chicken, ham and turkey sometimes end up on her plate.

But they’re supportive of me. My mom, who is a librarian, started reading books about veganism at work a few weeks ago (she emailed me to ask why honey wasn’t vegan, and apparently that started a whole research project). When I came home, I saw that she had a copy of The Vegan Sourcebook on her bookcase. That’s the book that opened my eyes to going vegan, so I’m pretty excited that she has a copy.

Yesterday, she made me an apple pie using margarine instead of butter specially for me. I used to make the apple pie every year, and then last year I was vegan and didn’t make one, nor did I eat any. This year, she thought about what she would need to change it to be vegan (and I thought she picked up non-vegan margarine at first… but no, it’s vegan) and she did it.

And my sister’s making cookies for me! She wanted to bring something anyway, so she called and asked if I wanted her to make anything vegan. I originally said no, because most recipes involve buying a lot of stuff (or at least for me, who doesn’t keep her kitchen well-stocked at all), and all my cookbooks are in Chicago (minus Please Don’t Feed the Bears, which I got as a Solstice gift from my Secret Soybean). But then I realized that I had the cookie recipe on my webpage, so I sent it to her and walked her through which items to get at the grocery store (she just needed margarine, vegan chocolate chips, and molasses. She obviously keeps her kitchen better stocked than I do!). So we’ll see if her cookies come out looking/tasting normal, unlike mine (it’s still a mystery. They’re good, but just different. I don’t know why) .

Anyway, despite my occasional griping, my family does rock. And Christmas isn’t all about the food (I would’ve been fine with no dessert, really… probably even better off). I love Christmas because it is, absolutely first and foremost, about my family. For those of you who haven’t known me that long, Christmas is extremely special to us because, nine years ago, my father was allowed home from the hospital for one day: Christmas. It was the most bittersweet Christmas I’ll probably ever experience. It was so great to have him home, smiling and even petting Jewel (he didn’t like cats) and just being happy. But two months and a day later, he was dead. So we always think back on that Christmas, every year. And give thanks that everyone else is still here (especially considering my sister’s horribly accident a couple years ago).

And that’s why my sister bought me a flight home. Not so I can eat vegan baked goods, but so I can be with my family. Of course, Avocado and Ginny are my family as well and they didn’t come with me, but I’ll see them on Christmas night.

So tell your family, especially the non-human family members, how much you love them. Not the (admittedly yummy) vegan food they’ve prepared for you. And remember, Christmas is about compassion for all creatures.

In other news, I can’t wait until we start having Christmas dinners at everyone else’s homes so when it’s my turn, I can have a delicious dinner with no meat on the table.

I’d like to get this point across. Last night I was visiting with my aunt, who is, next to my brother, my favorite relative. But things escape her. I knew it was a bad start when she asked me, “So, are you a strict vegan?” Uh, what do you mean? “Like, do you follow it exactly or do you sneak in a little milk here or there?” No. If I did that, I wouldn’t be a vegan. I’d be a vegetarian. I don’t know how many times I have to explain this to people (see the entry before last), but if you “cheat” or “sneak” or knowingly consume animal products, you aren’t a vegan. Please, don’t call yourself a vegan. It probably makes yourself feel cooler than you are (because you acknowledge the suffering and try to appear like you’re doing something about it… but you’re not!), plus it makes it hard for those of us who are vegan (not for a trend but for the ethics) and then have to explain to someone who had previously met a “vegan” who wasn’t really vegan.

Anyway. I keep going back to that topic but that’s because it keeps coming up. Onto other subjects… now, I said that I love my aunt. I do. But she’s a speciesist. A really big one. And some of the conversations last night just made me so angry (and she’s one of those people who, when she’s in the mood, just goes on talking and talking so you can’t counter her argument or tell her that it upsets you). First, she said how great it was that I was doing the fur protests and she’s against fur and will say something to someone on the street that’s wearing it. Great. Except that she wears leather. Why not one but the other’s fine? Because it was “cuter” in life?

Then, she went on to talk about her (deceased) husband’s family and how, being Portuguese, they always had rabbit at big dinners. Just sitting there, in the middle of the table, cooked with its head still attached and staring at you. And she would never eat it because it grossed her out. And they made the argument to her, “But you eat beef and chicken!” (exactly what I’m thinking, but with a different intent). She said that’s different. How? Well, first of all, she doesn’t kill it herself (and then proceeded to tell me how they killed the rabbits…), she just buys it from the supermarket already dead and cut up. So pretty much, she’s admitting that the removal of the killing aspect makes it okay to eat in her eyes. As long as it doesn’t resemble the living being that it previously was, she’s fine with it. Uh, that’s called denial. Her second argument? Chickens, cows, etc. are different than rabbits. How so? Aside from outer physical traits, I don’t see any difference. They’re all living beings with nerve endings, functioning organs, and a desire to live.

So I left my aunt’s house feeling considerably upset. Mind you, we talked about lots of other things that didn’t involve cruelty to animals, so it’s not like the whole night was horrible. Just, sometimes I wish people (especially those I’m closest to) would just open their fucking eyes instead of rolling them at me.

Well, besides the fact that I’m currently Mac-less (it’s at the Genius Bar *hopefully* being fixed). And me not being able to access my dorkyvegan.com email address because I’m a moron and can’t remember how to log into the webmail site (I’ve been using Mail way too long…). So you know, try an alternate email address if you need to send me something.

Anyway, why Eyeore is depressed. I was listening to the Vegetarian Food for Thought podcast the other day titled “The Burden of Burros”. She had a short piece about how Eyeore is the only “positive” donkey character, usually they’re just beasts of burden or stubborn. Even our language reflects these negative images, calling someone a jackass as an insult (I love this podcast because she constantly challenges me to change the way I communicate; she’s had a couple episodes about animal cliches).

And no wonder that Eyeore’s depressed about all of this, considering that he’s only been portrayed negatively for thousands of years.

So tonight, I was walking home (after a successful day of protesting, including our RADICAL CHEERLEADER DEBUT!) and a yard had a Winnie the Pooh blow-up Christmas decoration. Winnie and Tigger on a sled, smiling and happy… and Eyeore pulling the sled. And he was partially deflated, flopping over and proving his point even more.

Just something to think about. I’d go more into it, but I’m exhausted. So just think about it.

I work with a number of people who are lactose intolerant. Considering that a good percentage of the human population is lactose intolerant, it’s not so surprising. These people all have different ways of dealing with it. One avoids all things with milk in them (but still eats meat, mind you). One takes lactaid pills when she has dairy products (which is pretty often). Another just consumes dairy, gets upset stomachs, and then complains to us about it!

Not a single one of them has stopped to consider the possibility that maybe they’re not supposed to consume dairy products. Suggest this to them, and all of a sudden I’m the crazy vegan again (geez, and I was doing so well at blending in!). A large number of people are lactose intolerant because (shock of all shocks!) humans aren’t meant to consume cow’s milk. Our bodies aren’t designed for it. Those who don’t get sick from it are like that because of our genes’ wonderful ability to adapt to conditions we force them into. Whose bodies are designed for drinking cow milk? The answer should be fairly obvious: baby cows. Not baby humans and especially not adult humans.

So, crazy vegan that I am, I’ve suggested alternatives to cow milk. I’ve gotten everything in response from people completely ignoring me (real strong argument there), to “Eww that’s gross!” (consuming a cow’s reproductive secretions isn’t?) to “I tried it once and didn’t like it” (like diarrhea better?). Tried what? Soy, hemp, rice, almond milk? There are so many different alternatives to cow milk. There are different flavors (plain, unsweetened, vanilla, chocolate…). Even from brand to brand, there’s a huge difference. Ask a group of vegans which kind tastes most like cow milk, and you’ll get a variety of responses; most likely the majority of brands/flavors/sources will be represented. We all have different taste receptors, so of course you have to apply trial and error.

Me? Personally, I don’t want to be reminded of cow milk. But it’s out there for those who do.

Some days, let’s face it, I don’t want to get out of bed and be barraged with fur coats, stupid anti-vegan questions, and McDonald’s/Arby’s/Applebee’s/whateverthefuck ad that shoves dead animals into my face. Sometimes, you can feel extremely defeated when you look at the big picture. So what do I do? I don’t look at the big picture. There’s one thing that gets me out of bed on these days to continue fighting. Well, two.

Avocado and Ginny. And I don’t mean that I get out of bed because I have to feed them (I can easily go right back to bed). Just seeing them, knowing what a great life they now have, is sometimes the motivation I need. Their stories aren’t incredibly horrific compared to some (J’s dog was legally rescued from a vivisection lab, and you should hear him talk about the rehabilitation process), but still. I need to keep fighting so others won’t have to endure worse.

I got Avocado in March of this past year. He and his brother (whom I didn’t adopt) were seventh months old and had been victims of animal abuse. Yet he had never fought back, according to the papers I received at his adoption. He never bit, or clawed, or anything. And he still hasn’t. Even though he received horrible treatment in his first home, once he was with people who cared about him, once he could feel safe, he knew that. As soon as I brought him home, he knew it was for good. He completely trusts me (and I would never do anything to violate that trust). The capacity for forgiveness in animals is amazing.

Ginny was abandoned when she was about five months old. When I adopted her in August, she had been in the shelter for a month and a half (completely baffling the shelter volunteers, who loved her, and I also couldn’t understand why). She had been dumped at a “popular” drop-off spot for unwanted pets (a spot the shelter regularly checks apparently). When she was brought in, she was half-starved, had worms and fleas, and was extremely cautious. When I went to adopt her, she was still on the thin side, and she was very shy. She was terrified of being outside. She also wasn’t too keen on dogs which, with two very hyper dogs in the house, made things interesting.

I brought her home, kept her away from the dogs, and gave her lots of love and food. She went from five and a half pounds to a healthy 7 pounds quickly. She didn’t hesitate to show her affection towards me, licking my fingers (and everywhere else) whenever I picked her up. Her affection has never wavered.

Through the months, I’ve worked on renewing her confidence. She was afraid of going outside, but I started taking her out on her leash and harness, and once she realized that I would remain by her side, she relaxed. One day, the three of us (including Avocado) went outside in the front yard and she took a nap while Avocado ran around. That’s how I knew she was much more at ease. Now she goes outside all the time (always on her harness, always with me). We go for walks down to the Lincoln Square shops, where she hangs out with the calmer dogs. She’s attended a fur protest with me (once winter’s over she’ll be out there again… I’m not going to subject her to this weather!). I’m the crazy girl with a cat on a leash… but if she doesn’t go out at least once a week now, she gets restless.

She’s still jumpy at times if you move too quickly behind her, and sometimes she gets startled by the simplest things (like the fridge turning on). She freezes when people walk by my apartment door. But I’m sure that she’s aware that nothing’s going to happen to her now. She still gives me, and anyone else she meets, plenty of kisses.

So for me, I have to get out of bed and continue to fight for animal rights so that animals like Avocado and Ginny can have a chance for something better, if they happen to be born into the wrong situation. So they don’t end up as “subjects” in animal tests. So they don’t end up on fur farms in China to make cheap fur coats. So they don’t end up in cheap pet food. And this extends to ALL animals. I know that I’ve only focused on my cats, but I want to make the distinction that they’re not special just because they’re cats. All animals deserve the chance to live a happy, fulfilling life without cruelty. Just some days, the physical reminder is needed.

Okay, there are lots of things that I have to write about, because I’ve been pretty busy lately. But for right now, I just want to rant about the last two days. At work, I float between two offices, and each has its perks and disadvantages. When I’m in the one, I’m tucked away in a corner where nobody ever sees me, but I get to listen to Vegan Freak podcasts and talk to Nick. But, you know, nobody else ever sees me. In the other office, I actually get human interaction. And while I’m not one to crave human interaction all the time, once in a while it’s nice. But half the time I can’t stand the topics of conversation I’m forced to endure (which is another rant for another place that I’ve already written, actually).

But yesterday and today? The fucking vegan inquisition. Now, I don’t mind if people ask me about being vegan. But it really depends on how you ask the questions. I swear, when one girl asked me if I eat potatoes, or rice, I was just like, “Huh? Are you serious?” Another girl rolled her eyes when I said I don’t use Clorox and those types of products because of the animal testing. And, of course, the whole “you don’t believe in animal testing for medical research?” I sat there for about fifteen minutes and tried to explain to them why animal testing for medical research is unnecessary and often inefficient. I’m pretty sure that I didn’t get through to them (judging by their inability to comprehend anything that doesn’t revolve around reality TV). “But testing saves lives!” Um, it usually doesn’t (how many animals are killed every year in medical research compared to how many human lives are saved?), but either way I don’t think a human life is of greater value than an animal life. I don’t think that an animal’s life should be “sacrificed” for the life of a human. But try explaining that to them.

Then I made the mistake of going into the whole Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, and instead of getting the concept that our rights are being infringed, now they’re all, “Fuchsia’s a terrorist!” Jokingly, of course, but still. Um… did you not listen to anything I said?

Anyway, so I endured this yesterday, and then as I was heading down to the El after work, I was accosted by a Greenpeace person. He pretty much hunted me down (seriously… I had my headphones on, listening to Vegan Freak, and he just kept saying stuff to me until I actually paid attention). When I finally heard him, it went like this:

GP: “I know you love the environment!”
Me: “Yes, I do. Tell me, are you vegan?”
GP: “No…”
Me: “Well, animal consumption is the main contributor to the gases that are thought to be causing global warming.”
GP: *nervous laugh* “Animal consumption is the biggest contributor to pollution in general. But I’m a vegetarian. Well, I admit, I do cheat sometimes. But I try to avoid factory farming as much as possible.”

(Mind you that I’m walking very quickly down the street to catch my train and he’s walking alongside me.)

Okay… don’t say you’re a vegetarian to get my money (not that I have any anyway, and there are other organizations, like the ADL, that I’d rather give my money to). If you know what’s doing the most damage (than everything else combined) to the environment, fucking do something about it, starting with yourself. And don’t fucking say you’re a vegetarian but you “cheat” sometimes. If you cheat… you’re not a vegetarian. Sometimes we make mistakes (family members sneaking things into food, for instance. Or for all those years that I was vegetarian before becoming vegan, I just didn’t know that gelatin was considered not vegetarian), but saying you “cheat”? That’s just completely different. You’re not a vegetarian.

I said it was a rant, right? I swear a lot when I’m ranting.

Then today I came into work, feeling like absolute shit, and had to endure Day Two of the vegan questioning. I was mostly completely out of it, though (I get loopy when I’m sick), so I don’t really remember anything.

On the El on the way home, the man I was sitting next to was reading a book about the horrors of factory farming and slaughterhouses. After the last two days, it was good to know that I wasn’t alone in thinking about all of this. (Okay, there’s another vegan at work, and quite a few vegetarians, but I hardly ever come into contact with them…)

But then I came home and Emelda came over to practice our cheers for our new Radical Cheerleaders team, and we came up with some new ideas as well (still need to come up with a name…). We’re going to be cheering at Saturday’s protest, and another one on Sunday (yay!). Oh and ADL sent out the 12 Days of Liberation so I was excited about that.

But yeah, that’s been me lately. Frustrating non-vegans (they’re not all bad, and they’re not as bad as ex-vegans of which I thankfully don’t know any here), intelligent vegans, and everything in between.

Saturday marked my one year anniversary of being vegan. How did I celebrate it?

Standing outside for almost two hours in snow-turned-freezing-rain protesting a fur store.

Then I went to the Chicago Diner with my new friend, Emelda, and had yummy vegan food.

Then more standing outside because the El was broken due to the weather.

But you know, it was a good day. A lot of dedication was seen by how many people showed up for the protest in the bad weather.

I’ve been doing events with the Animal Defense League of Chicago. I’ve met a lot of great people already! It started with the Fur Free Friday march, then the next day I brought Ginny with me to the regular Saturday protest outside of the Chicago Fur Mart. She got a lot of attention and yes, she loved it. Despite one woman yelling at me for “torturing my cat like that” (Ginny was calmly sitting on the ground on her leash…). Some people are crazy.

I’ve been doing more work on the webpage, if you haven’t noticed. It still has a lot to be done, but I only have so much time to work on it between all my work and activism and kitty cuddles.

But basically, I wanted to write this to celebrate the fact that I’ve been vegan for one year and I know that this is something I can live with for the rest of my life.