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Veganism and Privilege

Image result for veganismA vegan diet has (seemingly) become more popular over the recent years, or at least has had more people discussing it than ever. While there are definitely pros to adopting this diet, such as the ethical treatment of animals, the environmental impact of not participating within the meat industry, and health benefits for those who have made proper changes to their eating habits that cover their nutritional needs, there are aspects of veganism that are deeply rooted in privilege. 
This topic came to mind when I saw a user on Twitter arguing with another about whether or not everyone could afford to be vegan. It is clear that fast food is much cheaper than buying vegetables or organic foods, as in many cases you can purchase a whole meal for less than a couple dollars. Prices of healthy/not heavily processed foods are also raised when one lives within a food desert, or an area that doesn't have a grocery store within one mile of most residents as well as a high concentration of residents who do not own a vehicle. Knowing this, there are definitely classist undertones in expecting all people to be able to have the same resources available to them, which is also rooted in both racism and ableism as people of color and those with disabilities are more likely to live within these food deserts. While there may be some vegan options given, many are not nutritious (such as ramen noodles or eating only beans and rice). The aforementioned Twitter user tried to make her point for affordability by listing everything within her local DollarTree that was vegan, but ended mostly with a list of things that were sweets or beverages.  
While there may not be anything wrong with choosing a vegan diet for yourself, there are definitely issues in shaming those who do not participate. Other aspects to consider include practices or traditional foods that are important within different cultures, such as using mean to celebrate special occasions in countries such as Ethiopia, where the meat will be shared within the whole community. It is also important to keep in mind that while there are benefits to a vegan diet, there are also aspects of participating in unethical consumption when it is taken the working conditions of workers, overwhelmingly migrant workers being paid less than a living wage, must endure.



References:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/nzinga-young/heres-why-black-people-do_b_10028678.html
http://www.newschoolfreepress.com/2017/05/02/veganism-comes-price/

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