Posted as part of VeganMoFo (The Vegan Month of Food) 2014 When vegans are around, things get a little tricky – for all of us. Sometimes non-vegans get defensive or hostile because they think vegans are telling them their food choices are unethical. Sometimes vegans are! And that comes across as self-righteous and snobby.

So, I’m using the Vegan Month of Food – a month during which vegan blogs are celebrated and aggregated in one place – to provide some easy tips for non-vegans and vegans to use, so we can all get along a little better. As the old saying goes, “If you can’t say anything vegan, don’t say anything at all.”

“I DON’T LIKE OTHER VEGANS.”
Vegans, please stop saying this.

Why?
You know how some women say they don’t get along with other women, and they sound bratty and somehow sexist against their own sex? Well, vegans who say they don’t like other vegans give off a similar icky vibe. Icky. Gross.

Enough non-vegans think they don’t like vegans; and it’s bad enough when they say it. We shouldn’t add credence to a stereotype – especially about ourselves. Yes, some vegans are a little rough around the edges. And some are awesome.

Stereotypes are bad. Overgeneralizing is bad. All vegans are not bad. All meat-eaters are, though. Kiddiiiiing.

What are some alternatives?

• “I prefer vegans who are accepting of any steps toward a plant-based diet.”
• “Most people I spend time with aren’t vegan, but I have some amazing vegan friends too.”
• “Every group is made up of individuals.”
• Don’t say anything at all.

Note: I asked you to choose my punishment for missing a day of posting for VeganMoFo, and you responded. But there was a tie, so I decided to do a few of the things: including posting a dumb picture of a (smart) vegan on each VeganMoFo post. Here’s today’s!

These vegans love each other, and fooooooood.