How Vegans Navigate An Omnivore’s World

New vegans face many challenges, especially when they’re the only one in their family or friend group. In addition to rethinking their own meals, the people in their social circle may find their new diet and moral views confusing, inconvenient, or even annoying and disruptive, creating tension in the relationship.

This Canadian study sought to understand how vegans navigate these tensions in their daily lives using a combination of qualitative research methods:

• In-depth interviews with 21 self-identified vegans, aspiring vegans, and former vegans;
• 18 shorter interviews with people at animal rights protests and vegan festivals, along with field notes of observations made at these events; and
• An extensive review of online materials related to veganism like social media posts, videos, blogs, podcasts, and news articles, spanning the period from 2017 to 2022.

From this work, the researchers identified three primary challenges that vegans face.

1. Relationship Tensions With Non-Vegans
   Ritual meals like dinners, birthdays, and holidays are often a time for bonding. A consistent theme in the research was omnivores’ resistance to accommodating vegan diets at these meals. Omnivores don’t seem to understand vegans’ points of view, and social gatherings that used to be relaxing now become inconvenient and anxiety-inducing for all parties. This lack of support leads many vegans to feel pressured to give up their new practices to relieve the tension in their families.
2. Relationship Tensions With Vegans
   Even among fellow vegans, there’s sometimes little consensus on the “right” way to be vegan. In social media groups or at meetups, conversation frequently leads to debates on what counts as vegan. A theme that emerged from the research was how hardliners in these groups can alienate potential vegans or new vegans still struggling to figure out how to make the practice work for them.
3. Relationship Tensions With A Non-Vegan Marketplace
   The research revealed a common lament among vegans: the fact that the current food market is geared toward meat-eaters and animal products are hard to avoid in packaged foods. These difficulties can make the initial transition to veganism confusing and frustrating.

The researchers also identified five main skills and strategies that vegans have developed to respond to these challenges.

1. Decoding
   This strategy involves forming a better understanding of veganism and gaining competence in explaining it to others. Vegan advocates have stressed the importance of preparing responses to common arguments against the practice. When this strategy is employed, some interviewees reported that non-vegans have been more accommodating. Decoding also applies to better understanding food options. Shopping at a supermarket after switching from an omnivorous to a vegan diet can be bewildering at first. But after learning which products to avoid, shopping and eating as a vegan become more routine.
2. Decoupling
   As a means of practicing veganism alongside non-vegans without creating tension, some interviewees reported buying and consuming vegan food before eating with non-vegans or bringing their own vegan dishes to a social gathering, all to avoid confrontation.
3. Divesting
   Vegans sometimes feel that it’s necessary to sever non-supportive relationships in their lives. Several interviewees said they had ended contact with non-vegan friends and family members who were antagonistic or unaccommodating. One reported cutting ties with a vegan group because it was too stressful and unwelcoming. Others stopped visiting non-vegan restaurants because they felt they couldn’t trust them to avoid cross-contamination or alert them to non-vegan ingredients.
4. Chameleoning
   Changing behavior in different settings is another strategy that vegans use to prevent relational fractures. Some interviewees reported eating non-vegan foods around omnivores or in restaurants when vegan meals were unavailable, while remaining strictly vegan otherwise.
5. Reverting
   Some interviewees reported giving up on veganism because the social pressure was too much to handle. This may also mean stepping away from vegan circles, and even building connections with other former vegans instead.

It should be noted that this study is limited in scope. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with just 21 people who were the only vegans in their immediate families. Additionally, the interviewees were all recruited from online vegan groups. Therefore, the results may not be representative of everyone’s experiences.

That said, the findings highlight an important point for vegan advocates. Convincing people to go vegan is about more than making an ethical case or providing them with a recipe book. A sustained switch to veganism is challenging for many people because it can be socially alienating. Overcoming this may require ongoing social support or an unusual amount of willpower.