Veganism is not inclusive.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably white. You’re most likely middle class, or upper working class, with a relatively stable income. You probably completed secondary/high school education, and you may even have a degree or be working towards one. Finally, you’re almost certainly in a western country.

Today I saw a bunch of vegans claiming that veganism is something everyone can do, no matter what social groups they’re a member of, on a Facebook group I’m in. However, the demographics I’ve listed (of which you probably fit at least two) suggest otherwise. How can veganism be “for everyone” if it’s a movement dominated by white, middle class Westerners?

Many vegans seem to be unaware of the fact that having the ability to be selective about what we eat is a luxury. This isn’t surprising, as the majority demographic of vegans are middle class white women. However, this doesn’t excuse the lack of empathy many vegans show when talking to people with lower socioeconomic status (which we’ll refer to as low SES from now on). They may tell them that “money is no excuse” and that “the cheapest foods on the planet are plants”, without considering situational and systemic issues that can prevent the transition.

First of all, when a low SES person claims they can’t afford to go vegan, it’s not just the financial cost they’re considering. They may not have the time to learn about the devastating effects of animal agriculture, and most likely don’t have the energy to be empathetic towards animals. Imagine every day of your life consists of getting up at 6 AM, working two jobs and then having to look after your children, only getting alone time at 10 PM. Would you want to spend time watching PETA videos of animal cruelty? No, you’d want to either unwind or just go to sleep. Even if you care about animal welfare, there will always be issues that more urgently need attention, such as how to pay the rent this month. But the middle class majority found in the vegan movement don’t have this issue; most will work a typical 9-5 job, and have weekends free, and so have a lot more time to dedicate to these philosophical and political issues.

Lack of finance also leads to a lack of resources. You could tell someone to look up cheap vegan recipes online, but what if they don’t have the money to buy a computer or internet connection? On top of that, they may not have the education needed to cook food from scratch, or may be physically unable to due to a disability. Systemic racism in our society means that areas with larger ethnic minority populations also have worse school systems, despite also having disproportionately less wealth than their white counterparts. This, accompanied by a lack of representation within the movement, can make people of colour feel particularly alienated.

We also have the address the problem of food deserts, areas where geographic circumstances result in a lack of fresh food, which often result in vast areas without a supermarket. The lack of food availability results in fast food chains moving in due to the high profit potential. This fast food is much cheaper than whatever whole foods are available, so low SES people are especially drawn to it. Many higher SES people cannot comprehend this situation, as food availability is the norm – for example, I’m personally within walking distance of three different supermarkets stocking a good range of fresh produce and vegan specialty products – so don’t understand it’s a genuine reason to not be vegan. Yes, there are vegan options at most fast food chains, but (as discussed above) lower SES people often lack the time, resources and energy to research these options.

But let’s step outside of the west for a minute. People are considered to be in extreme poverty if they spend £1 or less on food per day; approximately 1.8 billion people meet this criterion. Plant foods simply can’t provide the number of calories they need, especially as many are forced to work long hours in physically demanding jobs. For example, the majority of the poorest people in India eat a predominantly vegetarian diet, but dairy products such as ghee are added as often as possible. For these people, removing animal products from their food would result in severe malnutrition or even death. The one cow being milked, or one chicken being killed, could save the lives of an entire family.

Ultimately, you may read this analysis and think, “but I stayed vegan during a time of hardship, so it’s still not an excuse!” This line of thinking completely disregards the realities of transitioning to the vegan lifestyle. It’s hard, and takes a lot more energy than maintaining it once you’re committed. I don’t even think about being vegan anymore, but I remember that I struggled a lot when I first started!

Of course, I’m completely supportive of veganism as a movement. After all, I’ve been part of it for over four years! But we need to take a more intersectional approach to our activism. Focus on converting the middle class, as they’re the ones with purchasing power and ultimately the ones who can cause the most political change, but we must use a different approach for other groups. Instead of pestering lower income people to go vegan, support them with the struggles they deem as important. Fight for good quality social housing, an NHS for all and the right to welfare support for the most vulnerable. Take a stand against racism, classism and ableism in all forms. Acknowledge and champion the social justice movements fighting against discrimination. By doing this, we’re showing that we want to be inclusive, and may even inspire others to join us in cruelty free living.


Want to learn more about this issue? Check out Vegans of Colour, Kat Blaque, and Vegan Feminist Network.