Vegan Lifestyle and Masculinity: 41% of Men Want to Try Vegan
There’s a huge gender imbalance among the estimated 79 million vegans worldwide, as most of them are women. With over 78 billion land animals killed for food each year, The Vegan Society set out to discover what barriers are preventing men from adopting a vegan lifestyle and sparing animals’ lives. The study found that 41% of the non-vegan men interviewed were either planning to go vegan or have some interest in going vegan. However, the key barriers to making the switch were concerns about taste, a lack of information around nutrition, and the fear of how their friends or families might react.
Masculinity and a Vegan Lifestyle: How to Navigate the Conversation
According to the report on vegan living and masculinity, about 47% of men were hesitant because of the anticipated negative reactions from their social circles. The findings indicate that outdated notions of masculinity may still be at play, with men fearing that going vegan could make them appear less “manly” to their peers. The truth is that eating animals is cruel, detrimental to the environment, and terrible for your health.
So what can you do if you’re a man interested in going vegan but feel insecure about how your friends and family might react? Here are a few tips to help you handle those potentially tough conversations:
- Educate yourself: Before you talk to others about your decision, make sure you’re well-informed about the reasons for going vegan. Take a look at PETA’s “Issues” pages for information about the animal abuse inherent in laboratories, on farms, in the clothing industry, and in entertainment. We also suggest watching a documentary called The Game Changers if you want to learn how eating vegan can make you stronger.
- Start with empathy, and share your personal experience: Understand that people may react defensively to your decision because it challenges their own unexamined habits. You may find it helpful to share how much you enjoy being vegan or how easy you found the switch.
- Be prepared for pushback: It’s natural to face some resistance. From childhood, most of us learned to be speciesist – that is, we were conditioned to view certain species as worthy of care and others as less important based on arbitrary human preferences. This toxic view leads people to draw groundless distinctions between animal species based on the perceived worth of those animals to humans. When you challenge these views by refusing to eat other sentient beings, your friends may resist. If you’re confronted, remain calm and respectful. You don’t have to engage in heated debates, but you can be firm in explaining why you refuse to contribute to animal abuse. Remember that in choosing to go vegan, you’re doing the best thing for animals, the planet, and your health.
- Find a supportive community: Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who can offer support and advice as you transition to a vegan lifestyle. Whether it’s online forums, local vegan groups like Vegan Runners, or even a few supportive friends, having a compassionate community around you can make a huge difference.
- Lead by example: Sometimes, the best way to change minds is to lead by example. Show your peers that being vegan means you can still eat your favourite foods (like pizza or burgers) and stay strong and healthy while taking a stand against the exploitation of others. Invite friends to try vegan meals with you, and demonstrate that a plant-based lifestyle is satisfying and sustainable and helps create a better world for animals. Here are some of the tested ways to encourage your friends to go vegan, too.
- Be kind to yourself: If you slip up and eat something non-vegan, don’t throw in the towel. Keep going, and remind yourself that it’s a journey. Read PETA’s top ten tips for being a pragmatic vegan.
Vegan Nutrition: Let’s Debunk the Myths
Adopting a vegan lifestyle can lead to significant health gains, from reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer to improved sleep, digestion, and stamina. Eating a balanced mix of vibrant vegan foods, including beans, nuts, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables – along with finding reliable sources of vitamins B12 and D – is the way forward.
Be prepared for uninformed (but potentially well-meaning) questions, such as, “Where do you get your protein?” Welcome to our world!
PETA’s guides are here to help you navigate vegan nutrition and answer these questions:
Meat, Men, and Mental Health
Most abattoir workers are men, and they often suffer as a consequence of the public’s consumption of animals. Working at an abattoir has been linked to various mental health problems.
Records show that many workers grapple with suicidal thoughts and depression. It’s no surprise that this kind of work takes a psychological toll: after all, the animals killed by workers are terrified and fighting for their lives in the same way the cats and dogs with whom we share our homes would. As one man working in a pig abattoir put it to The Guardian, “Pigs down on the kill floor have come up and nuzzled me like a puppy. Two minutes later I had to kill them – beat them to death with a pipe.”
There’s Nothing Manly About Eating Meat
Eating animals is bad for your health and the planet. Supporting the slaughter of billions of animals who’ve spent their sad lives packed onto a filthy farm is cold and cruel – not attributes valued in a man or any other person. Taking a stand against oppression and being confident in your choices makes you a man of integrity. Often, those who mock others over “masculinity” are insecure within themselves, so take no heed.
Champion Positive Masculinity
Society is evolving and disposing of reductive stereotypes, and you can, too. By approaching conversations about vegan lifestyles with empathy, knowledge, and patience, you can be a role model for those around you. Protecting those who are vulnerable or routinely exploited demonstrates strength and masculinity. Don’t allow the insecurities of others to knock you down.
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