Veganism isn’t ableist, but unfortunately some vegans are

🍀🍀 Veganism isn’t ableist. But unfortunately some vegans are. 🍀🍀

Veganism is sometimes accused (by both able-bodied as disabled persons) of being ableist and consequently also dismissed altogether by pointing to the fact that ‘not everyone can be vegan, due to disability or chronic disease’. This is mostly invoked to refer to dietary aspects of veganism (plantbased eating) or the use of medication.

This accusation holds a misunderstanding of the very definition of veganisme, which includes the phrase ‘as far as is possible and practicable’.
As such, EVERYONE can be vegan. Everyone can try to avoid the exploitation of other animals ‘as far as is possible and practicable’. If for some medical reason it is not possible to fully avoid the use of animal ‘products’, e.g. medication, there are many other aspects in your life where you can still try to avoid it to the best of your abilities. Because veganism is also about more than medication and diet. Think of the use and exploitation of other animals for entertainment, clothing, cosmetics, etc.

And this is exactly what all vegans – also disabled vegans and chronically ill vegans – do in their everyday lives. They avoid the use of animals as far as is possible and practicable, given their specific situation.

➡➡ Unfortunately, although veganism in itself isn’t ableist, some vegans or vegan or animal rights organisations are ableist.

Some examples of ableism in the vegan movement are

• organising events that are not accessible
• excluding disabled people from activism
• claiming that some people are not good advocates for animals based on appearance
• healthshaming
• ableist language
• medication shaming
• presenting a vegan diet as a miracle cure all
• …

And these issues need to be addressed and tackled (one of the reasons why I also launched this platform, Crip Humanimal).

Dismantling ableism is not only a matter of becoming more diverse and inclusive. As a social justice movement, we should be working for liberation and justice of all and ableism cannot be condoned. #totalliberation

➡️ 🌿🌿
“Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.” 🌿🌿

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