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The 1st of November Is World Vegan Day. Here’s What (I Think) It Means.

From Lee Hall, Vegan Place The Art of Animal Liberation
October 30, 2023

The word came from the first three and last two letters of vegetarian—“because veganism starts with vegetarianism and carries it through to its logical conclusion.” Vegetarianism is a dietary path. Veganism is a commitment to respect other animals on their terms.


Donald Watson, 1944 - image credits: The Vegan Society

The First of November is World Vegan Day.

Vegan was coined in 1944, by a small group previously called the non-dairy vegetarians. They said it was not their intent to break away from the vegetarian movement that arose in Britain and the United States in the 1800s. But they couldn’t live with patchy respect for nonhuman animals. They set out to “renounce absolutely their traditional and conceited attitude that they had the right to use them” to serve human purposes.

It’s Not a “Stop Factory Farming” Campaign…

The Vegan Society’s founding members considered the animal farms of England unacceptable. So what if these farms were free-range and familiar features on the landscape? Covering the land with purpose-bred animals had ruined ages of natural evolution of animal life in untamed habitat.

Vegans acknowledge the health and environmental hazards of animal agribusiness as well as its unjust treatment of other conscious beings. We’ve decided not to participate. Nor do we want to be at war with free-living animals, as ranchers and “free-range” farmers are.

It’s a Call for Liberation.

Defining veganism in 1951, proponents explicitly connected their vegetarianism with a liberation call, based on their stated conviction that humanity has no right to exploit other living, feeling communities.

They would opt out of “flesh, fish, fowl, eggs, honey and animal milk and its derivatives.” What would they eat? “Fruits, nuts, vegetables, grains and other wholesome, non-animal products.” The results they sought? Honestly humane agriculture. And the rise of a movement to stop humanity from continuing to derail other animals’ evolution.

Why the First of November?

The Vegan Society first considered making the 2nd of September a celebration day. That was the birthday of Donald Watson, the best known of the Society’s founders. But the group ultimately settled on the anniversary of their first newsletter publication.

Turned out Watson wanted nothing to do with the “great person” narrative. It’s up to every vegan to be veganism’s representative.

Why the Word Vegan?

The word vegan was adopted as a name by The Vegan Society founding members Donald Watson and Elsie Shrigley. Dorothy (Morgan) Watson had first offered the word to Donald—at a dance they both attended.

The word came from the first three and last two letters of vegetarian—“because veganism starts with vegetarianism and carries it through to its logical conclusion.” Vegetarianism is a dietary path. Veganism is a commitment to respect other animals on their terms.

Once We Commit to Veganism, What’s Next?

We must each ask ourselves what striving has to mean. As for me? I think: Do the opposite of what the masters do, the opposite of what the fascists are doing out there right now. Stand for kindness, solidarity, and respect. Live simply. Live in harmony with nature as much as possible.

I’m trying. I think I’m getting better at it.

We might disagree on what to do and how to do it and what initiatives to support, but I hope we can figure out how to disagree without hurting, and to agree without competing.

Here’s One Thing We Should All Agree On.

Turning animals into our things is a ruthless habit, regardless of whether the results strike us as cruel or cute. And it’s a habit humanity can break.

Of course, the vast scale of animal use is overwhelming. But it runs on profits. “Consumers” have torque. As a movement, we’re here to say people can make our own decisions about what sorts of consumption we’ll accept.

Veganism Is Direct Action.

Donald Watson said the vegan movement would be essential to any future on Earth that includes humanity. We’re here and we’re human, so let’s do this thing.

Happy World Vegan Day, friends. Love and liberation,

Lee.
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Thanks to Patricia Fairey and George D. Rodger for the information on the origins of the word vegan.

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