What "Real" Vegans Wear?

[weetzie]

My friend said something to me recently that kind of bothered me. This "friend", mind you, eats meat, drinks milk from animals, eats cheese, and wears leather. I was telling her that I was vegan now, which of course I got the response "I couldn't do that." Then it followed with her asking about what I wear.

"Are your clothes going to be vegan too?" is what she said. Now, I don't wear leather, wool, silk, etc. My clothing is all animal-free cloth. So I didn't really understand what she meant. She started saying about how "real vegans" don't wear clothes that would have hurt an animal's environment. And apparently I was wearing clothes that hurt animals' environments.

I'm not really sure what she meant by this, especially since as far as I'm concerned, harvesting any kind of crop can pose a threat to the wildlife around it. e.g. hemp, cotton, etc.

Does anybody have any idea what she meant, and where she heard this, or am I completely naive?

:help:

[sleepydvdr]

The only thing I can think of is the use of plows to till the dirt and plant seeds when growing cotton. They will, of course, run over bugs.

[lolabunny23]

Perhaps she just felt threatened by you, so she gave you a snooty comment? I have no idea what that could mean.

I had a friend a while ago lecture me that bees aren't animals. Then she threw in that I hate bees (which I do) and that it is stupid for me to not eat honey because they make it for us and I hate them, so therefore I should eat honey. I just stood there, dumbfounded. People make me laugh.

Try asking your friend next time what she meant by that. Maybe she could clear it up? I would like to know what she meant, too!

[Brandon]

Weetzie, I think your friend was just looking for a way to convince you that veganism is unattainable.

Short of running around naked, clothing has to come from someplace. Well, I guess one could wear fig leaves a'la Adam and Eve but for me, I will stick with cotton. :p

[isowish]

Weetzie, I think your friend was just looking for a way to convince you that veganism is unattainable.

agreed.

[muchluv]

Either being stupid or defensive :)

[weetzie]

I did ask her what she meant by that, and she kept repeating the same thing. She seems like one of those hippy-earth loving types but still eats meat.

Veganism does at time seem unattainable and frustrates me to no end, but I shouldn't let people like that frustrate me.

I just wanted to ask here in case there was something I was missing.

[lolabunny23]

I think I would be down for wearing leaves and a cute leaf bra! Only if society would accept it. :p

[sleepydvdr]

I'd accept it. :eek:

[das_nut]

What "Real" Vegans wear?

Tight pants scavenged from a thrift store, a pro-vegan in-your-face t-shirt (short sleeved, to show off tattoos), and several facial piercings.

[lolabunny23]

I'd accept it. :eek:

haha ok then! off to make my leaf outfit. :]

[Mojie]

I agree that she was probably trying to make veganism seem impossible to achieve, probably because she felt that you don't think that the way she's doing things is good enough. People can be really defensive.

It's not possible to be perfect in every way. You know that and everyone here knows that. Some people just like to belabor the point. :-/

[weetzie]

Thanks Mojie I agree that's probably what she thinks.

das_nut that sounds hot <3 I want some vegan shirts now.

[das_nut]

Uhuh.

I only wear metal and geek t-shirts. :D

[Mojie]

Thanks Mojie I agree that's probably what she thinks.

You're welcome! :D

[weetzie]

So I guess that's decided that Vegans only wear the cutest outfits, whether it be leafy, nerdy, or metal-y.

Got it :) And it's been decided that my friend is crazy and/or jealous.

Honestly though if I she says anything again I'll ask her what she meant.

[Pixelle]

I think I would be down for wearing leaves and a cute leaf bra! Only if society would accept it. :p

You could always work for PETA - that sounds very much like the uniform they like the women to wear. :D

[SomebodyElse]

Perhaps she just felt threatened by you, so she gave you a snooty comment?


Weetzie, I think your friend was just looking for a way to convince you that veganism is unattainable.


Either being stupid or defensive :)
Or wants to see you naked. :P

[weetzie]

^^ She has tried to, or rather has, forcefully, kissed me.

Hmm...

[lolabunny23]

I think we translated it, then! She's telling you that you need to go naked! And I think the PETA girls outfits are actually cute! Halloween costume? Perhaps! :p

[Angelbabe]

Either being stupid or defensive :)


^^Agreed.

[hoodedclawjen]

maybe she meant clothing made with pesticide-free lower-impact organic materials- things that don't involve dumping chemicals all over half of the planet- eg: sustainable organic bamboo or hemp grown in a considerate manner, instead of some kinda horrible industrially produced, over-sprayed, inconsiderately farmed cotton product that'd cause issues like this:

http://www.panna.org/files/conventionalCotton.dv.html

[African_Prince]

Weetzie, I think your friend was just looking for a way to convince you that veganism is unattainable.

Co-signs. It's impossible to avoid benefitting from or contributing to any amount of suffering at all.

[VeganPower!]

My friend said something to me recently that kind of bothered me. This "friend", mind you, eats meat, drinks milk from animals, eats cheese, and wears leather. I was telling her that I was vegan now, which of course I got the response "I couldn't do that." Then it followed with her asking about what I wear.

"Are your clothes going to be vegan too?" is what she said. Now, I don't wear leather, wool, silk, etc. My clothing is all animal-free cloth. So I didn't really understand what she meant. She started saying about how "real vegans" don't wear clothes that would have hurt an animal's environment. And apparently I was wearing clothes that hurt animals' environments.

I'm not really sure what she meant by this, especially since as far as I'm concerned, harvesting any kind of crop can pose a threat to the wildlife around it. e.g. hemp, cotton, etc.

Does anybody have any idea what she meant, and where she heard this, or am I completely naive?

:help:

She was probably just trying to get under your skin. Who is she to tell you what a "real" vegan wears? Shes the one exploiting animals although its obviously wrong. People try this with me all the time too.

[VCN]

She sounds like a bit of a hypocrite to me. It's possible that you're friend is intimidated by your veganism.

If you're worried about it you might want to do some research on brand names. I know that some are harmful to the environment, but others really make an effort to work with the earth in a healthy way.

A good example is Adbusters blackspot shoe: http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/blackspot
And I hate to admit it, but the PETA website has its uses: http://www.peta.org/living/alt1.asp

All that said, if you buy stuff from secondhand stores than your money is not going towards the company that slaughtered the animal. Not that it necessarily makes the idea of wearing animal corpse a good idea, but in the vein of avoiding the support of large-scale animal cruelty it has it's perks. Besides, secondhand clothing is a sort of recycling, right?