Saving Myself, One Meal at a Time

At the end of May, I celebrated my one year anniversary of being vegan.

For nearly 38 years, I ate meat. I grew up in Saskatchewan, after all. But I always loved animals. I had pets growing up. I knew plenty of hunters (again, Saskatchewan) but never understood why anyone would want to shoot or harm a living creature.

And I was a champion for the environment. I recycled everything: paper, plastic. I never left the tap running while brushing my teeth. I mended socks and wore clothing items until they were threadbare.

As I grew older, I got really good at ignoring these instincts when it came to what I ate. I became a so-called "foodie," trying everything, becoming a local expert amongst my friends and colleagues on the best up-and-coming restaurants and cuisines. I always knew what hip new place was opening and, in many cases, was ahead of the masses in getting a table. No menu selection was off limits: bone marrow, sweetbreads, tripe, foie gras, veal.

© Cowspiracy on Instagram

I guess I wanted to be like everyone else I knew, dismissing videos showing cruelty to dairy cows or baby chicks being thrown into compactors. I decried "extremist" organizations like PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and wanted to believe the footage was somehow doctored or created under pretense, touted as propaganda.

But at some point, I started paying attention - mainly, because I could no longer believe my own bullshit.

The Vegan Society defines veganism as "a 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." Vegans eat a "plant-based diet avoiding all animal foods such as meat (including fish, shellfish and insects), dairy, eggs and honey" and avoid the use of "products like leather and any tested on animals."

The way I like to think of it is: no animals or animal-derived or tested products on your plate or person.

After nearly 38 years of blindly eating meat, I woke up. I accepted that the choices I was making when it came to food were wrong. I made the connection that what I was eating was once an animal who didn't want to die, who was tortured, who experienced pain and unimaginable fear - all in the name of nom nom nom.

I realized that sharing my pictures of meat-based meals on Instagram and Facebook was not only absurd, it was serving to perpetuate the normalization of inherently cruel and disgusting conditions in animal agriculture. By hanging on to my identity as a meat-based "foodie" and posting these pictures on social media, I was complicit in the exploitation of animals and the desecration of our planet to fuel humanity's sense of domination over all other forms of life.

© Sea Shepherd

No more. After a year of being vegan, I've learned so much. I am finally making decisions that are in-line with my values and beliefs. I am finally living a life that feels full of purpose. And my regrets are down to one: that I didn't go vegan sooner.

But I couldn't have done this alone. I am grateful to organizations like PETA and Mercy for Animals, who seek to end cruelty to animals by exposing the inhumane and torturous conditions in factory farming. These organizations inspired me to look past the end of my own nose and stomach, towards something greater: true respect for all creatures.

I am thankful for all of the animal sanctuaries (too numerous to name!), working to rescue animals who were destined for slaughter. These places give animals a home, a safe place to live the rest of their lives the way they always should have - in peace.

© Esther the Wonder Pig on Instagram

I am grateful for all of the individuals trying to make a difference and save the world - living by example, and promoting veganism in a positive and respectful way. This is not always easy to do, knowing just how much suffering and destruction is caused by those who choose to unapologetically eat meat without a second thought.

But lastly, I am thankful for friends, family and colleagues who have respected my decision to become vegan, who have expressed curiosity and interest in the reasons why, and remain open-minded when I sometimes get a little preachy. Thank you for your understanding and willingness to listen and learn more.

If you are curious and want to read more, here is a list of my favourite resources that inspired and helped me get started with being vegan:

• Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle
• Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter’s TEDx Talk at St. Lawrence College
• Esther the Wonder Pig by Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter
• Documentaries such as Cowspiracy and What the Health by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn
• The Vegetarian Starter Guide by ChooseVeg, a project of Mercy for Animals

© Whitman Edmiston