Okay, first of all, let me give you some context. I’m 27, I’ve been vegetarian since I was 5 and vegan since I was 22. I moved to Madrid, the capital of my country, to study, and that’s where I started getting more involved in the vegan movement and the whole vegan scene.

However, over the past few years, I’ve been seeing the vegan movement take a pretty significant downturn here in the city. I used to shop at four stores specializing in vegan products, but they’ve gradually closed down, and now there’s only one left.

There was also a company called Freedom that specialized in sweets and baked goods. At one point, they had several locations: a pizzeria, a café specializing in breakfast, another place more focused on brunch, and their own bakery where they made their products by hand. Now, only the bakery is left.
Another really good place specializing in doughnuts and drinks is about to close down, right in the heart of Madrid. A kebab restaurant chain that operated in Barcelona opened a location in Madrid, but it didn’t even last a year before it had to close as well.

Vegan products are also disappearing from regular supermarkets like Lidl and Carrefour. I remember when I moved to the neighborhood where I live now, a little over a year ago, Lidl was the main supermarket around here, and they had a themed “vegan week” where the products literally flew off the shelves and sold out incredibly quickly. But this year, my girlfriend and I were really looking forward to it, and it never came back.

What the fuck is going on?

Holy shit I have been living under a rock. Even if I wasn't vegan I think I would choose to eat this over eggs.
It's so funny because I literally posted in this sub last week saying I have no idea how I would be able to give up eggs, but I decided to try scrambled tofu today and my life has been changed

I know it was praised as a vegan film at the time it was launched. But I just didn't expect much and didn't see it because I thought it would be a typical "cute animal suffering is bad" movie.

Then I saw the movie with my husband, who is pretty conservative and doesn't care about animals that much; he was actually moved by the movie, and I saw tears in his eyes at the end. He actually chose a vegan meal for dinner Yesterday.

I thank James Gunn.

I was vegetarian for about a year but only very recently switched to veganism late last month, but my mom has always been against my morals and she mocks them quite frequently. My dad, however, has been very supportive of this decision, as his daughter (my half sister) has been vegan for about 25 years, which makes this whole thing much easier. My mom never lived with anyone else who was vegan or vegetarian in her life so it's new to her, so she always tries to pressure me to eat cheese and other animal products that I don't want to eat and she is aware of that, but I'm worried for tomorrow as it's her big day and all that. Since she makes me feel so pressured in small situations where there's food involved but there's not much of an occasion, knowing her I'm nervous that she will do it again but make it a bigger deal. What could I do other than refuse it if she keeps pushing? Am I really a bad person for not eating cake on her day?

(And apologies if this isn't in a correct format or something, I haven't used this in a while lol)

I swear dude people call vegans pushy like yeah ofc you’re going to be pushy when you’re seeing lives getting abused. EVERYONE DOES IT EVERYONE ARGUES FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN. ITS NORMAL
ITS NORMAL ITS THE MOST NORMAL THING YOU COULD DO. Before I even started trying to get more into veganism when I saw people complaining about vegans being “pushy” or talking about veganism I was getting so irritated I was on the verge of tears at one point being of how irritated I was it’s ridiculous.

It's such a hypocritical cliche to see someone film themselves helping unstuck a baby calf from some farm fence. They literally manufacture the infrastructure around farms to trap escaping animals. Like jeez it's literally made that way so you can have cheaper food.

What if that person's a vegan though ? Yeah no the odds aren't that good yet.

I've started eating vegan ever since I moved out for college. My roommates are good friends of mine. I've lately had a discussion with one of my roommates about veganism. I typically try not to convince any of my friends to change their diet to aggressively because I don't want to harm out relationships, but I couldn't help but call out her hypocrisy in that moment. She mentioned that there's an adorable cafe with little pigs that you can pet in Amsterdam. I (reasonably in my opinion) mentioned that it's a bit hypocritical when she awes and ohs at the little piggies at some cafe and then eats a schnitzel for lunch. She said "Pets are pets and food on a shelf is food on a shelf". I told her that she can't just claim to adore these little pigs and then turn around and eat their family. It's the same species. If she really loved cute animals she wouldn't eat any of them. She said "she doesn't love all animals. She only loves pets and I won't convince her". This pissed me off but I gave up the discussion because I didn't want an argument. I have no idea how to talk to people like this. I get its cognitive dissonance talking, I've been there, but I also don't think that makes their actions correct.

Hi everyone. I’m fairly new to veganism, couple weeks in, making silly mistakes and trying to learn from them. I don’t really have many people in my life that I can talk to about it, so I thought I’d share something that happened today.

I got home from work and a Halloween mask I’d ordered had arrived. It’s a pretty scary looking mask, and out of curiosity I decided to put it on and walk into the room where my cat was, just to see how she’d react.
The reaction genuinely took me aback. I saw a level of fear in her that I’d never witnessed before. Her ears went back, her eyes widened, her tail puffed up, and she cowered away from me. Her whole temperament changed in an instant.

I immediately took the mask off and felt awful. I hadn’t intended to frighten her the way I did, but seeing her so scared made me feel incredibly guilty. I spent time comforting her, giving her treats and trying to help her feel safe again. But afterwards, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

I started thinking about all the animals in farms and slaughterhouses experiencing fear and confusion in unfamiliar environments. Animals being transported, handled, or separated from their babies. Living beings experiencing things they can’t understand, with no way of knowing what’s happening to them or why.

I’d always known that animal suffering existed but somehow managed to push it to the back of my mind and only recently decided to start trying to make my actions align with my values. But seeing that fear so clearly in an animal I love made it feel different. It stopped being an abstract concept and became something I could really connect with emotionally.

And then I thought about the fact that, for the last 30 years of my life, my consumption of animal products has contributed to a system where that suffering happens every day. I’m not saying that to beat myself up or suggest I was deliberately trying to cause harm. It’s simply something I’ve started to look at differently.

I can’t stop all animal suffering. I know that. But I can make different choices about what I consume, and I don’t want to keep contributing to something that I now feel so uncomfortable with. I think that’s what’s really solidified this journey into veganism for me. It’s not about being perfect, judging anyone else, or feeling morally superior. It’s about recognising that other living beings can experience fear, distress and suffering, and deciding that where I have a choice, I want to do what I can to avoid contributing to it.

I know I’m at the beginning of this journey, and I’ve got plenty to learn. But today, something just clicked in a way it hadn’t before. I’m sad that it took an experience like this to make it feel so real to me, but I’m grateful that it’s made me think more deeply about the way I live.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that with people who might understand where I’m coming from. I’m glad to have found a community where I can talk about this stuff. ❤️

I posted a few days ago actually about then being concerned about the deficiency and I explained to them how a vegan diet is perfectly healthy and you can get get all your nutrients and some things need to be supplemented like B12.

My mom has been so sweet cooking different variations on meals. Today we made a pasta and blended silken tofu into the sauce for protein and to make it creamy instead of using dairy cream like I used to. I also started taking healthy eating much more seriously because before this tbh I was not but now I am because I want to show everyone in my life that vegans can be healthy and hopefully inspire some others

My dad also said he admires what I’m doing and said hes thinking of giving up meat now (omnivore)

Anyway I just wanted to share this uplifting post because I was a little nervous about going vegan in my household and was debating waiting till I move out even in the next few months but my parents have been very supportive :) . As well as the friends I’ve told so far!

Our vegan community naturally “boycotts” factory animal farms. It’s an entire life decision-

The only part I disagree with on this article is not promoting the sale of
alternative products for people who aren’t vegan (yet).
Some people are so selfish that showing them a video of animal torture doesn’t convince them to stop.
When an alternative product is offered and available people are more likely to make the switch.
We will gain a greater understanding and assist people in maintaining a sense of “normalcy” when they still feel like vegans are “one of those people”.
In order that people are attracted to changing we must offer alternatives. Of someone on Reddit asked for recipes and everyone told them to buy a bag of beans and rice, they wouldn’t be as likely as someone that offers an alternative.
I posted a product on vegan-beauty sub Reddit today with hair care products that are vegan.
I know the philosophy of decreasing is foundational in veganism.
How can we completely eradicate factory animal farms if there are still
some people who refuse to stop wearing fur! When they deny the harm a dairy and meat farm cause, while believing they won’t have their “sausage links” or hair dye they want if they choose to stop exploiting animals?
If everyone stops consuming animal products completely animal farms would close.
We could utilize resources to build industries that nurture veganism and compassion. We would be healthy and conscious of each other in a way we haven’t seen before.
This is an incredible article, well written and informative. I just think there’s a lot we have to do to promote Veganism. We have to be the protesters that don’t hurt anyone.
We have to be as respectful as possible even when we (I) feel insanely upset and uncomfortable smelling bacon and hearing the way they talk about vegans.
It’s just like taking a child’s play item. Not to be condescending, but if we take away meat, eggs, dairy, leather, from every product purchased, we are going to have to offer something in its place.
Cactus leather, vegan “alternative isn’t cow milk”, hair care and cosmetics that don’t exploit animals. Otherwise people who have been living like everyone else for their entire lives and don’t care so much about animals won’t endorse or embrace veganism.

Manny Rutinel, who's running for Congress in Colorado, has completely abandoned his pro-animal rights views after he was spotted eating a carne asada taco from a food truck. He used to espouse moving away from animal agriculture and promoted animal rights, and even participated in a demonstration by PETA. However, as stated in this article, he is now back to eating meat. In response to Republicans calling him "meatless manny," Rutinel ate a pork taco in front of reporters. Why should having moral integrity and speaking out against the horrific exploitation happening everyday be a problem to voters? I hate how "vegan" is considered an insult. Why should a Congressional candidate have to support the suffering of animals in order to appeal to voters? What is wrong with us?

My partner was encouraged by someone to not "change their life" and go vegan, or even more plant based, for their health. This person likened "going vegan" to "being trans" - I'm sorry, what?! - then hyped supporting local farmers. I just...what?!

Just pure RFK/GOP nonsense or what? Some twisted merger of GOP talking points and them attacking Talarico? Meanwhile my partner's doctor recommended it, unprompted, and not having any idea I'm vegan.

It's not funny, but yet, the illogical nature of it has me cracking up bc idk how else to respond.

So, I really like goats (and sheep). And theres a thing I find really awesome, this .

Its called goatscaping, and its basically letting goats eat overgrown places. Sometimes, its just a service a regular production farm gives, but this one seems different, because they all have names, they dont breed the goats, theyre mostly male (who are usually dairy culls (killed at a few months old)) and the account also calls them their pets. They seem like rescues too, because the breed variation and all, if they wanted to buy some goats there wouldve been less variation.

So, do you think its ethical? Because it is a business that involves animals afterall. Personally, I think its really cute and cool.

The other day my mother was talking about how she could eat fish everyday, but it's changing because I made her feel bad for eating fishes. She was half joking, and I don't really want to make people feel bad, but it's actually kind of positive that she doesn't feel great about eating them anymore. She also mentioned something about slowly going vegan over many years, which is still a small step. Anyway, I just wanted to post about this, maybe I'm making an impact on her!

Hello everyone,

I hope I won't be offending anyone with my post I am vegetarian but not vegan (yet), working towards it. Christmas is coming and with winter lower temperatures and I am looking for ways to keep warm. I have vegan family member that I love a lot and would like to offer them suff to keep warm also during winter ! So without asking them and ruining a potential gift surprise I wonder what are some alternative ways to wool or leather to keep warm during winter ? Do you have any favorite brand that would make these items ? Thank you and please be kind in the comments. Also even better if the brand is in the EU

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Hi everyone!

I'm 20 years old, and I've been a meat eater my entire life. I grew up in a household where meat and animal products are a huge part of our diet, so the idea of becoming vegan is honestly pretty foreign to me (and probably sounds crazy to my family lol).

However, I recently adopted a rescue pit bull, and having her has completely changed the way I look at animals. I've always considered myself an animal lover, but lately I've been thinking much more deeply about the way we treat animals and the animal agriculture industry. I've realized that I don't want to contribute to that suffering anymore, and I've decided that I want to become vegan for the animals.

I'm slowly making the transition, but I'm definitely struggling with figuring out what my new normal looks like.

For context, I'm a college student, very into weightlifting, and I prioritize eating a high-protein diet to build and maintain muscle. Before this, my diet basically revolved around chicken, Greek yogurt, eggs, and other animal products, so I'm having to completely rethink the way I eat.

I also live in a TINY apartment with very limited kitchen equipment, don't have a huge grocery budget, and barely have time to cook or meal prep between school, work, and the gym. I do eat out fairly often, but I would really love to find convenient, affordable vegan meals and snacks that actually keep me full and help me hit my protein goals.

I'd really appreciate some guidance from people who have been vegan for a while!

A few things I'm especially curious about:

• High-protein meals: What are your favorite easy, affordable vegan meals, snacks, protein bars, or shakes? Especially ones that require minimal cooking!
• Nutrition: Should I start taking B12? Are there other vitamins or nutrients I need to pay particular attention to? I want to make sure I'm doing this in a healthy, sustainable way.
• Fitness: For anyone who lifts weights seriously, how has being vegan affected your strength, muscle growth, recovery, or performance?
• Energy and mood: Has anyone noticed improvements in their energy levels, mood, digestion, or overall well-being since becoming vegan?
• Staying motivated: How did you navigate the transition, especially if you grew up eating meat and were surrounded by people who weren't supportive or didn't understand?
• General advice: What do you wish someone had told you when you first became vegan?

I'm not expecting this to be an overnight change, and I'm trying not to get overwhelmed by having to relearn so much about food. But I really do want to make this a permanent lifestyle change, not just a temporary diet.

I'm doing this primarily for the animals, and I'd love to hear from people who have been in a similar position.

Thank you so much in advance! Any tips, encouragement, resources, or personal experiences would mean a lot. :)

A friend was stopping at a bakery and asked if I wanted anything. I told her sure, if they had something vegan, but not to worry about it otherwise.

She came back with coffee and no pastry.

Apparently she'd asked about a particular bun. The person working there knew it didn't contain milk but couldn't confirm whether they used an egg wash. So my friend just didn't buy it.

And honestly? I really appreciated that.

I've been in so many situations where someone proudly hands me something they bought or made "especially for me," and then it turns into this awkward little investigation. Do you know what's in it? Are you sure? Could we check? And suddenly I'm the difficult one because someone was trying to be nice.

My friend didn't make me feel guilty for asking. She didn't decide that a little egg probably wouldn't matter. She didn't act disappointed that she couldn't bring me a treat.

She just said, "They weren't sure, so I didn't want to risk it."

We drank our coffee and talked about other stuff.

It was such a small thing, but I wish more people understood that respecting someone's boundaries sometimes means being completely fine with not having an answer.

Has anyone else had a surprisingly thoughtful experience like this? Something tiny that probably wouldn't even register with most people?

This song is really emotionally connected and catchy. The melodies and lyrics are thoughtful with informative images in the video.