An Open Letter to People Who Think Fat Vegans Don’t Exist

The following is an open letter to people who think every vegan is skinny.

Dear Reader,

Fat vegans exist. I should know. I am one.

For years, I’ve felt out of place in this movement because of my size. I’ve started and led grassroots nonprofits. I’ve spoken at New York University. I’ve run political animal rights campaigns. And I’m on the boards of various organizations. But with every milestone in my career, one thing has held me back significantly: my weight.

A vegan since 2010, I have been on the receiving end of some less-than-flattering comments: “If you’re a vegan, why are you fat? “Please don’t tell people you’re vegan. Then they’ll think we’re all fat.

And admittedly, hearing fellow vegan activists remark on my weight has kept me up at night. Some comments have even pushed me close to leaving the movement. But if I did that, the ones who would really lose out are the animals.

Every time I would go to an animal rights event or say that I was vegan, I’d immediately want to shrivel and hide. I am not the “typical vegan people think about. I don’t do yoga. I exercise, but I love vegan pizza. And drinking smoothies every morning just isn’t for me.

For all intents and purposes, I am healthy. I can walk more than five miles every day. My blood pressure is great and so are my iron levels. What’s more, I continue to fight for animals despite vegans in my community who shame me for what I look like. I am a proud vegan and they cannot take that away from me.

I didn’t get into this movement to become a healthier version of myself, though the health benefits of a vegan lifestyle are surely a plus. I am vegan because I feel it is my moral obligation to speak up for animals who so desperately need human allies to talk about their plight. And if anyone knows me, they know I always have Gardein, Miyoko’s, or other plant-based meats and cheeses in my fridge and freezer. Sorry, not sorry.

Our movement is based on compassion. Yes, compassion for animals is at the core of it. But that doesn’t mean we should not have compassion for and protect one another. And if we don’t stop telling other vegans they don’t belong because of their size, then we’re not only alienating them and hurting their feelings but failing to do our part as compassionate vegans and animal rights activists to grow our movement.

We need to stop pushing this “vegans are skinny stereotype. Likewise, we need to stop pretending that every vegan who is skinny does yoga and eats a raw diet. Y’all, vegan options for every meal imaginable exist. Eat what you want!

Furthermore, shaming others because of their size does nothing to protect animals. If we cannot extend compassion to one another, how on earth are we to be taken seriously? How will our message be perceived by the rest of society?

The people in this movement come in all shapes and sizes, all ethnicities, and all health scenarios. Each time we encounter another vegan, we need to keep that in mind. Regardless of why someone went vegan, we should applaud them for doing their part every day to end senseless animal torture.

Each and every day, we fight against animal cruelty and abuse. We don’t need to battle one another while we do it. Remember to be kind to others and to yourself.