A vegan is a person who does not consume any animal products such as meat, fish, eggs or dairy, or any products derived from these. Vegans also do not buy clothing made from animal-based materials such as leather or wool or use services that involve animal exploitation.
Vegans can be classified in many ways, but few of them fit under any specific category. Vegans are not a unified group with a shared worldview – rather, they are very different individuals who have all chosen to be vegan for one reason or another.
Ethical issues related to the exploitation of animals are likely the biggest individual reason for adopting a vegan lifestyle. For some, though, ecological issues are the most important motivator. Other reasons for becoming vegan include health considerations as well as religious and spiritual reasons.
Veganism is also related to human rights. 40% of the world’s grain yields are used as feed for farm animals, even though these crops could be used to directly feed humans. The production of meat and other animal products requires several times more farmland because food is “wasted” by feeding it to animals.
The origin of the word ‘vegan’
Donald Watson wrote in 1944: “We should all consider carefully what our Group, and our magazine, and ourselves, shall be called. ‘Non-dairy’ has become established as a generally understood colloquialism, but like ‘non-lacto’ it is too negative. Moreover it does not imply that we are opposed to the use of eggs as food. We need a name that suggests what we do eat, and if possible one that conveys the idea that even with all animal foods taboo, Nature still offers us a bewildering assortment from which to choose. ‘Vegetarian’ and ‘Fruitarian’ are already associated with societies that allow the ‘fruits'(!) of cows and fowls, therefore it seems we must make a new and appropriate word. As this first issue of our periodical had to be named, I have used the title “The Vegan News”. Should we adopt this, our diet will soon become known as a VEGAN diet, and we should aspire to the rank of VEGANS.”
The word ‘vegan’ was formed by taking the beginning “veg” and the end “an” from the word ‘vegetarian’.
A fitting and unambiguous definition of veganism was coined by the UK-based Vegan Society in 1988. The organization was founded as far back as 1944 by Leslie J. Cross, who observed that there was no definition for people who are against all animal exploitation. “Veganism is a philosophy and 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; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
Read more about different vegans: Why I became a vegan