As society grows more and more conscious of its food choices, we can clearly note the exponential rise of those taking on a mindful vegan life...But with the sunshine comes the rain. While those who are vegan certainly have a good understanding of what it means to live this lifestyle, members of the mainstream media sometimes supply a more critical standpoint, from small and muted critical reactions to direct criticisms to representations of veganism as a “diet,” which may open the lifestyle to criticisms from those wary of any “fad” diet trends.
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Here at Vegan Mainstream, we know that the number of people with an interest in vegan living is growing – we need only reference our social media newsfeeds to see news of another vegan restaurant opening or another plant-based chef being featured in mainstream media outlets. As society grows more and more conscious of its food choices, we can clearly note the exponential rise of those taking on a mindful vegan life. This is the good news.
But with the sunshine comes the rain. While those who are vegan certainly have a good understanding of what it means to live this lifestyle, members of the mainstream media sometimes supply a more critical standpoint, from small and muted critical reactions to direct criticisms to representations of veganism as a “diet,” which may open the lifestyle to criticisms from those wary of any “fad” diet trends.
For example, when Vegan Chef Chloe Coscarelli recently appeared on the Kathie Lee & Hoda show to feature allergy-free vegan holiday dishes, Kathie Lee, halfway through the cooking segment, asked Chloe “but you’re not vegan though, are you?” in a tone which, from some viewpoints, implied that this word might indicate something just short of tragic for the budding chef. While Chloe handled the situation calmly and graciously, with a simple confirmation of her veganism, Kathie Lee’s tone, took the word “vegan” under a somewhat critical light.
Other types of criticism are more direct. For example, when it was announced that NFL player Arian Foster had adopted a vegan diet last year, many media outlets scrutinized him endlessly for his dietary choices. Foster told Yahoo! Sports: “Everybody cares what I eat now. They didn’t care before, but they do now. Everybody is a nutritionist now and they’re an expert on protein. Every day, every single day somebody knows something new to do. I just smile and say, ‘OK.’ ” Foster captured one of the important reasons for this criticism of public vegan personalities when he explained: “We’re emotionally attached to food, bad food. Think about every big event in America, it’s attached to food. Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, holidays … it’s with food. That’s why people feel so strongly about it; they’re emotionally attached to it.”
When celebrities and public figures announce their veganism, the mainstream media often describes these choices as vegan “diets,” “crazes,” or “fads” rather than lifestyles. In a mid-2012 U.S. News Health feature on “vegan diets,” author Angela Haupt begins by describing the “vegan diet” as “the strictest type of vegetarian,” implying a restrictive nature around the lifestyle. Haupt, while citing many of the commonly reported health benefits of veganism, still phrases the news in more than one instance that screams “fad.” For example, phrases like “Vegan diets have lately been surging in popularity” — work to create a feeling that veganism is just another diet, leaving the lifestyle open for criticism of its trendy nature.
These, of course, are but a few examples of the many ways veganism is discussed in mainstream media outlets. As a vegan presence in mainstream media grows, it would behoove us to consider these representations and reactions to vegan personalities in a society where the Standard American Diet prevails. With each and every vegan representative mentioned in mainstream media, we are given the opportunity for more and more people to potentially research and take on a plant-based life.
As a movement, we need to provide consistent, thoughtful, fact-based information to mainstream media outlets about the vegan lifestyle and its benefits, as well as explanations of those things that many might unknowingly see as a potential downfall of the “diet” (men’s health and vegan protein sources, for example). While many longtime vegans inherently know the benefits and tricks to following a healthful vegan life, mainstream media needs constant reassurance, so that when a vegan personality is featured or a well-known person becomes vegan, or announces his or her veganism, those responsible for communicating with the masses can react in a more responsible, less critical manner. While it is not my expectation that everyone will immediately accept the vegan way of life, continual communication in the form of research studies, press releases, and non-sensationalized news pieces will do all of us a whole lot of good.
Let’s keep talking about vegan weight loss stories and posting delicious vegan recipes, but let’s also increase the number of research-based, health improvement stories – and let’s send them all to mainstream media outlets at the local, national, and global levels. If we keep taking steps to show that veganism is an all-encompassing, health-changing lifestyle (and not just a diet), perhaps eventually successful vegan persons will be met with less criticism or surprise in mainstream media spots — and maybe someday mainstream media will actually start to help to show how amazing the vegan lifestyle really is.
Source: feedproxy.google.com
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