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F
or many years, vegans and veganism
have almost been considered swear
words. To hear that someone had
actually gone vegan would conjure
up images of the pasty white greenie,
replete with tie-dyed t-shirt and
unflattering shoes. Anti-vegan memes are a
constant source of entertainment for omnivores
on social media platforms, with many being
downright hateful. Regardless, times have
changed and veganism is sweeping the world.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that
Australia now has the third-fastest growing
vegan market in the world, and the vegan
packaged food industry in Australia is
currently worth almost $136 million. The
growth has been projected to reach $215
million by 2020. Those figures are nothing
to scoff at, and it is clear to see why savvy
businesses are getting on board.
Sheila Hart is a 28-year-old parachute
rigger (a person who is trained or licensed
to pack, maintain or repair parachutes) in
the army. She is beautiful, smart, tattooed,
hysterically funny, and there is nothing stereo-
typical about her. Sheila initially went vegan
for her health and fitness. She explains, “I
was training hard with the army and switched
to vegan protein. I felt so good it sparked an
ultimate google about all things vegetarian
and plant-based.”
Sheila initially began her vegan journey
because of health concerns, and as time went
on, her eyes were opened to animal ethics.
“I watched Earthlings, I cried, I understood.
That was the day. I used to hunt, fish and kill
lots of animals, so it was a big change for me
and I have never been happier.”
But like many other vegans, once they
make that ethical connection, their veganism
develops a life of its own. For Sheila, cooking
and writing had always been passions, as
was her ’67 Chrysler Valiant she’s named
Ruby. Sheila pulled all three passions together
and started a vegan blog called Valiant Vegan.
She uses the space to share amazing recipes,
stories, photos, and her general love for life.
When asked why she chose to blog about
her veganism, she thoughtfully replies, “When
I made the ethical connection, I felt this need
to do something more. I found that when you
are truly a vegan, it becomes part of you. It
changes you. I wanted to express that to
everyone, to show that I was still the old
Sheila everyone knew, just veganised”.
She describes her blog as a way for her
to understand the new and exciting world of
veganism, and for the reader, it’s a great way
to feel connected to other people on the same
journey. Sheila shares her stories and recipes
as a way to inspire and encourage others, andwith her down-to-earth humour (and bad
language), she also provides a really good laugh.
Veganism encapsulates many things. It’s
about animal ethics, health, vitality, the
environment, politics and a myriad of other
things. People have differing reasons for why
they initially go vegan, and whilst the main
reason we stay vegan is because of animals,
the one common theme ties all the rest
together; food.
Reece Thomas-Meredith, owner of A Peace
of Reece, has been cooking since he was
six years old and it’s always been a
passion. At 21, he has been vegan for three
years and has used this time to develop a
range of vegan handmade, pre-packaged food
that is so good, he now sells them in Charlie’s
Vegan Pantry in Everton Park, Brisbane.
Reece has had a similar background to
many of us — he grew up eating meat in
every meal and had no understanding of how
the meat actually ended up on his plate.
When his girlfriend went vegan he watched
her transition, and learned how horrific the
industry is. He confesses, “I could no longer
live a lie that it’s normal to consume animal
products... I came to a realisation that it was
cruel and inhumane.” Once Reece made the
commitment to veganism, he transformed all
of his favourite recipes. He claims that being
vegan has broadened his creativity so much
that “I’m constantly creating new recipes with
methods that I didn’t even know could work”.
Reece’s food is so delicious that when
non-vegans try it they can’t believe it’s vegan.
He says excitedly, “Vegan food has so much
more flavour and is loaded with 100 per cent
more nutrients”. His Facebook page is loaded
with photos of the most decadent looking
food; chocolate cakes, apple scrolls with
‘butter’ caramel sauce, pancakes, pepperonis,
‘sausage’ rolls and more. He’s even practising
the art of cooking the good old Aussie
classic - the Dagwood Dog. Reece is proof
that veganism is not the end of dreams, but
just the beginning.
Both Reece and Sheila are typical of
today’s vegans. Times have changed a great
deal, especially in the last five to 10 years,
and veganism is becoming more mainstream.
It doesn’t carry the stigma that used to be
associated with it, and the pasty, white,
undernourished person is no longer the pin-up
child for veganism. Australian vegans are
from all walks of lives, all ages, and are very
serious in their quest to raise awareness and
to show that veganism is not only sustainable,
but something to be treasured. Whilst saving
the animals, the environment, and inspiring
good health, it’s changing lives and tearing
down negative stereotypes.Gone are the days of the pasty white greenie with tie-
dyed t-shirts. Veganism is becoming mainstream and
breaking down stereotypes. By Annelise Stephenson.
WAGING WAR ON STEREOTYPES