We must end the violence against vegans

I GET the aversion to vegans, I really do, but why is my decision not to eat animal products your business — or worse, a reason for violence, asks Seb Starcevic.

I’M a vegan.

Those three words make every vegan the butt of countless jokes and — as recent events have shown — even violence.

Take the story of 18-year-old Monash University student Melis Layik who, as the Herald Sun reported last week, was driven out of her accommodation at Mannix College in Clayton after a series of escalating incidents of harassment.

Layik — who is vegan — claims someone climbed through her bedroom window at 3am and flung raw liver and offcuts at her as she slept. In another incident, she says an actual horse’s heart was left at her door, and raw chicken was splattered across her window.

This comes as 12-year-old Hertfordshire schoolboy Louie Tom Fenton was found hanged after bullies targeted him over his vegan beliefs. He was also pelted with pieces of meat by classmates.

Vegan schoolboy Louie Tom Fenton was found dead after a bulling campaign that saw other children throwing meat at him. (Pic: Supplied)

While these might seem like extreme examples, society’s aversion to vegans is undeniable. Especially in Australia, where “throwing another shrimp on the barbie” is practically a rite of passage, veganism chafes against the red-blooded sensibilities of most Aussies.

It’s a struggle — and I say this from personal experience.

For starters, being a vegan and ordering a meat-free dish at a non-vegan restaurant is always a gamble. You never know if someone in the kitchen has a vendetta against the V-word.

Then there are the constant put-downs masquerading as health concern. Before giving up meat, I never realised people cared so much about my daily protein intake. When I had some blood work done earlier this year, part of me was half-convinced by all the scaremongering that I’d immediately be wheeled into the ICU and hooked up to a gravy drip.

As it turned out, I didn’t need to worry. Contrary to popular belief, there’s no health epidemic carving a swath through the vegan community. It’s not common to hear of people dying from a vitamin B12 deficiency. Not like, say, global obesity or heart disease, both of which are linked to overconsumption of red meat.

By far the most frustrating types, however, are those who feel the need to argue with vegans using their warped interpretation of Darwinian logic.

— Yes, I have canine teeth. Quite sharp ones, too. I’m not about to use them to rip through a steak, though.

— No, humans aren’t carnivores. We’re actually omnivorous. With our ever-increasing understanding of nutrition, it’s possible to exist — and thrive — on a plant-based diet. Science, am I right?

— Yes, I’m aware hunting for sustenance is a grim necessity in many parts of the world, especially in developing economies and remote populations. That said, sheep herding in some frozen corner of Iceland isn’t the same as a filthy, blood-drenched feedlot.

— No, I don’t know what I’d do if I found myself stranded on a desert island. I’d be more worried about having to drink my own urine like Bear Grylls than hunting for my dinner.

Melis Layik moved out of Mannix College after what she believes were targeted attacks due to her veganism. (Pic: Ian Currie/Herald Sun)

While we’re on the topic of hunting, those who insist it’s healthy for the environment should know that one of the greatest threats to biodiversity is overexploitation, not to mention habitat loss and good ol’ climate change, both of which meat production heavily contributes to.

And don’t even get me started on “recreational” hunting and the grisly concept of trophies.

In fairness to vegan-bashers, I can see where the resentment comes from, even if I disagree with how it’s expressed. No one likes being judged, and since the underlying philosophy of (most) members of Team Vegan is that eating meat is capital “B” bad, the urge to debate or ridicule is a natural response to feeling attacked.

Still, before sharing that meme, spare a thought for all us lentil-munchers who are subjected to the confusion and hostility of a meat-obsessed culture that holds its breath before the latest lamb ad. And maybe do some research of your own.

You might be surprised by what you find.

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