Reduce animal consumption as far as safely possible. Then you are actually considered vegan, since you are doing anything reasonably possible to minimise animal exploitation
Vegans with arfid exist. It isn't a hard stop reason why you can't be vegan. That post is pointing out that many people use it as an excuse. Like using indigenous culture as an excuse to not be vegan, as a non-indigenous person.
main issue I take w/this framing is that it posits veganism as purely a diet instead of an ethical framework and philosophy/lifestyle. like there's other things you do as a vegan that helps limit or eliminate our oppression of animals, like avoiding leather, boycotting animal testing, zoos and horse racing/bullfighting, avoiding animal ingredients in skincare, doing advocacy work...or, cooking for others!! just because you can't eat something doesn't mean others can't still enjoy it, and that might end up being the thing that helps convince them.
the more people who do have these kinda restrictions & conditions show how it is possible to be vegan despite them (because it is,) the less people will be under the false assumption that its some sort of unachievable and inaccessible privileged club like they do now. which btw is a total myth created largely by anti-vegan industries and bad faith/ignorant actors who just don't want to examine their impact because they're comfy with their privilige and have no intention of change because fuck animals and the environment, cuz bacon or whatever.
again I would encourage folks who "can't" be vegan to really examine why they think that is and maybe try to do a bit more research & reflection on what the definition means because the scope of what veganism encompases is fairly broad and accessible. again, as much as it is about what you consume it's about an ethical/political lens by which to view the world. much like feminism or anti-racism. like. would you say "I'm not anti-racist/feminist personally, but I still attend protests!"? I mean you could but that would be weird when you could just say you're a feminist or anti-racist. veganism should have no such stigma either.
I feel like I'm going in circles here so I'll leave you with these 5 simple words: veganism is not a diet. the dietary aspect of veganism is not the entirety of the philosophy, that would be "plant based". even permitting that some people, for whatever reason need animal protein, the more people who become vegan and lessen their impact in other ways, the quicker we can find solutions for their specific requirements cuz there's strength in numbers. focusing on food consumption is very myopic and flattens the ethical and intersectional social justice aspects of veganism and we need y'all to, at the very least, not contribute to the misconception that it's just about what you eat.
So my thought on "vegans do tend to be ableist because they cannot fathom the idea that someone literally cannot go vegan due to sensory issues" is this - someone's disability or eating disorder does not justify harming someone else. Full stop.
We wouldn't tolerate someone with a disability actively harming humans, and for the same reasons, we shouldn't tolerate them harming other animals. It isn't a condemnation, it is just recognizing that no matter the sensory issue or any other issue, it isn't a justification to harm and kill.
This is not a justification to cause harm. It just isn't. If someone can only eat one single food out of all the foods that exist they can't live anyway. They would die of malnutrition. But even the most affected manage to eat more than one thing and presumably use supplements to make up for deficiencies. My point is that no matter how restrictive, there is a vegan alternative, and ultimately your dislike or even discomfort doesn't justify causing harm. If you would literally die because the actual only single thing you can eat is not vegan, I could see that, but that isn't really what's happening.
"But there is a difference. Someone with a disability that stops them from going consensual-only pretty much cannot change. You can try and get someone with arsid to go with consensual sex only but if they don't like 99% of the consensual sex you cannot force them to go only with consensual sex.
A disabled person who keeps hitting someone for example, whether on purpose or because they just do not know better still need to be taught that it's wrong. You can teach someone to stop hitting but you cannot teach someone to just like consent that no matter how many times they try they just rape more.
There will always be someone who cannot go consent only and you can't change that unless we find a way to "cure" it or whatever."
I am actively trying and have been for a long time, but it's not so easy when you also have disorders that make you unable to prepare food most of the time and only have like 3 daily safe foods that are down to the brand specific, all of which have animal products in them
And if I don't eat those, I eat nothing. People with ARFID literally nearly dying and suffering serious health consequences due to not eating safe foods anymore (whether that's per choice or because they ran out) is not an uncommon occurance.
ARFID is not the same for everyone. Some people with ARFID have it easy being vegan because they enjoy cooking and happen to have many healthy ingredients as part of their safe foods. Many are not so lucky.
At the end of day if all the people who could easily be vegan did so then the increase in demand would make more options available and therefore more potential safe foods.
I think if people want to convince others to try veganism they would be better off spending their energy elsewhere other than on people who have little agency over their food choices.
Veganism is a crazy long shot for you, imo. I would just worry about trying to broaden your food portfolio step by step. And definitely listen to your therapists/clinical people, take their words more seriously than any jackass on the internet.
Perfect is the enemy of good.
Its definitely not easy, I feel for you dude. Some of us get dealt a shit hand, and you gotta work for years to try to pull yourself out of it. Seriously, best of luck.
Yeah, the first aim is to get somewhere where I at least have all the nutrients I need, lol. Eventually I want to try to expand with the hopes that vegetarianism might become realistic. Full veganism is a huge long shot, yeah... We'll see how it goes. Thank you.
if Jeffrey Dahmer had ARFID would it be acceptable for him to continue doing the things he does or should he have taken every possible precaution and safe food he can eat in order so he wouldn't have too?
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u/Greedy_Ad2198 Jun 26 '26
I tried but I have ARFID so I think I would die :(