Betrayal from the left: The excuses behind the leftist critique of "white veganism"
A mural in Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh, India) There are few topics nowadays capable of setting people on edge as much as veganism in the social media. If you ask meat-eaters if non-humans deserve to have rights, most would probably say "Yes" and would genuinely prefer animals not to suffer. However, when veganism comes up in a conversation, it's another thing: It irritates many people because it's considered radical and extreme as it forces us to question the way we live and what we consume. There are some who react almost allergically to the word "veganism" and wouldn't eat a product labelled as vegan even though they already eat fruits and vegetables, among others. Surprisingly to me, some of the harshest criticism comes from those who I expected to be allies in this struggle against oppression: a certain sector of the political left, which despite actively engaging in the fight against sexism, classism, racism and homophobia rejects antispecie...