Does avoiding honey hurt our movement more than help it?

Question

I've heard the vegan argument against honey, but many insects are killed when our vegan food is grown. Do you think these nitpicky arguments about honey, sugar, etc. turn off alot of people to veganism? Don't these arguments perpetuate the misconception that vegans can't eat anything?

Answer 1

Most non-vegans already think we're insane for not drinking milk so why would I care if they think I'm insane for avoiding honey too.

It doesn't give any misconceptions about veganism.  If people want to eat honey, they will.  For a long time I was wondering if I should cut products with honey in them out.  I finally did when I realized that bees are related to lobsters and shrimp.

Answer 2

No, I don't think it's nitpicky. Sure, insects will be killed accidentally, and that's terrible. But there's a difference between a few bugs being squashed in a field and deliberately harvesting honey from overworked bees.

Answer 3

Vegan people don't eat honey.

Making it a focus is harmful to our movement.

If you understand that to any degree..............

.............. WHY THE h**l DID YOU BRING IT UP ON A PUBLIC FORUM!?!?!?!?!?!?!

http://www.vegetus.org/honey/honey.htm

http://www.veganoutreach.org/howvegan

Ever hear of agave nectar? It's better than honey.

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Believe it or not, but this question is visible from the main food & drink page.

It was also visible on the Y!A home page for a short period of time and the V&V forum is not frequented by just vegetarian and vegan people.

NEWS FLASH: Nobody ever uses exploitation of bees as a "focus" of discussion or as a point to persuade anyone. I don't know what planet you live on but the focus is factory farming, not honey.

Answer 4

For me there is a huge difference between the accidental killing of insects and other animals during agriculture and the purposeful exploition of honey bees.

Bees (like other animals) are not respected as individual sentient beings but are treated as our property, which we can use as we please.

I think NOT avoiding honey and other bee products would HARM our movement, rather than help it.

Those "rules" you scorn are important, even though I certainly don't see them as rules. What if I said I was opposed to slavery in all cases... except when it came to manufacturing my clothes? I would seem ridiculous and hypocritical.

Bees are animals with central nervous systems and the ability to feel pain/pleasure. (I'm a Zoology student, I should know)

Therefore, just like a "vegan" who wears leather shoes, a "vegan" who eats honey is seen as hypocritical. Most omnis jump on any little inconsistencies they can find in our lifestyle and use that as a basis to dismiss our viewpoint without even considering it.

I completely agree that "converting" other people to veganism is a great way to make a difference to our cause (in fact one of the only ways we can in current society). However, I think it is much better to be a happy, healthy vegan and lead by example, rather than trying to bend the definition of veganism. I try everyday to make veganism seem more attractive and easy. I do this by dispelling the myth of the deprived vegan, pointing our (and showing) what foods I CAN eat rather than focusing on the few that I can't.

I hope this helped :)

Answer 5

its nuts I grew up on organic food lots of bugs die and you even unintentionally eat a few! Lots of starving people in the world would gladly eat our meat that we're so lucky enough to have the option to say no to. If people want to live a vegan lifestyle its fine but lighten up we have bigger problems going on in the world.

Answer 6

Nope.  Vegans don't eat animal products.  We just have to do our best not to harm any wildlife.  Many bees are killed when bee keepers rob them of their honey.  When bugs get killed while farmers harvest their crops it is inevitable. On the other hand bee keepers are just taking the honey to make money and replacing it with something cheap so the bees can sustain their hives.  

If you want to have honey that is your business, but a true vegan won't eat any animal product.  If you don't like that no one asked you to be vegan.  

I personally don't care what people think I can and cannot eat.  I eat plenty and my diet is nutritious.  Food is meant to sustain us.  It's not meant to entertain us.  Some people starve to death because they have no food.  Then there are those who have plenty but still complain.

I think you have to do a little more research before you make judgments on v/v.  We have our reasons and if you don't understand/agree with them then you should just get yourself out of here:)

Answer 7

Probably many people think that is a big turnoff.

Answer 8

No Idont think the arguments about honey turn people off to veganism unless they LOVE honey. vegans can eat everything non vegans can. except meat. their are alternatives to dairy products that vegans can almost eat the same thing just different ingrediants.

and yea i buy organic where pesticides are not used.

and someone said that vegans need to lighten up and we have more important things in the world?  Like? Global warming? Factory Farms are contributing a whole lot to the problem. Look it up.

Vegan is eco-friendly.