DANIEL AUSTIN
DANIEL AUSTIN aka VEGANxMEATHEAD: “A slogan I put on the back of my book is "Through vegan power, all things are possible." And I believe that more than ever. My own experience has taught me that. Vegans can absolutely achieve anything they want.”
ZAK MAYBAUM
ZAK MAYBAUM of BLEACHED CROSS: “You cannot advocate for bodily autonomy while denying those same rights to other sentient beings. You cannot fight to keep families together while paying for those of another species to be ripped apart at birth. You cannot scream about liberation while subjugating those that you view as “less than”. You cannot demand people’s right to exist without harm while simultaneously doing harm to others.”
SEBASTIAN FUENTES
SEBASTIAN FUENTES of STANDARD: “Veganism is mainly concerned about the consequences of our personal choices towards the suffering and exploitation of other beings, particularly animals. I see, on the other hand, straight edge mostly an act of self-discipline.”
DINA LEE
DINA LEE: “At some point, I realized I wasn’t simply following a vegan diet anymore. I was living a life that naturally reflected those choices. I don’t feel the need to preach about it–I’d rather let the way I live speak for itself. For me, that’s when veganism really became part of my identity.”
MAXIMILIAN URSCHL
MAXIMILIAN URSCHL aka THE VEGAN GRAPPLER: “Becoming vegan immediately became a part of who I am. It was the first time I felt like my actions were truly aligned with my ethical values. I no longer had to make excuses for the things I was doing or try to justify choices that didn’t feel right to me.”
XKEEP ME QUIETX
xKEEP ME QUIETx: “Animal Liberation without Human Liberation does not work. Human Liberation without Animal Liberation can never be complete.”
MEL DIRIKOC
MEL DIRIKOC of EMERGENCY BROADCAST: “Veganism liberates animals; straight edge liberates the human mind. So in that sense, they are pretty much connected.”
EVA HALL
EVA HALL of GATHER, POWER ALONE AND NO PLAN: “For me, veganism was the beginning of me really questioning everything what was once accepted as normal. I think for a lot of people, veganism probably is a trend and it doesn’t lead to bigger changes in the way they think or act, and they probably will move on the another trend soon. But for some of us, it’s the start of trying to live a more compassionate life and create a world where everyone is free to live without being exploited for another’s gain.”
JACK GOTTSEGEN
JACK GOTTSEGEN of WRITHEINFEAR: “Veganism will always be for the animals, but I almost never see the side of veganism that focuses on the horrific working conditions of slaughter houses and factory farming and the impact on the workers. It's another big driver of veganism for me and I encourage anyone, especially non-vegan leftists to look into it.”
NICOLAS KNOX
NICOLAS KNOX of TIMExHEIST, IRONBAR and SINK OR SWIM TATTOO: “I feel that if your lifestyle (art or otherwise) doesn't reflect your ethics in some way, those are not your actual ethics. Everything that I do is a domino effect caused by my ethics and beliefs, and I cannot bring myself to operate or exist in any other way.”
SIMON PAUL THOMAS
SIMON PAUL THOMAS of TIME AND TIDE and LIVING ART: “With all the years of veganism under my belt, I’ve come to understand that in order to start a dialogue and perhaps sway mindsets, you are much more likely to get someone to listen when you’re polite and informed.”
SHANNON TABER
SHANNON TABER of LUCKY BIRD TATTOO: “No one creature deserves to be here more than another. And we don’t get to say which ones are worth more or less. And we absolutely don’t deserve to make money and capitalize on the death and harm of others. Human or animal!”
ANTHONY FANTANO
ANTHONY FANTANO of THE NEEDLE DROP: “Your average person understands the horrors of the farming industry and the ethics of killing a sentient being, but doesn’t want to grapple with it because eating animals is just so unquestioned and normalized.”
MIKE CESARIO
MIKE CESARIO of TWITCHING TONGUES, PITY SEX, FORCED ORDER & HOLY BLADE: “People have the right to make the choices they feel are right for them. That being said, when someone is vegan, I immediately have a different type of respect for them. I love compassion.”
JUSTIN REDINGTON
JUSTIN REDINGTON of TUNNEL JUMPER: “It’s all about doing as little harm as possible, however that may be. Throughout the years I’ve become more and more dedicated and involved in the movement.”
TEMP TATS ZINE
TEMP TATS ZINE: “The fight for human liberation and animal liberation is entwined, we do not need to pick one issue over the other. It is the same fight. Both humans and non-humans deserve a good quality life with dignity.”
SILAKBO
ROMEO & NILO of SILAKBO: “The essence of veganism, to me, is recognizing that I am not above anything in this world. I exist within it alongside my fellow living beings. It’s an extension of straight edge to me, because it’s me being mindful of the things I consume and the relation to others.”
COUNTER FANZINE
COUNTER FANZINE: “I believe veganism is inherently political, and to attempt to separate it from politics is to reduce it to a diet that stands in the way of animal liberation; at that point, it's no longer veganism. While the health benefits of veganism are nice, at its core, it is about the animals.”