Guardian Reader Says Term “Vegganism” is Oxymoronic

Vegan Guardian reader Jill Wooster responded to a recent article published by the British news outlet about the rise of “vegganism”—or a meritless term to describe a vegan who occasionally eats eggs. In her response, Wooster addresses the “irritating concepts” such as “vegganism” that have arisen to dilute the public understanding of what it means to be vegan. Wooster states, “A vegan is someone who doesn’t use any animal products. No wool suits, no leather shoes, no honey in your tea, no cheese on your pizza. A vegan doesn’t eat eggs. A vegan can’t eat eggs. If a vegan eats eggs, they’re not a vegan. Nor are they a ‘veggan’,” and adds that, “Being vegan is an ethical mindset promoting non-violence in which animals matter morally.” Although “vegganism” surfaced recently in media outlets such as Shape magazine, there is no real buzz surrounding the conveniently marketed term that contains the word “egg” in its center. In related egg news, the American Egg Board was recently involved in an illegal scandal exposed by eggless mayo company Hampton Creek wherein the board hired a crisis management firm to, among other things, compensate bloggers to positively write about eggs.