Batty for Veganism

Welcome to the Fabulous Fruit Bat blog on vegan and pagan bits, bobs, and bats. Why the fruit bat, you may ask? I find that a Gothic, spooky kind of magical vibe is a fun way to talk about the intersections of veganism and paganism. The fruit bat, or flying fox, is a perfect mascot for such a venture. Fruit bats live on the nectar of fruit juices. Hence they are the perfect mascot for this endeavor. As endangered animals, they are also (unfortunately) an apt symbol of the need for animal advocacy.

Veganism and Paganism are linked by:

·         Independence in lifestyle and beliefs

·         Diversity

·         Being minority or “sub-culture” groups

There is such a high level of diversity in neo-paganism. Not every pagan in the same room agrees on everything, let alone every pagan in the world. And veganism also contains philosophical and ethical diversity. Most people who actually use the term “vegan” are abstaining from animal products at least partly for ethical reasons. But many vegans (or others who simply say they are on a plant-based diet) are doing what they are doing for health reasons. So I am never trying to imply there is only one universal type of vegan, pagan, or vegan-pagan.  I refer to vegan and pagan “intersections.” In my mind, this means that the two paths may share certain ideas and goals in common (but not universally). For instance, many neo-pagans, especially those influenced by Wicca, adhere to an ethical goal of “harmlessness” (an if harm none, do as ye will). Vegans often also subscribe to the ethic of harmlessness, usually referring to it through the Buddhist and Hindu term, “Ahimsa.”  Therefore I would call this is a vegan, pagan intersection.

Then there is the Goth element. Most people can see the intersections between Goth and Pagan. They generally have to do with the aesthetics of magic, darkness, and other lunar qualities. But if you don’t have much experience with the Goth culture, you may think it couldn’t get much farther from veganism.

In actuality, there are many intersections between Goth culture and veganism, also. Goth celebrates independence of thought and the right to “march to a different drummer” – often in a funeral dirge. Goth culture isn’t afraid of looking at or thinking about death. The concept of wearing black and “mourning” is also often used to critique aspects of mainstream culture.

All of this is the potential for intersection with veganism. Unfortunately, all animal-rights vegans and animal activists face death on alarmingly constant basis. We have to find a way to deal with the realities of death…that worldwide, it is conservatively estimated that over 150 billion animals are slaughtered for human food, every year (http://www.adaptt.org/killcounter.html). Those engaged in activism for animals see the heartbreaking losses as well as the feel-good successes.  Beyond the abuses and suffering faced by companion animals and farmed animals, there is the plight of wild animals (as evidenced by the Beautiful Bat). Animal agriculture is a major source of environmental crisis, including species extinctions, upon our lovely Mother Earth. A great source of info about this (terrifyingly great) is the Center for Biological Diversity campaign called “Take Extinction off your Plate.” (http://www.takeextinctionoffyourplate.com/ ).

The Goth scene gives people within it, or even on the periphery of it, prodigious practices with which to live with the darkness. The bat, a wonderful and responsible member of the ecosystem, symbolizes this as she wings deftly through the night, skillfully navigating through the shadows.

There is art, poetry, fashion, language, music, and humor for this. To be able to process death, sadness, anger, and angst in this way can be a tremendous relief, and potentially very healthy. Perhaps all of this explains why there have always been many vegetarians and vegans within the Goth community. Goth is not about violence, moping, or anachronistic withdrawal from society. All of those elements may be expressed by individuals, but it is not what Goth “is.”

At least for me and others I know, Goth is about a graceful familiarity with the landscapes of both light and dark.

·         I see this blog as a supportive resource for the following types of folks:

·         People who are already vegan and pagan

·         People who are pagan, and “veg-curious” (thinking about making more vegan choices, or going vegan)

·         People who are vegan and are interested in learning more about neo-paganism (I am eclectic Wicca myself, but I may post other pagan resources as I find them)

·         People who are friends with a vegan pagan and are not sure what that means

·         Vegan Goths who like the esthetic, veg-curious or neo-pagan curious Goths (since Goth is not inherently connected to any particular religious affiliation)

·         Finally and perhaps most importantly, people who just like bats. J

In this blog I plan to sprinkle a diverse array of ideas, including but not limited to:

·         Cooking and eating (food!)

·         Philosophical/ethical intersections of veganism and paganism

·         Spells, Rituals, other witchy ideas

·         Short stories and poems (by myself and sometimes by others)

·         Vegan lifestyle (with links to vegan businesses, blogs, etc.)

·         Bats! (links to conservation and rescue programs, general info, pics)

·         Info and ideas about the environment and other animals (besides the mighty bat)

·         Whatever else I come up with (insert foreboding laughter)

 

I warn you that I have a love of whimsical poetry, especially in rhyme, so excerpts by myself and others will most assuredly appear. If you find rhyme sublime, you arrived just in time. If the previous sentence made you want to bang your head on the table, either skip posts labeled “WARNING: MAY CONTAIN RHYME,” or read with protective padding.

 

This blog comes from an earnest desire to share my own love and excitement for all the themes mentioned. It comes from a place of positivity and love. I hope that those who participate through comments will endeavor to share in the same spirit. This blog will never come from a place of “shoulds” or judgments. In Goth, no one wants to be seen as (or with) the UberGoth (the Goth police, Gothier-than-thou). In the same spirit, no one wants to hang around an UberVegan. Let’s not police one another, but engage in a good-faith sharing of ideas.

 

I think that’s it for now, my fabulous, fellow flying foxes. Fare thee well.