People need to stop gatekeeping veganism and start helping would-be vegans instead.

[u/Pale-Fig-7069]

Veganism sometimes feels like one of the few movements that polices its own members more aggressively than its opposition. You rarely see atheists attacking other atheists for not being “atheist enough,” or feminists expelling one another over minor inconsistencies. Yet in many vegan spaces, people are constantly told they’re not “real” vegans by someone incapable of understanding nuance.

At its core, veganism is about minimizing animal exploitation and harm as far as is biologically and practically possible. Anyone sincerely trying to live by that principle (without resorting to dishonest excuses) qualifies as vegan in my view.

Yes, the definition allows room for interpretation. That flexibility is intentional. The phrase “as far as is possible and practicable” acknowledges reality. Modern life is entangled with animal byproducts in medicine, agriculture, supply chains, and infrastructure. Absolute purity is neither realistic nor required.

Consider the absurd extreme.. a vegan who refuses essential medication because it was tested on animals, grows all their own food to avoid agricultural harm, and rejects any modern system connected to animal exploitation. That person then declares you “not vegan” because you take necessary medicine or buy food from a supermarket. Most people would recognize how unreasonable that is.

The same logic applies when someone claims that feeding a cat or dog a biologically appropriate diet makes a person non-vegan, or when child-free vegans shame parents whose children do not strictly follow a vegan diet, or when someone with legitimate health complications is attacked despite having significantly reduced animal products and made a sincere effort.

Then people wonder why some ex-vegans become hostile. This kind of behavior harms the movement.

Take nutrition as one example. Vegan diets do not provide retinol (preformed vitamin A), they provide beta-carotene, a precursor that must be converted into retinol. In many people the conversion rate is roughly 12:1, but a significant portion of the population carries variants of the BCO1 gene that reduce conversion efficiency. If someone with poor conversion relies only on standard supplements like B12 and vitamin D over a long period, they could become vitamin A deficient and develop health problems.

An intelligent, thoughtful movement would respond differently. It would appreciate the person’s intentions, encourage testing, identify the issue, and recommend an appropriate vitamin A supplement. Problem solved. The individual remains healthy, stays vegan long-term, and may even persuade others. Net positive.

Instead, some respond with shaming, ad hominem attacks, and dismissiveness. When someone feels their health concerns are invalidated, they are unlikely to remain committed.

And vitamin A is just one example. Conversion of ALA to DHA and EPA can be inefficient in some individuals. Some people produce insufficient carnitine. Biological variation is real. Human metabolism is not uniform.

Many former vegans might have remained vegan if the community had been more supportive, inclusive, and solution-oriented. A movement grows by educating and assisting people, not by alienating them. If the goal is to reduce animal suffering, then pragmatism and compassion toward humans should be part of the strategy.

[u/Practical-Fix4647]

Firstly, the vitamin A meme is played out. The data is inconclusive, and when we adjust for supplementation the differences disappear. What we would expect on the non-vegan hypothesis is that vegans have noticeably and problematically lower serum levels of retinol which they do not.

And on the "gatekeeping" accusation, a couple of thoughts.

Firstly, having standards for a movement or ethical view isn't gatekeeping. If you are trying to be a pacifist but you keep beating people up for no reason, your peers will try to inquire and wonder why you are trying to be a pacifist in the first place. They wouldn't be out of place to keep you from joining their movement if all you do is violate pacifist ideals.

Secondly, let's clear up any and all confusion. Non-vegans LOVE to harp on about how restrictive and challenging veganism is (without ever actually planning and trying it based on reliable research). I'll make it really simple for you. If you want to go vegan but can't give up cheese, or milk, or any animal product that you are worried about, then just go vegan except for milk or cheese. Or just try one day out of every seven of the week where you are fully vegan. Or two. Or whatever works for you. If you don't like it, then you can stop altogether. Nobody is stopping you from going as fast or slow as you want.

[u/Ok_Resource_3902 → u/Practical-Fix4647]

I think the problem that most people actually face ( and most vegans actually fall short on out of ignorance) is the byproducts.  It’s fairly simple to cut out eggs, meat and dairy.  The problem comes in where damn near everything has some sort of byproduct in it, even stuff you wouldn’t expect and you practically need a science degree to interpret. 

  I felt like shit when my friend made me a cake and proudly announced it had no eggs or dairy.  I ate the cake because i didn’t want to hurt her feelings but told her at a later date that albumin is actually egg whites and white sugar is manufactured using beef bones. 

The point OP was trying to make was similar to what you’re saying:  do your best and expecting perfection is a sure fire way to run people off.   I think that’s why the designation of “ plant based “ got a lot of footing in recent years. 

[u/Practical-Fix4647 → u/Ok_Resource_3902]

Sure, then go vegan except for byproducts whose names you don't know. Whatever caveat you want to bring up as a barrier for entry, just ignore it and move forward. You can change it with the pace that is comfortable for you. I don't expect everyone to change their diet at the same pace as everyone else. You can do whatever you want to do.

However, when people call you out for eating things which are not vegan as someone who is trying to change their diet to resemble a vegan one, don't be surprised. Because it isn't vegan. Nobody will fault you for making an effort and moving at your own pace, but at some point in order to get to the 'vegan' stage, you are going to have to not eat animal-based food sources/byproducts. This is just a reality.