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Shaming Miley Cyrus Hurts Animals
Famous former-vegan Miley Cyrus recently admitted to adding fish to her diet after experiencing health issues — how should vegans react?
Recently, singer Miley Cyrus told podcaster Joe Rogan that she is no longer vegan, but pescetarian. She explained that her “brain wasn’t functioning properly,” that she was malnourished, and that she introduced fish back into her diet for the Omega-3s associated with fish. Vegans who are familiar with these issues probably know that it’s actually easy to find Omega-3 sources in a plant-based diet, including from algae, walnuts, or flax seeds, and that studies have shown vegans actually have improved brain function.
Miley’s misconceptions about veganism are the same kinds of myths that many meat eaters use to explain their reliance on animals as a food source. It can incredibly frustrating, especially when it comes from someone who we may have previously seen as an ally in a fight for animals. In addition to previously following a vegan diet, Cyrus has advocated for animal rights issues and currently cares for 44 rescued animals across her two properties.
As easy as it is to get angry, vegans and animal rights activists should resist that urge. Why? Because in the long run, it hurts our cause and hurts animals.
Unfortunately, the world is unlikely to go vegan in an instant. Reducing consumption of animals, even among people that haven’t committed to veganism, is going to be key to improving animal welfare and eventually phasing animal exploitation out of the food chain. As people eat meat less often, conditions can improve with less focus on efficiency, and if people demand certain conditions or favor more ethically-raised animals, a hopefully desperate animal agriculture business will likely make reforms (or rely on most of their heavy investments in plant-based meat). Eating fish isn’t vegan, but not eating other animals is still a step in the right direction, and goes further than the vast majority of people and celebrities.
Some vegans seem to think someone who consumes a primarily plant-based diet (while also fighting for and helping animals in other ways!) is worse than someone who eats meat without thought and does nothing for animals…
