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I had been vegan for one year when I cheated for the first time. It was the fall of 2011, and I was working on a political campaign in my hometown of Bedford, Indiana, not exactly known for its vegan provisions. The campaign headquarters was a revolving door of Papa John’s pizza deliveries and my only option for a quick, free vegan meal was to pull the triangular slab of congealed mozzarella off of each slice, leaving behind a faint trace of red sauce slicked over the bare dimpled crust. It was a vegan hack that quickly lost its charm. One day, in a state of desperation and craving, when no one was looking, I caved and bit into an unaltered slice. Instantly, I was filled with regret and felt like a complete failure. The cheese didn’t even taste good.
Nearly every vegan has a story about a time they ate something they knew wasn’t vegan. I asked vegans on Twitter and Instagram when the last time they had cheated was and what prompted them to do it. Most of the people who responded drew hard lines around eating meat, whereas dairy, eggs and honey were sometimes negotiable depending on the situation. No one wants to go hungry at a wedding or “be the guy who says no to birthday cake,” according to one Twitter user. For a lot of people, it isn’t just about indulgence or lack of willpower. Cheating can mean choosing to consume something with animal products to avoid wasting food or going hungry. For homeless, low-income, and working class vegans, they might accept free food that has dairy or eggs because it’s the only meal they might have access to on a given day.
“Shit happens. Veganism isn’t about perfection. You fall off, you get right back on!”
Cheating isn’t something most vegans like to admit, let alone unpack, for fear of judgement from other vegans or appearing hypocritical in front of our omnivorous friends. Essentially, we don’t want to set a bad example that seems to make light of animal exploitation. “I never tell people because I don’t want my omni friends to think that my dedication to veganism is something I can set aside, because it is incredibly important to me,” says Stuart. “I just understand that sometimes…
