Since deciding to bring London Vegan Social to an end, I’ve been thinking a lot about the future of community organising.
What does it look like now, and what does it need to become?
Read more below.
Haus of FGV
Why I Won’t Be Buying Redefine Meat
Being vegan isn’t just about what’s on my plate. For me, it’s about broader compassion and consistency. It’s about trying to make the world a little less cruel for everyone who lives in it. That’s not an easy task, and it’s something I get wrong from time to time.
But it’s also something I keep trying to do.
Read more below.
When I learned about Redefine Meat’s public support for the Israeli military, I wanted to make a personal choice. This isn’t about a difference of opinion or a grey area in global politics. This is about a company that chose to donate its products directly to the IDF during one of the most devastating humanitarian crises in history. That’s not neutrality. That’s taking a side.
The more I read, the worse it felt. The company has received funding from the Israeli government, and in my opinion its public actions have aligned with a narrative that paints Israel as progressive and compassionate while Palestinians continue to suffer under bombardment, occupation, displacement, and genocide. Some people call this veganwashing, the use of a cruelty-free image to distract from cruelty elsewhere. And honestly, that label feels fitting.
Boycotts are complicated. I know that. We live in a globalised world where our purchases are tied up in so many systems that it can feel impossible to make every choice perfectly ethical. But we all draw our own lines. For me, this one is clear. I can’t hand over my money to a company that actively supports military action. I can’t celebrate a product made in the name of compassion for animals while ignoring the suffering of human beings.
Choosing not to buy Redefine Meat isn’t about purity or moral superiority. It’s about alignment. If my veganism means anything, it has to mean compassion that stretches beyond species, borders, and politics. It has to mean looking at the world and asking how I can make choices that feel humane. For animals, for people, and for the planet.
There are so many incredible vegan companies doing good work without this sort of compromise. That’s where my money will go. Because the more we expand our compassion, the more powerful it becomes.
Please share your feelings in the comments below.
If you appreciate these blog posts and the work I do to support vegan business, please consider making a one time small donation of a couple of quid online here. You might also be in the position to sponsor my work on an regular basis via Patreon.
You can order my book ‘Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t’ online now. It has been out a while now but is still a good read. You can also listen to the Audiobook read by me!
You can watch/stream my weekly podcast Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Follow me on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, and Blue Sky.
A Personal Update
Not everything on this blog is about vegan food.
I’ve been writing on this platform for 15 years. When you write with passion, belief, and honesty for that amount of time, elements of your personal story make their way into the space no matter if you intend for it to happen or not.
Over the years as FGV, I’ve shared my concerns for the future of the planet, my journeys and relationships, and my physical and mental health struggles. I’ve enjoyed sharing personal insights with my readers and I feel it is this openness that has kept so many of you connected and coming back for a decade and a half.
In the spirit of (over)sharing, I want to take a slight detour from business as usual today to share with you a personal story that means a lot to me.
Read more below.
Vegans in the Armed Forces
Today I came across a news story that made me pause.
The RAF has announced that air crews who identify as vegan will now be able to wear uniforms and boots that don’t use animal products. You can read the full piece behind the Telegraph paywall.
My feelings are a bit complicated.
Read more below.
A Love Letter To Tofu
Sometimes tofu gets a rough deal.
When people joke about veganism, they often laugh about sad blocks of white stuff with zero flavour.
But here’s the truth. Tofu is one of the greatest foods on the planet and it is delicious, nutritious, versatile, and affordable.
Read more below.
Veganism Is Not About Restriction
One of the most common things I hear when someone finds out I am vegan is a variation on the same tired question. “But don’t you miss cheese?”. Sometimes they say bacon, sometimes it’s chocolate.
Whatever the word is, the sentiment is the same. People think veganism is about restriction and missing out on enjoyment. About what we can’t do. About what we have lost.
It’s often said in a sympathetic tone. Poor old me, right?
But I’ve never looked at it that way. To me, veganism is about what we choose to do. It is about the compassionate choices that shape our plates and our shopping habits… and how it feels great to make those choices!
Read more below.
Blogging From a Tablet
This is a first for FGV.
I am experiencing the delights of attempting to write and post a blog entry using an iPad. It is not a lot of fun.
Read more below.
Goodbye to a Friend
This week I received the heartbreaking news that a special person in our community has passed away.
Our friend Shrina has left us and I am devastated by her loss.
Read more below.
Episode 59 of the Podcast Out Now
Need to laugh to stop yourself from crying because of the state of the world?
Take a listen to the latest episode of Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) podcast with me and Josh.
In episode 59, we chat about:
- nationalism and how people might feel proud of community without hating others
- my obsessesion with vampires
- the cost of medicine and how UK is heading to a US-style price gouging
- London geography
You can watch/listen via YouTube:
Stream via Apple Podcasts:
Watch/listen via Spotify:
You can browse older episodes on the YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify channels.
Follow Tell Me Where I’m Going (Wrong) on Instagram and Threads.
If you appreciate my blog posts and the work I do to support vegan business and challenge injustice, please consider making a one time small donation of a couple of quid online here. You might also be in the position to sponsor my work on an regular basis via Patreon.
You can order my book ‘Fat Gay Vegan: Eat, Drink and Live Like You Give a Sh!t’ online now. It has been out a while now but is still a good read. You can also listen to the Audiobook read by me!
Follow me on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, and Blue Sky.
Let’s Talk About Nationalism
One of the things that has been swirling around my mind lately is the difference between celebrating who we are as a community and the far more troubling rise of nationalism.
On the surface they can sometimes look similar. Both can involve waving flags, singing songs, and shouting loudly about identity. But in practice, they couldn’t be further apart.
Read more below.