Haus of FGV

People for the unethical treatment of people

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I’m torn.

Do I write ANOTHER blog post about People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA) following ANOTHER appalling social media post by the group or do I ignore it?

Does using my platform to denounce and shine a light on the sexist and anti-women tactics employed by PeTA make a difference? Or am I just giving them more attention?

All I know is that it doesn’t feel right to sit around and say nothing. Not responding to this latest social media atrocity makes me feel culpable.

Therefore, I thoroughly denounce and reject this recent tweet by PeTA.


As you can see, PeTA has taken the despicable phrase spoken by Donald Trump as part of his description of how he physically treats women and they’ve attempted to turn it into a humorous slogan for rescuing cats.

This is a crass and insensitive campaign by PeTA.

By attempting to appropriate the vile language of sexual assault for the sake of making a joke statement about animal protection, PeTA has trivialised the plight of women.

Language surrounding sexual assault and harassment of women IS NOT theirs to reappropriate for another cause, no matter how noble that cause is deemed. Their actions are unethical, inconsiderate, ill-advised and show absolutely no respect for survivors of sexual assault.

The act of raising awareness for animal protection does not need to borrow language associated with human forms of oppression, nor does it have the right to do so.

PeTA knowingly uses these tactics to be provocative with zero concern shown for how their actions affect real people. They do not seem to understand or care that their actions are part of a broader problem.

The animal rights organisation has erased women from the situation, only to replace them with cats. They are showing no regard for the gravity of sexual assault, instead reducing it to a punchline meme to grab cheap and quick attention for their campaign.

Animal rights defenders need to do better when it comes to campaigning ethically. PeTA are amongst the worst offenders when it comes to humiliating, erasing and ridiculing people in the name of animal protection. It needs to end.

Women are under attack globally, both physically and institutionally. PeTA should accept that they have a responsibility to not only stop contributing to the subjugation of women, but to also work towards redressing it actively.

I sigh heavily in closing. How do we reach them? PeTA‘s actions are not in my name and I must make that heard. It’s the very least I can do.

Please tweet your concerns to PeTA.

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London vegan café burgled

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Horrible news but we can help.

Universally-adored Black Cat Café of Hackney was broken into last night and burgled. Followers of the vegan eatery were startled this morning when the café posted the following photo to social media.

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I don’t need to say how upset all of the Black Cat co-op members are following this incident. They pour their heart and souls into making the café not just one of the best vegan places to eat on the planet, but also a vital hub that supports their community.

They give opportunities to independent chefs. They sell vegan groceries. They allow space for a veg box scheme for local residents. They raise money for charities. Heck, they even let me host my annual Day of the Dead dinner in their space.

To put it simply, London is a better city thanks to Black Cat and their tireless commitment to doing better for animals and people.

To show them how much we love and support them, I have set up a JustGiving page in order to help get them back on their feet as soon as possible.

Some of the expenses they could use our help with include:

  • repairing front door
  • replacing stolen cash
  • replacing or repairing stolen till system
  • covering lost revenue due to the café being closed on the busiest day of the week

As you can see, this is going to be a very expensive ordeal for Black Cat. Yes, some of the expenses might be covered by insurance but as we all know this can take a long time to be sorted.

This is about taking action now. We need to get this money to Black Cat as soon as possible. We want them to feel supported by their community, just as they have supported us for years.

Please give what you can and help the campaign by sharing widely.

I have set the target at £1,000 but any extra money raised over the target will be given to Black Cat to help them with any other expenses related to improving the space. When £1,000 is reached, Josh and I will pay Black Cat with our own money in order to get it to them urgently. We will claim this cash back from the JustGiving funds once the campaign is over, while donating any extra to the café.

Click here to donate now.

Alpro pushing animal consumption

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There are poorly thought out marketing campaigns and then there is this hot mess by Alpro.

Tweet number one:

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And when vegans lost their collective mind over the above message:

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Both screenshots were taken from the Alpro Twitter account on Thursday October 13, 2016.

So it would appear that Alpro would like us to view this tweet as a mis-step. A slip of the Twitter tongue.

You know, we all tweet shit we later regret and I think it is reasonable to give even large corporations the benefit of the doubt. There are real people running social media accounts and mistakes can happen.

However…

The view that people should eat meat and dairy in order to have a healthy body is not just a Twitter faux pas made by a social media intern, it is the whole basis of a healthy eating plan being marketed by Alpro to health professionals via their website.

Yes, Alpro are promoting the 2/3 to 1/3 ratio eating idea by sending a detailed desktop flip chart to anyone who considers themselves a health professional in order for them to use in consultations with patients or clients.

I cannot duplicate the content of The Smarter Solution to Eating Well toolkit here as I do not own the copyright but I can tell you the guide is made in line with Live Well for LIFE, a World Wildlife Fund UK initiative that boasts healthy eating combined with sustainable choices. Yep, meat is apparently now a sustainable choice for the planet.

The eating guide instructs the health professional and their clients several times that eating well is not about giving up meat and dairy and how that should not be the goal.

I understand that eating small amounts of meat and/or dairy won’t kill you or necessarily lead to instant ill health. I know lots of meat eaters who have lived long and what would appear to be health-filled lives. I am also for mainstream companies explaining to people who staunchly refuse to adopt vegan living how they can easily reduce meat and dairy intake.

However, I cannot get on board with a brand that produces exclusively vegan food promoting an eating plan that endorses AND RECOMMENDS eating meat and dairy. This Smarter Solution by Alpro explicitly states that cutting out animal products SHOULD NOT be the goal.

In addition, the eating plan guide completely ignores any mention of animal suffering and only briefly refers to environmental impacts of food choices. The connection between animal agriculture and environmental disaster is not explicitly made, or indeed even really suggested.

The series of ill-advised tweets are not stand alone mistakes, rather part of a broader campaign by Alpro that makes no mention of veganism while advising ‘health professionals’ to tell people to eat meat and dairy.

Not cool in my opinion.

Extra note: you can download the PDF of the eating plan by registering here. You just need to indicate what type of health professional you are. Simple as that! LOL.

Extra extra note: Alpro is owned by Danone, the largest dairy yoghurt company on the planet. Danone took over Alpro parent company WhiteWave in a deal announced July 2016.

Also!!!!!!

Some A-grade trolling by Oatly. Outstanding!

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Vegan pulled chicken

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After infuriating vegans with almost-vegan products, Linda McCartney Foods has now added a few completely plant-based items to its range.

One of these to hit UK supermarket shelves over the past month or so is the Vegetarian Pulled Chicken.

I thought I would post briefly so you can see what the packet looks like and also the simple meal idea we threw together last night.

Anyone feeling this new #vegan product from Linda McCartney?

A photo posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on

Video of my pulled #vegan chicken wraps tonight. Simple and quick!

A video posted by Fat Gay Vegan (@fatgayvegan) on


Click on the video above to see how we put it together. Video is only 60 seconds and the real time process wasn’t much longer.

What do you think of this product? Have you tried? Were you impressed?

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Vegan haul at Tesco

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Super quick update to share today’s vegan grocery haul video.

Watch to see all the latest plant-based goods I picked up from my local Tesco.

Enjoy!

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Plant-Based Minute

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I am excited to announce a new and hopefully ongoing collaboration.

I was recently approached by Barts Radio, a charity producing broadcast content for the in-house radio station at Barts Hospital in London, and was asked if I would volunteer with weekly content.

The radio works to deliver entertainment to inpatients, although anyone can stream the station online via their website.

After having a think about what I could bring to the show and how valuable the radio station charity is to a lot of patients, I jumped at the chance to volunteer.

My segment is set to be super quick each week, clocking in at exactly 60 seconds. You can listen to A Plant-Minute with FGV at around 5pm today (Saturday October 8, 2016) here online and hopefully most weeks on Barts Radio. Today I advise on how to start giving up dairy when it comes to ice cream (my expert field!). My segments are designed to be an accessible guide filled with simple advice for people looking to explore veganism.

I will also look at hosting my bite-sized segments online myself in order to share with a wider listening audience. Stay tuned for that.

If you tune in today, I would love to hear what you think of my segment!

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International Vegan Junk Food Day wrap up

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Thanks to everyone who joined me online to make International Vegan Junk Food Day 2016 a fun and interactive event.

Take a moment to check out the hundreds of posts that were tagged #ivjfd16 on Twitter and Instagram.

See you all next year for round four!


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Kebabs with FGV

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You’ve heard all about the incredible vegan döner kebabs being served up by What The Pitta in Shoreditch, you’ve drooled over the countless Instagram posts flooding your phone and you’ve made a promise to yourself to get to this brand new food venture ASAP.

Well, friends. The time has come.

Monday-Deal

Join food lover extraordinaire Fat Gay Vegan (that’s me!) for a night of kebabs and socialising as he celebrates the launch of What The Pitta with a Monday night party that will be the talk of the town.

Between 6pm and 9pm on Monday August 22, 2016, What The Pitta will be launching an exclusive Monday night meal deal.

For just £9 you will get:

– a döner kebab

– a cold drink

– a piece of baklava

I’m not sure where else in London you are going to get a deal like this. We are even paying the booking fee for you. All you pay is £9 for a wrap, a drink and a sweet when you book online.

Amazing value, indeed!

This launch event is strictly ticketed only and space is limited to 100. Book your ticket now and we will see you on Monday. Fat Gay Vegan will be on hand across the three hours of the event to check you in and hand you a meal deal token. Swap the token at What The Pitta for food, drink and sweets then join the party.

BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW FOR JUST £9!

Once you have your online ticket, you can drop in anytime between 6pm and 9pm on Monday August 22, 2016. Stay for as long as you like, or grab your food and run. It’s up to you!

Follow What The Pitta on Instagram.

Click here to RSVP to the Facebook event and invite friends.

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Not so fat

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I wrote this tweet earlier today:


I’m sure most people get what I mean.

However, a Twitter user asked why I would say that when it appeared I was proud of being fat based on my blog name. Wasn’t I inviting questions or comments on my body by using that name?

Here’s a brief explanation of what is going on here.

Fat Gay Vegan is a name designed to grab attention and provoke thought. It is me taking words that have been used to negatively frame me (and other people) and turning them on their head. In the process, I use that attention to draw people to stories about improving outcomes for animals.

I believe I have successfully created spaces online and in real life to bring support and happiness to a number of people exploring veganism. It is wonderful to hear people use the words ‘fat’, ‘gay’ and ‘vegan’ so openly and willingly when they say my blog name. It feels like a small victory in a cruel world to have been able to reappropriate some of these terms in a positive way to help animals.

But maybe this is where it gets a bit murky for a few people.

My blog name is an attention-grabbing headline with the power to make people reconsider the words and concepts involved but it is not an open invitation to comment on or ask me about my own personal weight and body shape.

To give you an example…

I have lost track of how many times over the past six years someone has met me for the first time and said, “You aren’t as fat as I thought you would be”.

LOL! Why would I want someone to say that to me?

Of course I understand these people think they are paying me a compliment because most of us are conditioned into thinking that being thinner or lighter is the ideal and everyone on the planet must be trying to get skinny.

But I am left feeling bemused and sometimes saddened by these interactions. My weight is an extremely personal topic for me and as it does for most humans it impacts on my physical health, mental health, social outlook, self esteem and pretty much every aspect of my life. My body is because of my life and my life is because of my body. It is me defined.

There is no part of me that wants a stranger (or a friendly blog reader) to make a comment on my weight within ten seconds of meeting me. It is my personal business how I feel about my body and I don’t want people I don’t know (or even those I do for that matter) telling me how they view my weight on a sliding scale of fatness.

This is not an attack on people who have said such things to me. It is me putting the information out there and asking others to consider the topic. Consider how deeply personal your own body issues are and then imagine how you would feel if strangers were to make comments to you about your size, shape or perceived fitness upon meeting you.

This is also not a ‘poor FGV’ post. I like that this is a platform where these sorts of topics can be shared. I think it helps more than just me to talk about them.

I am not alone in trying to be a happy person who also has conflicted feelings, experiences and emotions surrounding body image and self worth. This blog post is for all of us. None of us really want to feel judged, so maybe we can all afford to be that little bit more thoughtful and compassionate before we speak.

If you think I called my blog Fat Gay Vegan because I am proud of being fat and want strangers to comment publicly on how they view me, please remember that is your understanding or perception of the situation. It is not mine and I don’t really want to hear it.

If I want to talk to you about my weight or shape, I will let you know. As will anybody you meet at work, at a party, in the street or any other conceivable setting.

Let’s look after each other as we try to work together to look after non-humans.

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Menu for Glasgow Vegan Beer Fest

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If you thought we weren’t taking food seriously at Glasgow Vegan Beer Fest later this month, you are in for a rude shock.

I take no small delight in presenting to you the exclusive Glasgow Vegan Beer Fest menu from the Mono kitchen.

Are you ready for this?

gvbflandscape

GLASGOW VEGAN BEER FESTIVAL MENU

OUTSIDE BBQ MENU

Seitan burger in a sourdough burger bun with baby gem lettuce, bbq sauce, American mustard, white onions, dill pickles and beef tomato £6.00

Seitan burger in a sourdough bun with home-made kimchi £6.00

Seitan and black pudding burger in a sourdough bun with blue cheese sauce and caramelized red onion£6.00

Frankfurter in a soft bun with home made sauerkraut and mustard £6.00

Falafel burger on a bun with chili jam, mayo, baby gem and pickled veg (gf) £6.00

Add cheese to burgers – 50p

INDOOR MENU

Sourdough pizzas (gf available)

Margarita with fresh basil £7.50

Lahmacun Turkish style pizza with soya mince, roasted aubergine, white onion with a herbed diced salad, and topped with za’atar and yoghurt £9.00

Spicy Italian sausage, fresh red chilies, enoki mushrooms, black olives, fresh basil, smoked chili oil and cheese £9.00

Buffalo cauliflower, red onion, cheese, fresh oregano and Caesar sauce £9.00

Griddled yellow and green courgette with peas, mint and sumac served with or without vegan feta £9.00

Beetroot, kale, dill and garlic cream cheese, sun-blushed tomato, red onion and capers £9.00

Ham, pineapple, jalapeno and cheese £9.00

 

Mac & cheese (gf) £5

Add chipotle bacon bits £1.00

Add jalapeños 70p

Chickpea mayo melt with celery, dill, capers and red onion served on a toasted French roll with tomato and melted cheese £6.00

Buffalo tempeh burrito with coca cola black beans, dirty brown rice, shredded baby gem, sour cream and sweet corn, pineapple and jalapeño salsa £6.00

Bánh mì with crispy smoked tofu, cucumber and carrot pickle, Sriracha Vegenaise, white onion, basil & coriander, red chilies and shredded baby gem £6.00

Fava, raw beetroot, cucumber, carrot, red onion, black olives and salad wrap with house dressing and fresh mint £6.00

(gf sandwiches available)

 

Fries (gf) £3.50

Cajun fries with aioli (gf) £4

Poutine (gf) £5.00

Hot dog with ketchup, mustard and fried onions served with fries £4.00

Caesar salad with croutons £3.50

add chipotle bacon bits £1.00

 

Raw rainbow salad with beetroot, carrot, red onion and cucumber. In a miso and sesame dressing (gf) £4.00

 

Banana split sundaes 3 flav ice cream with choc fudge sauce, mixed chopped nuts and a maraschino cherry (gf) £4.95

Ice cream cones £2.00

Apple pie with ice cream

Cookie sandwich £3.00

 

What do you think of all that?!

This menu has been a long time in the planning and the Mono chef has done a wonderful job putting it all together. There are at least seven menu items I have marked as ‘must haves’ so I’m not sure how I’m going to have space for beer.

If you are still a little unsure about attending Glasgow Vegan Beer Fest after seeing the above menu and reading about the wide range of breweries represented at the event, maybe this extra piece of news will spike your interest.

I’m beyond thrilled to announce that newly vegan sandwich emporium Kind Crusts will also be selling food during both sessions of Glasgow Vegan Beer Fest!

Between the amazing Mono menu, Kind Crusts coming on board PLUS two top secret bakery stalls yet to be announced (a different company for each session), you are not going to be hungry at Glasgow Vegan Beer Fest.

Tickets are just £4 plus small booking fee. Limited space at both day and night sessions. Book online now!

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