Diet change teaches daughter to stand up for beliefs

**gertvegan** · Jan 22nd, 2005, 04:18 PM

Lesson in civics, veganism

Diet change teaches daughter to stand up for beliefs

David Porter, orlandosentinel.com , January 22, 2005

I'm a hunter and a carnivore.

My daughter is a vegan.

I'm not entirely sure how that happened.

My daughter and other vegans (pronounced VEE-guns) believe that it's wrong to kill or otherwise exploit animals for food or other products. She also insists that her diet is much healthier and safer than what's consumed by average Americans.

Please don't confuse vegans with vegetarians. That would be like saying a Yugo and a Corvette are the same.

Vegans are clearly a breed apart.

Some vegetarians eat fish, drink milk and wear leather shoes. Not so with vegans. The Vegan Society's Web site explains: "A vegan is someone seeking a lifestyle free from animal products for the benefit of people, animals and the environment. A vegan therefore eats a plant-based diet free from all animal products, including milk, eggs and honey. Most vegans do not wear leather, wool or silk."

Many of my friends and even a few relatives were alarmed when they heard my daughter had become a vegan. I admit that at first I was a bit worried. But, after thinking about it for a while, I was proud of my daughter's decision to embrace a vegan lifestyle.

Don't misinterpret what I have written as an endorsement for veganism. I still hunt and eat meat -- in moderation, of course. I don't plan to stop doing either.

Yet I'm proud of my daughter because she was not afraid to step outside of society's mainstream. With all the political hand-wringing over red states and blue states, it's too bad there aren't more people willing to march to a different cadence, regardless of what critics might say.

Of course at age 15, it's no surprise that my daughter is establishing her own identity. Rebellion and experimentation are part of that exploration.

Some kids choose to experiment by mainlining heroin. Fortunately mine chose to change her diet.

It's important to note that my daughter does not have an eating disorder or a weight problem. She's 5 feet tall and weighs a little less than 100 pounds. She has never expressed any concern about her weight. It doesn't really seem as though she lost any weight since she became a vegan. My daughter's pediatrician is pleased with her physical condition. So, in this era of plus-size kids, I'm pretty happy.

My daughter announced her change to veganism last summer. Before making that decision, she conducted her own Internet research on the subject. Understand that veganism is more than a diet. It's a philosophy and a lifestyle.

Saying that you're a vegan and actually living as a vegan are two different things. And yet my daughter, who sometimes fails to straighten up her room or hand in homework assignments on time, has demonstrated remarkable self-discipline by sticking with vegan principles and practice even when it could not have been easy.

The fridge is stocked with a huge supply of fruits, vegetables and tofu. In the supermarket, she carefully reads the labels on packages, checking for animal products and unpronounceable chemical concoctions. Shopping for shoes that don't contain leather can be a special treat.

Only time will tell if veganism will be a part of my daughter's permanent lifestyle. Or maybe it's just a phase.

Regardless of what the future may hold, the lesson I hope this experience is teaching my daughter is the importance of establishing thoughtful principles and commiting herself to live up to those beliefs.