No Vegan Police

Pheonix and Rachel agreed on several tenets for this brand up front.

Lots of vegans choose this diet and lifestyle when they're in one or more of several modes:

1. Love of animals - i.e. compassion
2. Mission to save the planet - i.e. virtue
3. Desire to lose weight or be healthy - i.e. self-improvement
4. Avoidance of problem foods - i.e. self-preservation

When you start asking people to tell you why they've chosen vegan, you open a doorway to judgement. "Oh, you don't eat meat because you like animals? You're kind." 

We'll skip this approach, tempting though it may be. When someone opts out of meat, eggs and dairy because, for instance, their stomach simply can't digest these foods, adjacent folks might draw the conclusion that said vegan is not kind, or devoted, or disciplined for a greater good. Full stop. The Vegan Next Door is about loving food and (trying to love) ourselves. If you eat a vegan meal once - for whatever reason, we want to explore with you the deliciousness of your plant-based selection; not shame you for eating bacon and eggs at your next meal. 

We, The Vegan Next Door, will not stand in judgement of others. We can't determine if another's food choices are "healthy" - indeed, not all vegan foods are healthy, especially when consumed in excess. We aren't in the business of body or food shaming. We seek to foster an inclusive, positive outlook on all four modes of veganism.

In other words, this is a safe space.