--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People say that being a vegan creates a…" description: "\"People say that being a vegan creates a social problem in that others may react negatively. But isnt that the case if you take a principled position on..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/gary-l-francione-8902_cases_people-say-that-being-a-vegan-creates-a_2975579.jpg" --- # People say that being a vegan creates a social problem in… ![“People say that being a vegan creates a social problem in that others may react negatively. But isnt that the case if you take a principled position on any issue, whether its racism, sexism, heterosexism, violence as a general matter—or speciesism? The key is to educate others about *why* you take…” quote by Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/gary-l-francione-8902_cases_people-say-that-being-a-vegan-creates-a_2975579.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/gary-l-francione-8902_cases_people-say-that-being-a-vegan-creates-a_2975579.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/gary-l-francione-8902_cases_people-say-that-being-a-vegan-creates-a_2975579.jpg) > “People say that being a vegan creates a social problem in that others may react negatively. But isnt that the case if you take a principled position on any issue, whether its racism, sexism, heterosexism, violence as a general matter—or speciesism? The key is to educate others about \*why\* you take the position.” [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Taking a principled stance on any issue invites criticism, so education about the reasons is essential. **In simple terms:** Principles attract pushback; education helps. Key Takeaway Explain your why clearly. Themes ethics activism communication Mood thoughtful defensive Type educational advocacy When to use this quote - dietary choices - public debates - social media - community outreach Key Concepts speciesism principled stance Questions to Reflect On - How can you frame your reasoning to reduce hostility? - What evidence convinces skeptics? A Different Perspective People may dismiss the argument without evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Educate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/educate/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Issue Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issue-racism-1175102/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keys/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Principled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principled/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Say Vegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-vegan-3782134/) [Sexism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexism/) [Sexism Heterosexism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexism-heterosexism-4602672/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-problem-432811/) [Social problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-problems/) [Speciesism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speciesism/) [Vegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegan/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [All the many brands of suppression - racism, sexism, heterosexism, ageism, classism - are historical; they have not been always with us. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clara-fraser/all-the-many-brands-of-suppression-racism-sexism-heterosexism-ageism/) [Clara Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clara-fraser/) > [I have to say that being a vegan in 1986 or whenever was a lot different than being a vegan in 2012. You'd go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-have-to-say-that-being-a-vegan-in-1986-or-whenever-was-a-lot/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [When I say a vegan diet can be "the healthiest dietary option we can live by," I mean an informed vegan diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-regan/when-i-say-a-vegan-diet-can-be-the-healthiest-dietary-option-we-can/) [Tom Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-regan/) > [Just as we reject racism, sexism, ageism, and heterosexism, we reject speciesism. 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But if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-james/the-issue-of-racism-happens-all-over-the-world-granted-people/) [Stephan James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-james/) > [Such is the breathtaking speciesism of our Christian-inspired attitudes, the abortion of a single human zygote can arouse more moral solicitude and righteous indignation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/such-is-the-breathtaking-speciesism-of-our-christian-inspired/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Any serious social, political, and economic change must include veganism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-serious-social-political-and-economic-change-must-include-veganism/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Speciesism: A failure, in attitude or practice, to accord any nonhuman being equal consideration and respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-dunayer/speciesism-a-failure-in-attitude-or-practice-to-accord-any-nonhuman/) [Joan Dunayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-dunayer/) > [It has been an obsession of human beings to create a hierarchy that places the human species on top and lumps all the "other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/it-has-been-an-obsession-of-human-beings-to-create-a-hierarchy-that/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) > [“We generally accept that it's natural for carnivorous wild animals to kill other animals in order to live. But people don't often think (or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-bekoff/we-generally-accept-that-it-s-natural-for-carnivorous-wild-animals-to/) [Marc Bekoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-bekoff/) > [I simply wish my parents would have taught me about speciesism and how it was just as evil as racism, sexism and heterosexism. Sadly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-yourofsky/i-simply-wish-my-parents-would-have-taught-me-about-speciesism-and/) [Gary Yourofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-yourofsky/) ## More by Gary L. Francione > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [Humans treat animals as things that exist as means to human ends. That's morally wrong. 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Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [We cannot talk simultaneously about animal rights and the 'humane' slaughter of animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/we-cannot-talk-simultaneously-about-animal-rights-and-the-humane/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [We can no more justify using nonhumans as human resources than we can justify human slavery. Animal use and slavery have at least one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/we-can-no-more-justify-using-nonhumans-as-human-resources-than-we-can/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [Because animals are property, we consider as "humane treatment" that we would regard as torture if it were inflicted on humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/because-animals-are-property-we-consider-as-humane-treatment-that-we/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [Not only are the philosophies of animal rights and animal welfare separated by irreconcilable differences... the enactment of animal welfare measures actually impedes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/not-only-are-the-philosophies-of-animal-rights-and-animal-welfare/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [There is increasing social concern about our use of nonhumans for experiments, food, clothing and entertainment. This concern about animals reflects both our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/there-is-increasing-social-concern-about-our-use-of-nonhumans-for/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) > [Being vegan is easy. Are there social pressures that encourage you to continue to eat, wear, and use animal products? 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Francione quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) ## More Cases quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. 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