VEGANISM

Photographer: Charl Folscher

Before I start talking about food, I want to talk about feeding and my choices.

First, a small and relevant story:

It was November 2005. I was 17 years old and I was in a car with some co-workers, on the way to the company’s warehouse in a somewhat remote place in the suburbs of São Paulo. As we were about to reach our destination, I heard an overpowering grunt. I, feeling scared, immediately asked the driver of the car:

“What is happening?”

Calmly, he replied:
“The owner of the bar facing the warehouse said he was going to kill a pig. I heard that his grandson was born and he’s going to roast it, to celebrate.”

I fell silent, my gaze became vacant, the car continued on its way, the grunt grew louder and I thought: How can you celebrate life with death?

We arrived. Even before I got out of the car, through the window, I looked at the wooden gate ajar, and I could see it: the pig, dead already with its head cut off and a lot of blood flowing.

I never ate meat again.

There were several challenges to keep me to this decision, the eating habits of my family, my friends, the lack of information at the time, but I remained convinced and since then, I sought to feed my awareness with more information. Doing so, every day I became more certain that the choice not to take a being’s life to keep mine was what made the most sense to me.

In the course of this awareness process, I became a vegan. I maintain this purpose for the animals, for the planet, for me, and you, as veganism is not limited to containing cruelty to animals, it helps to combat global warming, deforestation, environmental protection, and the preservation of the future of all the humanity.

My food is a political act and that is why I consider it important of an issue addressed. Talking about vegan eating, simplifying, showing that it’s possible and, although at first, you think it’s very complicated, everyone has a vegan base diet and often don’t even realize it.

My militancy when I talk about veganism is always for the goal of love to win. I don’t believe vanity of taste prevails over the right to life. I believe the power of consciousness can change habits and transform thoughts.

So, I have an invite for you: Come with me to feed your conscience?

My intention here is not to convert anyone so that they become a vegan overnight. My invitation is for you to remain open-minded, build some new awareness and thus prepare yourself to change some habits and thoughts.

So, I made a list of four audiovisual productions for you that might make you consider veganism or, perhaps for a start, meat-free Mondays.

Cowspiracy

The documentary “Cowspiracy” by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, released in 2014, shows how livestock has contributed to global warming, including being singled out as the main responsible for the destruction of the Amazon.

Earthlings

Released in 2005, “Earthlings”, is a documentary written, directed, and produced by the American environmentalist Shaun Monson that shows how far humanity has come in terms of animal exploitation.

Speciesism

Released by Mark Devries in 2013, this is a documentary that challenges the viewer to question their relationship with all animals, including the human species.

Okja

This is a fictional movie released in 2017, directed by Bong Joon-hi, starring Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Ahn Seo-hyun, and Jake Gyllenhaal. Okja is a critique of capitalist society, and its plot shows a new animal species that have been created in the laboratory, with a competition for the best “super pig” in the world.