Veganism is on the rise across the UK
New research from The Vegan Society has found that 41 percent of men plan to go vegan or are interested in veganism. However, concerns about notions of masculinity, health, and how friends will react, are proving to be barriers. The study shows that more men are open to going vegan than previously thought.
The report, titled Veganism and Masculinity: Challenging Stereotypes and Embracing Change, seeks to address the continuing gender imbalance of vegans, as women continue to outnumber men in veganism. The report aims to achieve a better understanding of the this unbalance by speaking with vegan and non-vegan men, and address the prohibitive issues to the lifestyle; some of which are universal, while some are much more specific to men.
“With over 80 billion land animals killed per year for food and evidence that a global shift to a vegan diet would see climate emissions decrease by 70 percent, it is imperative to try and break down the barriers that stop people trying a vegan diet and to tackle the misconceptions around taste and nutrition,” The Vegan Society’s Research and Policy Officer, Alexander Huntley, said in a statement.
The research found some of the common deterrents, also voiced by women, continue to include taste, nutrition, and health concerns. The report also found that 47 percent of the interviewed men were worried about being confronted with unsupportive friends and family if they were to go vegan.
The Vegan Society concluded that more information, support, and resources needed to be provided for men to alleviate these concerns. The resources should be tailored to nutrition, recipes, and the body of evidence that supports a vegan lifestyle. Equally essential is a sense of community, so that men transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle have access to vegan connections and supportive social groups. The study found that many vegan men found success when making the change alongside a vegan partner or with supportive friends.
“We encourage any men who are interested in veganism to visit our Vegan and Thriving pages which are full of information, advice, and words directly from vegan men about their vegan journey and how their veganism relates to their masculinity,” Huntley said.
