I understand vegetarian, but … why vegan?
I understand vegetarian, as the animal must be killed for me to eat. But why vegan? —Adrianne M. (via email). Thank you for the question, Adrianne, and thanks for reading VegCurious?, too! This is a question I hear less frequently than in the past, which is a positive sign. Veganism is making progress. Still, it’s […]
Grandparents, Dietary Guidelines, and Premature Death
What’s Wrong With Meat? Twenty-nine months before I was born, my paternal grandfather died. Colon cancer; a disease of excess. Meat eater’s disease. Growing up, whenever I’d hear the “If you could speak with one person who lived before you” question, my answer was the same as it is today. No, I wouldn’t want to […]
Tofurky Turns 30!
(Seth Tibbott is Much Older) December 23, 2025 Note from Joe: Enjoy this “rerun” of an interview I did with Mr. Tofurky, Seth Tibbott, for The Animals Voice in 2020, when the holiday centerpiece turned 25. Happy Holidays to all. In December 1980 a twenty-something nomadic naturalist Boomer found himself at a crossroads. Conservative Ronald […]
Consider the Oyster
I Don’t Care if a Bivalve is Sentient. Why You Shouldn’t, Either. December 17, 2025 I get what you’re saying about AR sometimes getting lost in theory debates, but this framing creates another problem: Veganism isn’t the simple, unified philosophy you present it as, and it absolutely does rely on ideas like sentience, harm, and […]
So Tonight I’m Gonna Vegan Like It’s 1899!
On Saturday, November 22, a Who’s-Who of nearly 100 notable plant-eaters gathered at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia for a unique 1890s vegan Thanksgiving celebration, the brainchild of Seth Tibbott of Tofurky fame. The American Vegan Society fundraiser brought together nine local plant-based chefs and restauranteurs to create a veganized version of a vegetarian Thanksgiving meal that Seth found in […]
7 Tips for Getting Through Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving—many a vegan’s least-favorite holiday. The good news: It doesn’t have to be! All holidays have the potential to create friction, especially with family. Being vegan just adds another wrinkle to an already fraught situation. Thanksgiving, though, IMHO is the toughest, being that the holiday has devolved into an abnormally huge, factory-farmed, hormone- and […]
Family Not Vegan? You’re in Good Company!
Donald Watson is credited with coining the word “vegan” and was one of the founders of The Vegan Society. This week’s column is an homage to Donald, who passed away 20 years ago this week, on November 16, 2005. I have not written much about my relationship with Donald, saving the bulk for his biography which […]
Esther the Wonder Pig
Above: Esther the Wonder Pig with Joe the Wonder Man “Person of the Year” honors the biggest vegan of them all! Each year VegNews Magazine chooses a Person of the Year who best embodies the spirit and aspirations of veganism; the individual who, over the last year, had the largest impact toward promoting the ideals […]
Tofu, The Chicks’ Natalie Maines, and Bangkok’s KFC
Reader Question: Will The Chicks Think I’m More Attractive if I Eat My Tofu? — Ken D. Absolutely, Ken! No doubt about it. Tofu makes an excellent substitution for chicks’ eggs, which you never need to eat and are loaded with bad cholesterol (especially the yolks). Tofu can easily be used to replace eggs in baking and […]
The Growth of Veganism?
Reader Question: With more and more people being born vegan, do you believe we will see the numbers we saw when veganism was at its height? I can’t understand why the vegan / vegetarian numbers haven’t increased. —Stephanie L. Thank you for your question, Stephanie, and a happy World Vegan Month to you and all VegCurious? Ask a Vegan! readers. […]