Who Are Vegans? Exploring a Changing Demographic

Attending my first animal advocacy event in 2015, I worried someone might see my faux-fur hood and throw fake blood at me, or that I might be chastised for not taking action for animals sooner. But my ill-informed assumptions were a far cry from the reality of the welcoming and inclusive event. I discovered a growing community of big-tent animal advocates who want plant-based eating and animal protection work to be accessible to a broad population.

Vegans abstain from using and consuming animal products. For many, the goal is to minimize harm to animals while promoting ethical, environmental, and health-conscious choices. As I leaned further into the vegan movement, I remained keenly aware of how omnivorous friends and family members might perceive my new diet and lifestyle choice. I was haunted by a desire to contradict the stereotypes of vegans as self-righteous and hostile.

I like to think I’ve succeeded in being an approachable vegan who breaks with the stereotypes of hostility and self-righteousness. Friends and acquaintances have often told me that they appreciate my approach to plant-based eating. “You’re not like other vegans,” one friend said to me.

But my friend was wrong. The public has held fast to an antiquated concept of animal advocates as White hippies and privileged radicals. Meanwhile, the people and ideas represented in the plant-based space have been changing rapidly.

The vegan movement, once perceived through a narrow lens, has evolved into a dynamic population of wide-ranging but complimentary demographics, motivations, and philosophies. This meaningful shift towards a more inclusive movement deserves recognition. The work of creating a vegan community for everyone is far from over, but acknowledging the changing population of vegans is an important step towards debunking stereotypes and creating a culture of belonging.

Vegan demographics in a nutshell

For decades, the vegetarian and vegan movements have primarily celebrated their White, thin, and young contingency. These oversights—among others—make critical groups existing and working within the vegan movement invisible. Today, estimates suggest vegans make up 3% of the US population, and while our numbers may be few, our diverse composition is worth noting.

Racial diversity

The vegan population encompasses a rich tapestry of racial and cultural backgrounds. While outdated stereotypes equate veganism with Whiteness, veganism's fastest growing demographic is Black Americans. Black Americans are almost three times more likely to be vegan than the general population. Celebrities like Beyoncé and Serena Williams have spoken publicly about the benefits of a plant-based diet and are increasing the visibility of plant-based eating in the Black community.

Many Black Americans descend from a rich history of plant-based eating that predates the modern vegan movement. Vegetables, legumes, and rice made up much of the conventional West African diet from the 16th to the 19th centuries when Whites captured millions of Africans and sold them into slavery. In the United States, enslaved Africans were made to survive off the scraps of slave owners. Their creativity with the leftovers led to the advent of chitterlings, ham hocks, pigs feet, and other iconic soul foods. These same foods have been identified as contributors to common diseases. 

Many Black vegans are motivated by reclaiming their right to health and wellbeing. It's no coincidence that while fast food marketing disproportionately targets Black children, disproportionate numbers of Black Americans die each year from chronic disease. Black Americans are 30% more likely to suffer from heart disease than Whites.

"The food we have been eating for decades and decades has been killing us," Black vegan chef Jenné Claiborne told The New York Times.

Trailblazing Black Americans are beginning to challenge that pattern of oppression by increasing access to plant-based foods in their communities. Here in my home state, Minnesota's first Black-owned plant-based restaurant, Trio Plant Based, opened in 2017. Owner Louis Hunter serves up BBQ ribs, mac and cheese, cornbread and other delicious vegan soul food dishes. Hunter's leadership in the plant-based space has earned him international acclaim. PETA named Trio one of the best vegan restaurants in the nation. Hunter also attracted international media attention when he gave away hundreds of plant-based meals to protestors and community members following the murder of George Floyd.

When it comes to racial diversity in veganism, Black vegans are just one population that goes under-recognized. The vegan community is made up of Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, and other racial and cultural groups. Championing racial diversity within plant-based eating is crucial to creating a healthier future for people of all races and building a more inclusive vegan movement.

Body size diversity

Just as individuals of varying body sizes exist in any community, fat and thin people alike are part of the vegan movement. While veganism has often been associated with smaller bodies, adopting a vegan diet—or any diet or lifestyle choice—doesn't precipitate a particular body size or weight. Factors contributing to body size include genetics, personal lifestyle choices, access to different foods, metabolic differences, and various health conditions.

While some people choose veganism for health reasons, it's worth noting that well-being is not determined solely by a number on a scale. Health can be achieved at a diverse range of body sizes. Some vegans may naturally maintain smaller or larger bodies due to their unique biological makeup.

Pop Star Lizzo, for example, chose veganism for health reasons, but doesn't fit the vegan body size stereotype. Lizzo says: "Health is something I prioritize, wherever that leads me physically. Like veganism, people were like, 'You're a vegan? What, are you deep frying the lettuce?' I'm not a vegan to lose weight, I just feel better when I eat plants."

Veganism is based on principles of animal protection, environmental conservation, and personal health. People of all body sizes can play key roles in advancing these principles. Jessie Combest, a self-described "overweight vegan" writes: "Being vegan shouldn't be about what our pants size is or how we look. It should be about ending the mistreatment of animals through our daily food and lifestyle choices. No matter what, lifting up those who want to be vegan—whoever they may be—is important. It's what helps more people feel welcomed into the vegan community, and continues to keep it growing."

Religious diversity

Veganism transcends religious boundaries and encompasses people of diverse spiritual traditions. Religious teachings often emphasize compassion, non-violence, and stewardship of the Earth, which align with the core principles of veganism. For example, many individuals practicing Jainism—a non-theistic religion founded in India—embrace plant-based eating through the principle of ahimsa (non-violence), which extends to all living beings, including non-human animals. Similarly, some Buddhists follow a vegan diet as a part of their practice to minimize harm and show compassion towards all creatures. Other people from Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, and other faith traditions have found resonance between their religious values and their lifestyle choices.

Age diversity

Vegans tend to be younger than the general population, with the majority of vegans between 18 and 34 years old. But while younger generations often drive the visibility and advocacy for veganism through social media and activism, individuals of all ages, including older adults and seniors, are embracing this lifestyle. For instance, Jane and Ann Esselstyn are a mother-daughter duo who teach classes, write books, and share social media content related to plant-based eating. At 88, Ann Esselstyn is still hiking, dancing, playing pickleball, running, doing yoga, lifting weights, and staying active in myriad other ways as she continues to advocate for plant-based eating. Together, they reach tens of thousands of social media users each month, illustrating how people of all ages represent the plant-based movement and carry out vegan advocacy work. Lack of proper representation in vegan advocacy and media coverage has left potential vegans and vegetarians of marginalized identities feeling unwelcome in the movement. By recognizing the increasingly diverse demographics of vegans, we can create a movement where more people feel a sense of belonging.

Avoiding erasure

Holding fast to animal rights and vegan stereotypes isn't just misguided—it can also be a harmful form of erasure, placing a sort of invisibility cloak on populations who are working to affect change in our food system. Historically, perceptions of the vegan movement have included an under-current of under-representation. Certain groups, including those highlighted above, often remain unseen despite their substantial contributions and critical presence.

One example is the minimization of Black vegans. Despite the data presented above, that Black Americans are more than three times as likely to be vegan than the general population, this reality is rarely reflected in media about plant-based eating. Instead, typically thin White women are associated most with veganism. (For example, this pattern is reflected in viral memes featuring White women laughing alone with salads.)

One filmmaker, Jasmine Leyva, created a documentary to challenge these flawed perceptions of veganism. Her documentary The Invisible Vegan sheds light on the under-representation of people of color in the plant-based space. Motivated by her own journey into veganism, Leyva's film highlights the voices of those often overlooked in the vegan and health movements.

"My documentary, The Invisible Vegan, is therefore my attempt to remedy this problem," Leyva said. "It is my attempt to try to decrease the number of people, especially my people, from dying of preventative diseases. It is my attempt to give people like me, the examples and relatable messengers I wish I had. It is my attempt to inspire different audiences, not necessarily to convert them into vegans, but to help them understand the reasons behind plant-based eating."

The misconception that plant-based eating is inherently linked to Whiteness also disregards the rich history and traditions of People of the Global Majority, many of whom have embraced predominantly plant-based diets for centuries. Across continents, Indigenous cultures have thrived on diets centered around vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains. Plant-centric diets have been integral parts of the culinary heritage of the Mayans and Egyptians, as well as many Asian, African, and Latin American cultures. Associating plant-based eating solely with a particular demographic fails to recognize the deep-rooted traditions of plant-based diets within diverse cultures, creating a skewed narrative that overlooks the enduring relationships between many communities of color and plant-based nutrition.

Recognizing and acknowledging under-represented groups within the vegan community is imperative, as it unveils the true diversity that composes veganism and enriches the discourse within the movement. By amplifying the voices and visibility of these under-represented groups, the vegan movement can more authentically embody its principles of compassion, equity, and inclusivity.

Intersectionality in veganism

Recognizing the diverse motivations behind adopting a plant-based diet is crucial in understanding the complexity within the vegan community. People are drawn to veganism for many reasons. Some vegans are motivated by a desire to minimize harm and exploitation of sentient beings. Others choose to eat plant-based foods to reduce their environmental footprint, understanding the significant impact of animal agriculture on climate change and the planet's resources. Others still seek the health benefits, such as reducing risk of heart disease and certain cancers, often associated with plant-based eating.

Veganism encompasses other social justice issues too. Some people may adopt a plant-based diet as a means of reclaiming their cultural heritage, challenging food deserts that lack access to fresh produce, or addressing health disparities prevalent in their communities. Veganism has also been linked to gender equity issues, resisting the exploitation of female animals within the agriculture industry and drawing parallels between the mistreatment of female animals and broader gender inequalities. Just as the vegan movement's demographics are diverse, so too are the motivations for veganism within the plant-based community.

Creating a more inclusive vegan community

There is still much work to do to create a vegan community where all people can feel welcome. Attaining price parity for plant-based meats is critical to increase accessibility to a wider range of plant-based options for people with fewer resources. Promoting the creation of diverse recipes and restaurants that reflect various cultural traditions is also crucial. Offering plant-based options that draw from a multitude of global cuisines invites individuals from diverse backgrounds to explore plant-based eating and makes necessary space for their traditions within the vegan community. By making plant-based foods more affordable, representative, and accessible, the vegan movement can more fully embody inclusivity.

Rectifying the under-representation of certain groups in veganism is not just an act of inclusivity, it is a necessity for the movement's integrity and progress. Amplifying the voices, experiences, and contributions of marginalized communities within veganism is pivotal for a truly equitable and effective movement. Step by step, the vegan movement is beginning to foster a future where everyone feels seen, heard, and welcomed.