Vegans don’t always have a lot of options when it comes to nutritional, ethical and easily-available food, but there are a few established favourites like tofu.
When one person on a plant-based diet was invited to a dinner serving tofurkey (tofu turkey), they wanted to get the recipe from the host.
But things quickly turned sour when they learned that the cook wasn’t actually vegan.
In a text exchange that quickly turned hostile, the guest could be seen telling the meat-eater that they should stop ‘appropriating’ veganism by eating popular plant-based goods like tofu.
The conversation was shared on subreddit r/gatekeeping which is followed by 654,000 members to mock people who ‘take it upon themselves to decide who does or does not have access or rights to a community or identity’.
Appropriation is the concept of taking something for your own use, usually from a minority group and sometimes profiting off it, without due credit or using it as a gimmick.
While it’s a very real concept, Redditors felt the vegan guest was taking it too far, especially considering no one owns the rights to tofu.
In the exchange, the vegan texter wrote: ‘So you like pretending to be a vegan ’cause it’s cool and in? It’s not hip or cool. It’s important.
‘Tofu is strictly for vegans and vegetarians. You are basically admitting to appropriating us and stealing what we need for your own selfish use.’
The recipient then replied ‘I’m not appropriating anything, I’m eating food I like, you absolute f*ck.’
Other Redditors didn’t see the vegan’s point, saying that their point was contradictory; eating loads of tofu would create demand for it, not a shortage.
‘Getting meat-eaters to eat more plant-based food is literally one of the biggest tenets of veganism… that person is just in it for identity politics,’ wrote one person.
‘Is there a tofu shortage that I don’t know about?’ asked another.
Others noted that online identities were more hostile than their real-life counterparts, vouching for vegans in their lives.
One person wrote how internet anonymity just brings out the worst, most extreme versions of people.
‘Most real-life vegans I know are sweet and mindful people. Online vegans are more often than not rabid angry fanatics. Real-life gamers are mostly nice and fun. Online gaming community is full of bigots and obnoxious man-babies.
What are the benefits of tofu
Vegans and non-vegans can appreciate the deliciousness of tofu which can be prepared in various ways.
Tofu is made from soybeans which are mild-flavoured with a buttery taste and texture, and it is commonly used in its original form in soups, salads and refried bean dishes.
It contains no cholesterol and is an excellent source of iron and calcium.
It is an important source of protein, making it ideal for vegans and vegetarians.
Another echoed the sentiment, saying: ‘The vegans I hang out in real life are so sweet. They visit my town and immediately ask for a food recommendation, or bring little snacks and a bunch of fun recipes.
‘We talk about the environment, and look at dog videos.’
So just a reminder to anyone that’s part of any sort of online community, let’s calm down with the gatekeeping.
And once we’ve done that, let’s go and enjoy some tofu.
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