How I Got My Partner To Go Vegan

The good news is most vegans were not born vegan… here’s what you can do to help your partner go vegan.

Author: Jamie Logan

Picture this. He’s hot, handsome, and funny. You think you have finally found your match… But then you realize that he’s NOT vegan (play record scratch).  This picture-perfect romance that you’ve built up in your mind has come crashing down like a heavy rainstorm, flooding everything you thought you knew and leaving you with a sense of uncertainty. 

When the person you love doesn’t see the world the same way you do, and their actions go against the horrific abuse you are trying to end, things can get tricky. Trust me, I know.

But hey, hey, hey, pick your head up because I think I might be able to help. 

The good news is most vegans were not born vegan. Some of us changed our flesh-eating and breastmilk-drinking habits during childhood, and some of us didn’t make the connection till later on in life. Here’s what you can do to help your partner go vegan.

1. Lead by example.

The last thing someone wants is to be forced to do something they don’t want to do. To many people, change can seem daunting. However, the benefits of going vegan are endless, from the delicious plant-based dishes to having more energy, clearer skin, better digestion, etc. Show them the way and bring them into the light! I recommend creating delicious plant-based versions of your partner’s favorite meal. If you don’t like cooking, go to www.vkind.com or download our app and find yummy vegan restaurants near you. The goal here is to show your partner that you don’t have to sacrifice taste, texture, or pleasure when going vegan. In fact, it’s easier and tastier than one would think!

2. Educate

We went vegan because we realized how cruel animal agriculture is to billions of animals, how it is destroying our planet, and how bad it is for our health. So now we must show our partner the same thing. I believe in respectfully educating them as needed. Yelling, scolding, and monitoring them will only go so far. Try asking them to watch your favorite documentaries as a gift. I asked my partner to watch Dominion for my birthday (I’m serious). Then for Christmas, I asked for two presents. One was for him to watch Cowspiracy, and the other was to have him watch Game Changers. He couldn’t say no!

3. Let them hear it from someone other than you

I cannot stress this enough. They need to hear the message from multiple different people. Try taking them to an animal sanctuary and going on a tour, connecting with other vegans in the area, and going out to dinner. Send your partner social media clips, and have him watch Gary Yourofsky’s speech on YouTube. There are so many resources out there, and when they begin to hear them from other people, suddenly, something clicks.

I’ve been with my partner for three years, and in the first year of dating, he wasn’t vegan. I set my boundaries from the very beginning, and he was super respectful of them, but it really was super tricky at times. While this period was hard, it was well worth the wait. Now we enjoy delicious meals, visit sanctuaries and advocate for the animals together.

Remember this, when we went vegan, we made the connection and changed our lifestyle on our own terms. Not because someone forced us to. Ultimately we don’t want our partners to go vegan for us. We want them to go vegan because they believe it’s the right thing to do. If you can educate, inspire and uplift them, change will happen fast… I’m telling you.

Picture this. He’s hot, handsome, funny, AND vegan.