Vegetarianism: Movement Or Moment: Promoting A Lifestyle For Cult Change

6. Organizational Strategy in Action: Promoting a Vegetarian Collective Identity

6 Organizational Strategy in Action Promoting a Vegetarian Collective Identity We want a vegan world, not a vegan club. —Matt Ball, Jack Norris, and Anne Green, “Tips for Spreading Veganism” To varying degrees, vegetarian leaders and their respective organizations adopt an inclusive approach to promoting vegetarianism that embraces as positive all movement toward vegetarian diets. For example, even though less than one-third of the twelve million U.S. adults who self-identify as vegetarians actually follow a vegetarian diet,1 leaders applaud the number because they see it as evidence that many people want to be and like to think of themselves as vegetarians. Vegetarians also celebrate the fact that cultural stereotypes that associated their lifestyle with the hippie counterculture and youthful rebellion have given way to a general view of vegetarian diets as healthful and acceptable. At the same time, the possible dilution of vegetarianism concerns leaders who want to protect the definition of the term from becoming meaningless. As one local group newsletter author warns, “While the actual number of vegetarians is probably lower than we may have thought, acceptance of vegetarianism and a desire to identify with it is definitely on 117 the increase, a trend that will surely benefit all of us. On the other hand, perhaps we need to get just a little possessive about the term ‘vegetarian’ and its definition, lest it cease to have any meaning.”2 Many vegetarians express concern that the public perceives them as people who do not eat red meat or who eat meat only occasionally. This can have a personal effect when, for example, a well-meaning host or restaurant server offers a chicken or seafood dish as a “vegetarian” alternative . Accepting a vague vegetarian definition can be not only disheartening (and perhaps even insulting) to the committed vegetarian but also potentially damaging to movement organizations, which depend on a strong identity to attract active members. Although a nonthreatening, nonconfrontational tone may encourage people to move toward gradual adoption of vegetarian diets, inclusive movement messages that embrace all efforts toward practicing vegetarianism can dilute the vegetarian identity. And if fewer people identify strongly with organizations , fewer will be willing to volunteer and assume leadership positions. At present, less than 1 percent of the people who follow vegetarian diets belong to vegetarian groups, and far fewer are active members. To build their membership, organizations try to mobilize currently inactive vegetarians by educating them about the various arguments for vegetarianism; this information not only helps vegetarians articulate more solid justifications for their own practices but also provides them with a repertoire of knowledge for promoting vegetarianism to others. Vegetarian organizations have two distinct audiences for their messages: (1) a large number of potential newcomers who are interested in vegetarian lifestyles and (2) a much smaller number of practicing vegetarians who want to learn more and who may become active advocates for vegetarianism. These two groups have very different needs and interests. The potential newcomers want to learn about the health aspects of 118 Chapter 6 vegetarianism, particularly about cooking with vegetarian ingredients . The practicing vegetarians want to learn more about the vegetarian philosophy or bring vegetarianism to their families , friends, and communities. The idea of having to “become a vegetarian” may repel the newcomers, many of whom may be vaguely interested in eating more vegetarian meals. The practicing vegetarians, however, need to strengthen their vegetarian identity in order to feel committed enough to contribute to movement activities. Consequently, current leaders are very concerned with how to promote a vegetarian identity and to whom they should promote it. Leaders pose these questions: Is it more beneficial for reaching movement goals to promote a strictly “vegetarian” identity or vague “healthful, plant-based lifestyles ”? Does appealing to one audience detract from appealing to another? And if so, how can both groups be reached with limited resources? The Vegetarian Collective Identity What does it mean to be a vegetarian? This is a key question for vegetarian organizations in developing a collective identity , “the (often implicitly) agreed upon definition of membership , boundaries, and activities for the group.”3 One particularly beneficial aspect of collective identity is that the more a person identifies with a group, the more he or she feels bound by its expectations. A committed vegetarian, for example , may feel guilty about even thinking about eating meat or ill upon unintentionally ingesting it. And a person who adopts a vegetarian...