Veganism

In 1944 in Leicester, England, Donald Watson (1910–2005) and his wife, Dorothy, coined the word “vegan,” which they formed from the first three and the last two letters of “vegetarian.” With this new term the Watsons wanted to encompass the meaning of “vegetarian” imparted by the Pythagoreans and Buddhists—one who, for reasons of compassion, abstains from consuming all foods and other products of animal origin. When asked in an interview what had impelled him to coin the term vegan, Watson said: “Veganism originated from the thought that any sentient creature has rights.” From this, it is clear that veganism—grounded as it is in compassion for other beings—is a corollary of the animal rights movement. Vegans do not consume honey, for instance, because it is the work product of the bee, and honey cannot be harvested without causing the death of some bees. Nor do vegans wear clothing from animal sources. Shoes made from leather, dresses made from silk, or jackets made from wool are verboten to vegans—because their manufacture may result in the discomfort or death of animals. Pharmaceuticals and medicines extracted from animals or that contain animal ingredients are also studiously avoided.