When I see the words “vegetarian shoes” all I can think of are a pair of penny loafers eating a Boca Burger.

I’m pretty sure you get your ass kicked for wearing leather and calling yourself a vegan. It’s a shame vegan shoes are so freakin’ ugly, because as much as I’d love to go vegan, I just can’t bring myself to wear this crap:

Though I have to admit that there are some OK shoes on the site you linked to.

Did you know that vegans argue about whether or not they can eat honey?

I’ve always wondered how vegans can justify kissing people or doing . . . other things wherein an exchange of bodily fluids is likely. Because people are animals. Our fluids are no less animal products than honey or milk. So only cannibalistic intake of animal products is ok?

Yes I did hear that. I’m not sure I agree with it. It seems a little bit extreme to me! It isn’t like baby bees are born from honey. Looking at some of the shoes and handbags, how could you tell if it was leather if you didn’t check out the bottom of their feet or the inside of their bag for the “made for vegetarians” tag? I guess only posers would try to get away with that though.

The shoes that Alicia Silverstone had on were pretty cute. They were just black stileto boots.

I was vegan for nearly a decade, it’s not that difficult to find non-leather shoes. A lot of shoes are 100% synthetic and people never realize it.

Drinky – Your argument is funny but not much more. Exchanging saliva with a willing partner just is not the same as confining a cow, pumping it full of hormones and antibiotics, feeding it grain, waste, and processed carcasses of other members of the herd, and then milking it until it bleeds.

If nothing else, being vegan made me much more aware of how animals should be treated in a farm setting so I buy organic/local as much as I can.

Confining a cow? Really? Would you like cows to roam free across the land? These animals have had every bit of smart domesticated out of them and probably wouldn’t survive as a species for very long on their own. I worked on a dairy farm for four years in high school. It was a small, family farm where none of the horrors you mentioned took place. That sort of thing typically happens on massive corporate farms, which are inherently evil. So, I’d agree with you as far as going local and organic. It’s best for all concerned.

No, you definitely can’t call yourself a vegan / vegetarian and wear animals unless you are eating that way purely for health related reasons rather than ethical ones.

This may be a tid bit off topic but in discussing farm settings and ethics I’ve been reminded of a documentary I saw awhile back about food and globalization. You usually only hear about food in America, so I learned quite a bit from it.

Here’s the description:

WE FEED THE WORLD is a film about food and globalisation, fishermen and farmers, long-distance lorry drivers and high-powered corporate executives, the flow of goods and cash flow–a film about scarcity amid plenty. With its unforgettable images, the film provides insight into the production of our food and answers the question what world hunger has to do with us .

Interviewed are not only fishermen, farmers, agronomists, biologists and the UN’s Jean Ziegler, but also the director of production at Pioneer, the world’s largest seed company, as well as Peter Brabeck, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé International, the largest food company in the world.

And here’s a vid:
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v14503242qtatgM6w

No one is the world arbitor for how people relate to themselves and their actions. What human beings decide to eat or wear is a personal choice and not your concern. And why do most of the comments here reflect ideology and group think instead of respecting personal choice? For 10 years I chose to eat no flesh foods or eggs, avoided simple sugars, consumed organics whenever possible, and existed mostly on whole grains, legumes and fresh fruits and vegetables. I still eat bascially the same foods, but have added some flesh foods, typically as part of a meal instead of the central focus. Who or what I am? I am a human being who eats what he chooses, not a slave to an ideology or a label. I am greatful for my life and the world I live in, meditate often, think freely, seek wise counsel, and educate myself. Eating local is a great choice when you have the choice. And I do wear leather, as it is mostly a by-product of using animals for food.

So do people who are vegans think about things like clothing and accessories when they make this choice? Is it a given? Most of the time when you hear it talked about, it is only in relation to food. I wonder how many people out there claim to be vegetarians or vegans and then say, “oh shit. I’m wearing an animal on my feet”. I was just astounded when I saw that clip of The View because I had never thought about things like shoes when it came to being a vegan. Fur and food are given, but I guess my mind never went there.

I was talking about becoming vegetarian, for health reasons, with a friend and she told she was vegan (she’s a competitive person) and thought it was a good idea. I just looked at her like she was crazy because she was eating a brownie…made with eggs, etc. Some people don’t even realize all that veganism/ vegetarianism entails.

Eating is a personal choice. It isn’t a lifestyle or a competition unless you make it that way. You could stop eating animal foods because you think or feel it is the right thing for you. Your friend can call herself whatever she wants to and eat a brownie. Life will go on, the world will keep turning. Take a deep breath and relax.

I agree with you, but she was sitting there talking about animal cruelty and how gross it is to eat and use animal products. She can call herself what she wants, but she’s also being hypocritical and completely contradicting her words with her actions. That was my point.

I could care less how seriously she takes it, it doesn’t matter. I was just sharing a seemingly funny anecdote, which I think you read in a serious tone.

A friend of mine sent me a link to another decent veggie shoes site: http://www.mooshoes.com/

“And I do wear leather, as it is mostly a by-product of using animals for food.”

So you wear leather because meat-eaters have already killed it for dinner, so why not?