Rebekah, a passionate advocate for wellness, veganism, and music. Hailing from the midwestern United States, Rebekah leads a multifaceted life centered around her two blogs and creative pursuits. Her first blog, “Thoughts that Bind,” delves into topics of wellness, psychology, philosophy, and mental health, while her second blog, “Eight Years In,” shines a spotlight on veganism. Beyond writing, Rebekah expresses herself through music, sharing her compositions on her YouTube channel and SoundCloud under the name MissBekah.
Rebekah’s journey toward veganism began at the age of 15, ten years ago. With the privilege of modern technology and access to the internet, she discovered the concept of veganism and its ethical implications. Her initial encounter with vegetarianism came at a younger age, but the adults in her life dissuaded her from pursuing it, citing concerns about practicality and health. Over time, she suppressed her remorse and discomfort about consuming animal products, conforming to societal cognitive dissonance.
Rebekah’s decision to embrace veganism was fueled by empathy and a deep desire for a more compassionate lifestyle. By sharing her thoughts, insights, and experiences through her blogs and music, she hopes to inspire others to question their own choices and make positive changes for the well-being of both themselves and the animals we share this planet with. Miss ReBekah is a passionate advocate for a kinder and more sustainable world, driven by her unwavering belief in the power of conscious choices.
Tell us more about yourself. Where are you from?
Thank you very much for reading and listening to my thoughts!
MissBekah Productions
Hello, I’m Rebekah and I live in the midwestern United States. I have two blogs, one called the Thoughts that Bind which is about wellness, psychology, philosophy and mental health, and the other that puts a spotlight on veganism, called Eight Years In.
I also love to make music and share it with the world on my YouTube channel and SoundCloud, under the name MissBekah.
Tell us what made you turn vegetarian or vegan. How long have you been one?
I went vegan ten years ago at the age of 15. I feel very lucky to have the privilege of modern technology, including internet access, because it is through the internet that I first heard about veganism.
When I was eight years old, I first heard about vegetarianism and I wanted to make that choice. I was uncomfortable with the idea that an animal should have to die for my food, but I was unfortunately talked out of it by the adults in my life at the time. When they said things like, “well then, what will you eat? I think it will be very hard,” and shared their stories about getting sick trying a vegetarian diet in college, I didn’t know what to say. My own parents said they weren’t sure what they would feed me.
It was scary. Both thinking that I may not be able to survive that way, but also to think that my own desires might be an undue burden on them, even if they were doable. And so I put all of those feelings of remorse and discomfort towards eating animals to the back of my mind in favor of the cognitive dissonance that so many cling to in our society today. In this way, vegetarianism became a distant memory of a matter resolved, that could never be. Until, of course, it resurfaced. Because emotional repression only works for so long.
I remember when I first learned about the lifestyle of veganism. I found a young woman on YouTube who was slender and pretty, and above all, she seemed happy. That was a very important thing for me, because at the time I was miserable. She went around, exploring life, eating large amounts of fruit and just enjoying herself.
And then, as I found out, she was vegan
MissBekah Productions
Well, that gave me something to dig into. Vegan, a new word I had never heard before. I think it’s worth mentioning that I never watched any slaughterhouse footage nor animal rights films before wanting to go vegetarian. The thought of an animal dying was enough to create that desire for me. However, in researching veganism, that all changed.
My heart broke as I heard the fear in the squeals and the bellows of the individuals that humans sent to their deaths for a steak, a pork chop, or “their” fried chicken. I cried as I learned about macerated male chicks and battery hens.
And by the time I found out about the link between the veal industry and the dairy industry, I simply couldn’t handle it anymore. I was sick to my stomach, as I felt it curdle with the blood I had eaten in the past and it all boiled over into one overwhelming thought: “I cannot participate in this anymore.”
house-made hot sauce)
What are some challenges faced in finding vegan/vegetarian food? or eating out with friends,
etc. How do you overcome these?
Now, ten years later, things have gotten better with my mom and those in my social circle. They have grown used to the fact that I no longer bond with them over hot dogs or cheeseburgers (unless they’re of the vegan variety), and they’ve gotten more comfortable with checking if something is vegan themselves. I’m happy to say that eating out with my mother these days has grown far easier, and she always makes sure there’s enough for me to eat at her gatherings.
I’m also encouraged by the growing number of vegan options in restaurants, including restaurants that I never would have wanted to even attempt before. While I find that American-Style Restaurants tend to be slim pickings (or all have the same Beyond burger with fries and a salad for you to eat), there usually tends to be something exciting if you go to a restaurant from other cultures. (Perhaps a little novelty helps soften the blow of a nutritionally insufficient meal here and there.)
But more so than anything, I find that it helps to find your local favorites in the area. Back ten years ago, you needed to rely more upon your server or calling ahead for information, but many places now have online menus with ingredients listed and in some cases, what is vegetarian and vegan.
Another great tool is the HappyCow app or website, which helps you identify local restaurants that are vegan, vegetarian, or with good plant based options. The community is based on reviews from vegetarians and vegans (and other veg-friendly omnivorous dieters), and their diet is listed on their profile (as well as in the reviews they make). This is an incredibly helpful service which only gets better with time as more people use it.
How do you feel about being a vegan/vegetarian?
Still thinking about paradise…
MissBekah Productions
While I sometimes talk about the “vegan anger” or the “vegan loneliness” on my blog, I love being vegan. Which I suppose is no surprise since it’s something that I’ve kept up with for ten years. It is true that as a vegan you will be more aware of some very sad truths about society and this world in general. This can be discouraging. But there is also a beautiful, joyous side to veganism.
I no longer feel uncomfortable thinking about where my food comes from, and in this way, my life is far more emotionally free. While everyone could always be doing more, veganism is one of those habits that I can look at at the end of the day and say, “Well, I’m trying”.
But more than anything, adopting the vegan philosophy has been an intellectual blessing for me. It taught me without a doubt that most people can, in fact, be doing something that I believe is wrong, and that sheer numbers don’t make a behavior right. It taught me that truly good people can contribute to terrible things, and even defend them. It taught me that morality is subjective and strongly influenced by our environment.
And going vegan has given me an outline for questioning what I think I know in order to be a better person. It has helped me realize in a very strong way to be humble, because I’m not always right. But when I am wrong, to take responsibility for my shortcomings.
Veganism has strongly modeled a philosophy that I am otherwise prone to ignore, which is as follows: If you cannot fix a problem, the least you can do is try not to contribute to it. That is true maturity, in my
opinion. And realizing how integral it is to the philosophy of veganism continually reintroduces me to the idea in other applications in my life. Take responsibility for your mistakes. And if you can’t fix the problem, at least don’t further it. That’s what you, as an individual can do.
How would you tell someone who’s not yet vegan/vegetarian to try meatless food?
Pure deliciousness—thankful for my food!
MissBekah Productions
The great thing about plant based food is that there’s no gate-keeping, and it’s not just for any one certain kind of person. In fact, you’ve probably already had vegan food before, you just never thought of it that way. Any time you’ve eaten a fruit or vegetable or handful of nuts for snack, that’s plant-based. Chips and salsa, or chips and guacamole?
Yup, plant-based. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich for all my US friends out there? You guessed it, plant based food. So the good news is, you already have had some vegan and vegetarian food!
That being said, there is something great about trying new things. And for many people, having a plant-based meal on purpose, is a new thing. There are one of two ways you can go about this. The first is to try some of the great vegan replacement products available these days in many restaurants, grocery stores and health food stores.
There are more products than ever before, and they all have their own certain charm and flavor profile. You may want to try them at a restaurant first, so that you don’t buy a whole pack of something you don’t like. However, there are many vegan products that you can buy at a store that you won’t find at restaurants.
My biggest recommendation is to have fun and go into it as an adventure as opposed to a
challenge. You’re trying new things! Some you may not like, while others you might love. One
pointer though; if you are buying a vegan replacement product from a store, be sure to read and
follow the cooking instructions. Since they are made of different ingredients, the cooking
process is not always analogous.
crumbles, oyster mushrooms, fried plantains, tortillas de papa, salad, maíz tostado and ají
sauce)
There is a second way, however. And it is the one that I find a lot more fun (albeit less popular). This is to look for plant based recipes and traditionally plant based foods from other cultures that you may not be familiar with. While it is nice to find a vegan version of your old favorite that hits the spot, there is an immeasurable pleasure in finding new favorites.
And it comes with a nice side benefit of the realization that you might still have yet to try a lot of your favorite foods. Being a vegan doesn’t have to mean echoing the foods you once knew, but not the exact version. No, there are a lot of new things to try that are just as delicious.
Exploring the delicious world of meatless food
MissBekah Productions
Some of my favorite cuisines are Ethiopian, Indian and Mexican, since I happen to like my food spicy. That being said, there are all sorts of things to try. Vegan baking is one of the best first things I would recommend, because many vegan baked goods are indistinguishable from their nonvegan counterparts.
Another really great food to dig into is tofu (as long as you don’t have a soy allergy, of course)! Tofu is such a versatile food, although it may seem odd to those who are less familiar with it.
I would enjoy a good tofu scramble for a weekend breakfast every week, if I could. While you may be inclined to make your tofu scramble the closest to a scrambled egg flavor that you can get, they are extremely customizable. I prefer to add beans, onions, garlic and various spices to mine. It’s nothing like scrambled eggs when I make it that way, but I prefer it. And it’s delicious in breakfast burritos with some roasted potatoes and guacamole.
But it isn’t just tofu scrambles. Tofu is great in curries, as an accompaniment to homemade ramen, it even makes a good base for a ricotta for lasagna! Tofu is one of my favorite foods that I first tried as a vegan and as much as I had a big learning curve with it, I’m so glad I stuck it out.
What are some misconceptions about a vegan or vegetarian? How do you explain or educate?
I think there is definitely a misconception about vegans and vegetarians that there is a “certain kind of person” that will pursue this lifestyle change. Luckily, this is only a misconception. There are all kinds of people who go meatless, regardless of gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion and political or socioeconomic status. You don’t even need to be an animal lover, although that may be surprising to hear.
Even better, we can come to know vegans and vegetarians of all kinds online if we search for their content. We can be convinced that veganism is only for certain kinds of people, but the community is diverse. If our feeds are not, that’s something we can begin to remedy, by broadening our own horizons.
To someone who’s just beginning to go meatless, what is your advice?
I have loads of advice for new vegans and vegetarians, but the most important in my opinion is to not ignore the internal journey. There are so many people out there who talk about plant-based foods and products and lifestyle tips, and I am deeply appreciative of them for their help and expertise. It’s gotten me this far, after all. But there’s another side of making a life change sustainable for you, and that is realizing how it affects you emotionally, and the changes it brings to your life.
I think vegans who neglect their emotional selves and emotional needs are the ones who tend to become ex vegans, along with those who ignore their physical needs. You can encounter burnout as a vegan if you do not take care of yourself. This means having a community who supports you, asking yourself the difficult questions, taking breaks from activism to collect your thoughts and feelings, and it means not replaying graphic footage all the time to “keep you on your toes”.
If you want to be vegan for a long time, you’re going to have to learn how to make this a marathon, not a sprint. For now, and for the foreseeable future, being vegan is in the minority, which means you’re going to have to accept that you’re the different one sometimes. That your family may not follow you in your new lifestyle. It means that some days you are going to see things that make you angry or sad and you may not have someone around who can understand your point of view. It means that you have to learn how to handle your emotions in healthy ways, even when they’re in regard to some pretty serious subjects.
I find that by taking care of myself to avoid burnout, I also avoid saying rash things in conversation that I would have said as a newer vegan. I also am able to present veganism in a better light when I do talk to others about it. And I avoid the ex vegan nihilism that comes with empathy exhaustion. Remember that your own mental health is a factor in the sustainability of your veganism, and it’s an important one!
Any closing remarks
The grass is greener wherever you water it
MissBekah Productions
I just want to say a big thank you to all of you who are beginning your meatless journey (or have been on it for a while). I thank you, the animals thank you, your body will thank you, and so will the environment. The fact is, there are so many ways to “do veganism”, but the best way is your way.
Sometimes making a life change can feel so daunting, especially if we look at others who have done it and see these polished, beautiful profiles with chiseled bodies and model faces. But regular, everyday people can and do go vegan. And this world can use the contribution that only you can make. Be proud of who you are, and who you’re becoming in all facets of your life.
And if you are someone who is pursuing veganism for ethics, I congratulate you wholeheartedly for beginning to live a life more in line with your values. It is one of the most beautiful and wonderful feelings that a person can feel.
MissBekah Productions
Artist
Still trying to figure out how Instagram works! 🤣 Please bear with me
all images courtesy of MissBekah Productions