Having to answer questions can often be a difficult experience for many vegans, especially new ones. Just as often, when we're less than perfectly patient with others, we feel bad about it, blame ourselves and think we must have some issue or we blame them and think they must have some issue. But the truth is, asking and answering questions (engaging in a dialogue) is hard work and it takes some good faith effort. It takes a combination of patience, skill and knowledge to answer questions, and it's both a habit that must be formed and a skill that must be praticed. But since so many of us have to answer questions, I decided to write this (mostly) brief primer.
The hardest part of answering any given question is that most of us don't have a lot of practice answering them. That can leave us flustered, but hopefully, this primer provides you with a few simple techniques and process. But the basic formula (the part you should remember most) is even simpler than the steps below: repeat, clarify, answer and confirm.
First, gather your thoughts and repeat the question.
Second, clarify the question as a whole if you need to do so.
Third, define any terms that are appropriate to your answer.
Fourth, clarify any misunderstandings of veganism first.
Fifth, clarify why X is or isn't acceptable/appropriate/whatever to vegans.
Sixth, clarify relevant exceptions.
Seventh, mention alternatives.
Eighth, get some feedback.
It's easier than you think once you given it a little practice. Some people just want a �yes� or a �no� and sometimes, it's appropriate to answer the question in that way. But if you have an opportunity to educate someone about veganism, then why not take the opportunity to to do so? It's really not that difficult, and everyday questions often provide a simple, and straightforward (and socially acceptable) opportunity to do so. If you're not sure how to answer the question, just be honest and say you don't know.
First, gather your thoughts and some fresh oxygen. Most of us start trying to answer the question immediately because we're nervous and we don't want to look dumb; we want to look alert and knowledgeable. The effect, though, is that sometimes we start answering the question before we know what it is we're going to say. Then we start to focus on what we're saying, and things start to go downhill from there. When someone asks you a question, take a deep breath and collect your thoughts. Repeat the question to ensure that you've heard properly what it is they're asking you. If you have to, tell them to give you a second or two to collect your thoughts. Then, you can start your answer.
Second, make sure you understand the question fully. Some questions need clarification. For example, someone might ask you: "can you eat sugar?". What they are really asking you is: do you eat sugar and/or do vegans typically eat sugar, and if they do, what kind? and so on. You'd be very, very surprised by the lack of knowledge about veganism in the general public and keep in mind, you probably don't know all that much about keeping kosher or halal. Don't get all bent over it. If someone's asking you X, they're probably making a good faith effort to accommodate you or to engage you in a topic of discussion that they think is important to you. Take a deep breath, and say: "Can I eat sugar? Do you mean, do I eat sugar?"
Third, define any key terms you may need as a part of your answer. Can you eat sugar? is not one of those questions that really require a definition, other than what is or is not vegan. Most people know what sugar is. But, for example, you might have to answer a question about violence. If you do, you should try to agree to a definition of what violence means to the both of you before you make a full answer. If you can't agree on a common definition, try to agree on specifics. For example, you might agree that pushing someone for fun is violence, but pushing someone out of the way of an oncoming car is not violence. You might be able to build a larger shared definition from that example and use that to facilitate your discussion. Hopefully, you won't have to do this with many of your questions, but you may.
Fourth once you're clear about what you're being asked, clarify any questions about veganism first. For example, it seems clear from a question like "can vegans eat x?" the person doesn't have a full understanding of veganism. Always try to remember that most of the public thinks of veganism as a diet with weird and unpredictable rules (in large part because regulationist organizations have systematically befuddled them and other "vegans" into thinking some animal uses are fine, but others not, and people often self-identify as vegan and yet still eat animal products). Veganism is not just a check list of ingredients that we can't have. Veganism is a set of moral choices and practices taken in light of what we owe nonhuman animals. We should always be clear that veganism is not a matter of can/can't, it's a matter of do/do not. So, you could say: "Most vegans avoid animal use insofar as its possible and practical."
Fifth, once you have clarified "veganism" generally, clarify why X or Y is or isn't acceptable to vegans. Always try to keep the focus of attention on the action. Sometimes, people will ask: am I a bad vegan if...? There are no good or bad vegans. There are actions that are not typically acceptable for vegans to take and there are actions that are. Someone who slips, misreads an ingredient list, or makes a mistake isn't a "bad vegan". Someone who makes a habit of using easily avoided animal products isn't a vegan at all. So, you could say: "Some cane sugar is bleached with nonhuman animal bone char, and so, I don't eat that kind of sugar. "
Sixth, once you've clarified the general rule, clarify the exceptions and provide any necessary details about exceptions that you think are appropriate to the conversation. For example, it's morally excusable for a vegan in a lifeboat with a tiger and his or her grandmother at sea for days with no impending rescue to eat buns made with sugar refined with animal bone char. It would not be morally excusable for the same vegan to eat the same buns because s/he was hungry in the checkout aisle. So, you could say: "If I were in a lifeboat and starving, obviously that would be different.�
Seventh, clarify any alternatives if it's appropriate to do so. Many people are left with the impression that veganism involves a lot of sacrifice. That really isn't the case. There are more and more vegan alternatives to animal products and labor every day, and helping people understand that there are alternatives helps them to understand that veganism is hardly a hardship. So, you could say:�But Brand X Sugar, agave nectar, organic sugar, beet sugar, molasses, corn syrup stevia, and other sweeteners are readily available. I just use those instead."
Eighth, you'll probably be able to gauge by someone's response whether or not you're answering their question, but there's no harm in asking: �Did I answer your question?� This might be useful if you're having an online or phone-based discussion in which a lot of information is left out. Sometimes people stop asking questions because they're not understanding what it is you're telling them or you've misunderstood what it is they wanted to know. It's not a victory for nonhuman animals if we leave people confused.
Put it all together and you have a simple and straightforward answer: "Can I eat sugar? Do you mean, do I eat sugar? Well, most vegans avoid animal use insofar as its possible and practical, Some cane sugar is bleached with nonhuman animal bone char, and so, I don't eat that kind of sugar. If I were in a lifeboat and starving, obviously that would be different. But Brand X sugar is not filtered with bone char, and agave nectar, organic sugar, beet sugar, molasses, corn syrup, rice syrup, stevia and other sweeteners are readily available. I use those instead. Did I answer your question?"
Almost as easy as going vegan is! If you're not vegan, go vegan today, and if you are vegan, and want to learn more about the abolitionist approach and how to be a more effective animal advocate, check out my other articles or be sure to have a look through Gary Francione's Web site, especially his FAQ.
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