Coinciding with the overturning of prop 8 in California was Chealsea Clinton’s purported vegan wedding cake and menu and the weeks of subsequent debate has garnered almost more attention than that other tiny little marriage debate in that tiny little state of California. This one centers around whether it is ok to serve meat at a vegan wedding, or, articulated differently more like the a-holes these writers are, is it fair NOT to serve meat at the wedding of a vegan? Is it an affront to guests? Imagine! A cake is not only newsworthy and controversial, but anti-american too! And how dare a couple impose their deepest held beliefs on the people they feeding and who are attending the celebration of their couplehood? But, really, I understand where they are coming from. If we make them be vegans at our weddings, the next thing you know we’ll make all of our guests be gay – you know, our deepest held belief – at our weddings too! Of course we’d have to be able to get married first.

Well @vegansaurus chirped into the convo and let all the other newsmongerers know whatizzup.

I don’t really see why it’s so hard for the vegans getting married to lay down the fucking law and tell people what’s what in the same way all couples tell people what the dress code is or where to sit, and I don’t see why it is apparently such an offense to ask a meat-eater to eat a single vegan meal. Are all meat-eaters such huge whiny babies, or just the ones who write/comment on the The Times, Gawker, and Jezebel? Do their moms still cut the crusts off their bread for them? What do they do when the vending machine is out of their favorite beef jerky? How the fuck do they survive when they are only able to function when every single thing in the universe is perfectly tailored to their preferences?

Also, @VegNews recently ran a cover story on vegan weddings, including a nice little homophobic rant in the comments by a real nice lady named Lorraine who feels that “people have the right to love whoever they want” but is concerned that veganism is too often mistakenly associated with ‘LGBT’ (yes, she used it like that), which frankly, she thinks is “offensive”:

By Lorraine

Why is it sad that no queer weddings occurred? I feel people have the right to love whoever they want and I respect that, but this is just one more way that veganism becomes associated with LGBT, which is offensive and not always the case. Veg@News, please don’t endorse/promote gay weddings in the future. If there are, so be it- but don’t let your own personal views come in the way, evident by your comment (“we hope this changes in the future”).

Posted: Jul 26 2010 00:43AM

The post was a response to a comment asking why no queer weddings were covered in the piece which reported on six couples’ weddings. VegNews’ reply was seen by Lorraine as pandering to the gays. Damnit! I hate it when people pander to the marginalized and underrepresented who are in a battle for marriage equality and who might profit just a teeeensy little bit by coverage in not-even-mainstream-vegan-media! But hey, at least she thinks we “have the right to love whoever we want”. I think these statements, and all others like them in the genre of “I have gay friends” or “I’m not homophobic but..” or “I don’t care what they do in private but..” should be banned and I think Lorraine should have big vegan pie shoved in her pie hole.

ByVegNews Magazine

Greetings T: We hear ya! We’d love to include all types of weddings and hope people will apply for 2011. We are always inundated with vegan wedding applications, but very few, if any, are from gay couples. We hope this changes in the future.

It’s funny. After scanning the article, my first thought too, was, where are all the lezzies? I know they are getting married, and damnit, I know there has to be some yummy vegans among them? And seriously, if this is what a vegan lesbian wedding looks like, who doesnt want one? Hell, it might make you go gay and vegan!

So, apparently vegans are sick of being mistaken for gay by virtue of their veganism. What say you, lezzie carnivores, about being mistaken for vegans by virtue of your lesbianism?

We are very excited to announce a fabulous new contest for which Veggie Femmes is teaming up with the super cool Rocky Mountain Kid, who is offering a set of Wean Cubes to Veggie Femmes readers and followers.

Wean Cubes are a perfect addition to your kitchen when starting your baby on solid foods OR as a kitchen accessory if you don’t have a baby! As a vegan, I recognize the value of these handy little storage containers for storing/freezing other purees or ingredients I need for vegan dishes.

But, if you are a mom, homemade baby food ensures the best foods for your baby, and Wean Cubes ensure that these foods stay pure and fresh. Kristy Jahn-Smith, owner of Rocky Mountain Kid, says for her second daughter – now just starting to eat solids – she hasn’t bought a single jar of baby food, and that the Wean Cubes are an added incentive to DIY.

Made of durable glass with a silicone-sealed lid, wean cubes are a safe and environmentally friendly storage system, free of BPA, PVC, Phthalates, and Plasticizers. Smart Clips lock and secure food inside. Measuring lines help you monitor food intake. Wean Cubes stand up to the extreme temperatures required to make, store, freeze, heat, and serve food. Wean Cubes retail for $28.00 CAD from RMK!

Jahn-Smith, a mom-preneur, chef, and busy mom herself is currently competing for the Savvy Mom Entrepreneur of the Year Award for which the grand prize is $22,000 designed to improve every aspect of a growth-oriented business and help the winner take her business to the next level. We are very excited to see her in the running for this prize and want to help her out.

So, here is how you win. There are SO MANY WAYS!! 1)Vote for Rocky Mountain Kid here and leave a comment in the comment section. All comments will receive one entry for the Wean Cubes. Remember to leave your twitter name or email address with your comments so we know who you are! 2) Next, between now and Thursday August 26th at midnight (EST) every follow of @VeggieFemmes or @Rkymountainkid will receive an additional entry, as will 3) every tweet or retweet about the contest. 4) Sign up for email updates with Veggie Femmes or RMK’s newsletter, and you will be eligible for another entry. 5) ADDITIONALLY, RMK is giving away another set of Wean Cubes, for which there are details on RMK’s twitter and facebook.

So, there are lots of ways to win! Get to it, and good luck! The winner will be announced on Friday August 27th! Also, don’t forget to check out all the amazing stuff on Rocky Mountain Kid’s site! You can also become a fan on facebook, because RMK always has great contests and sales for fans!

Unfortunately these posting are only in the US. However, for anyone in the Montreal area, the Humane Society International/Canada is currently on a hiring spree! Check out their great postings on charityvillage.ca for a communications director, campaigner, and political officer. Job postings close on August 22nd, 2010.

PETA is also ALWAYS hiring. But, alas, never in Canada. I keep my eyes peeled, but no luck. However, for those of you in the US, Asia, and India, check out these great opportunities.

I’d also like to know how people feel about this?? Do you only work for companies that share your humane/humanitarian/veg values? Do you refuse to even frequent establishments that don’t share your values. People are all over the spectrum on this issue. I recently took a job working in a cafe where the sandwiches sold are very meat heavy. I drew the line at working somewhere where I don’t have to PREPARE any meat based products, but I feel pulled about my complicity. Thoughts? Comments? Feelings? GO!

From the back:

“In Dr. Neal Barnard’s Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook, the country’s leading diabetes team weighs in on America’s hottest dietary trend. The cookbook is based on a landmark two-year study conducted by Dr. Barnard, which showed that a vegan diet more effectively controls type 2 diabetes. In fact, it‘s also beneficial for weight loss, the reversal of heart disease, and the improvement of many other conditions. Dr. Barnard and nutritionist Robyn Webb now offer easy, delicious meals to improve your health.

Featuring 125 flavorful recipes, readers will find all-occasion dishes that use familiar ingredients and require minimal effort. All recipes are free of animal products, low in fat, and contain a low-to-moderate glycemic index.

Barnard and Webb explain how diet changes can have such dramatic health effects and provide simple ways to get started. With convenient menus, scientifically proven advice, and inspiring stories from real people who have used Barnard’s recommendations to turn their health around, there’s no better cookbook to help you eat well and feel great.”

I am grabbing myself a copy regardless because I have been looking for a new vegan cookbook that takes nutrition seriously. Taste is important, don’t get me wrong, and so is all the fun stuff people like IsaChandra come up with, but sometimes I am concerned that I have traded in a balanced diet for a compassionate one, whereas I would prefer to have both. So check it out, and if you have it, let us know what you think.

Enter the PETA contest here.

Also, if you don’t win, the cookbook is on sale on amazon right now for only 11.99 (regular 18.95)

We are new kitty mommies and SO excited about it!! Last Wednesday we adopted a beautiful adult silver tabby kitty named Boobert. His parents were moving to Sweden and couldn’t take him with them, and we happened to be in the market for a new furry cuddle monster! We are so happy to have him in our life. We are also so happy we made the decision to adopt an adult cat. We both love kittens, but recognize the need for homes and families willing to adopt adults as they are too often abandoned or left at the pound because it is so difficult to find people willing to take them.

Anyways, if you are interested in adopting, check out Paws for Life Rescue Montreal.

Paws for Life Rescue Montreal rescues predominantly pups from pounds and puppy mills and attempts to find them new happy forever homes, or at least, foster parents. They are always looking for donations for vet fees for the furry mutts, and for volunteers to drive, deliver, or pick up animals from the pound and take them where they need to go.

Join their facebook group to get updates on new pups or kitties, or to get news on who/what they need for volunteers. This is a great way to get involved and do some good. Even if you don’t have room to adopt, you might be able to help find people who can.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LET’S START A REVOLUTION AND CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!!!!

At the corner of St.Hubert and Rachel streets in the east end of Montreal is a quaint corner diner with pint size booths, mustard coloured walls, some antique furniture, soda served in glass bottles, and all around classic food. Residents and the workers in the neighbourhood drop in for lunch, waitresses chat with regulars, and I feel like I have found the neighbourhood’s best kept secret. Hurry before the hipsters find out and take it over!

Nestled among the burgers, crepes, and sandwiches on the menu are some vegan gems (or vegan sans the mayo). The club is an absolute MUST TRY! Soft, toasted whole wheat bread, layered with fried white onions and mushrooms, grilled tofu, tomatoes, and lettuce, served up with a gorgeous green salad and frites! It was super, super delicious! There is also a tofu burger which I’ll have to try next.

801 Rue Rachel Est Montreal, Quebec H2J 2H6 - (514) 526-7967
Open Weekdays 7:30am-10pm; Weekends 9am-10pm

Anywho, check it out.