I Still Love Daiya

I recently posted a blog entry on my dismay at the offensive post and actions of Daiya. I so appreciated the strength I received from the comments on the entry and through Twitter and Facebook from those who supported what I had to say on the topic. Thank you sincerely. 

When you make a mistake, it's important to apologize for it. It's also very important to be sincere and explain exactly what you did so that the one who has been hurt knows that his pain is understood. Also, measures need to be taken to ensure that the mistake isn't made against the person again. I am happy to report that @DaiyaCheese has started on these things in the wake of the offensive posting made by Daiya's social media person on Facebook. 

In the fight for animal rights and a cruelty-free vegetarian lifestyle, we can sometimes feel as though fellow vegetarians are all kindred spirits. With vegans and vegetarians being the minority in this world, who wouldn’t want to latch on to one another and be supportive, right?

Well, when Daiya’s social media person thought it was appropriate to frame a link in such a way that it asked whether being fat should be illegal in America, it really divided visitors to the page in the middle. There were those who fight for respect for all persons equally and those that think it is okay to shame and mock others who are not the size they deem to be socially acceptable. Much bullying went on on the page.

Daiya was previously a favorite vegan brand for vegetarians of all shapes and sizes. Yet, it seemed to show disregard for several of its customers. And, it's my belief that, by disrespecting anyone, you are disrespecting all of them. I personally would not want to continue to shop for the company if it had shown prejudices against others for any other aspect of one’s appearance or religion preference or other such things. Just because I happen to be overweight does not mean that I will not fiercely stand up for those who are sized normally or too thin if they are abused or oppressed.

The bullying by Facebook users on the Daiya page who showed clear and utter size prejudices was extreme. The social media person even left little hearts by some of the comments that mocked those of us who were hurt by the post, belittling our feelings and far worse. From comments that denied that I, as a fat person, deserved sympathy to the one who told me that “big is not beautiful,” I received excessive bullying. As upset as I was by the cruel comments on Facebook, I was in awe of all the support that compassionate vegans showed me. Many came forward express their dismay and standing up to the bigots who were spewing hate and cruelty via the Daiya Facebook page. 

However, I was happy to receive two personal voicemails from Greg, the CEO of Daiya, and I look forward to speaking with him on this matter. He also personally contacted a few of my new friends, and he has promised to teach the staff more on HAES and fat acceptance in the new year. Apparently he was out of town when this occurred, and he has since posted an apology video on the Facebook page of Daiya, and I truly do believe he is sorry. It was far better than the weak earlier apologies. I am happy that he cares and that he is addressing the issue with sincere regret.

I think it’s important to stand up when you see bigotry, intolerance, bullying, or cruelty. For people who are quick to bully those who are different, if the fact that someone is pointing out something ugly about yourself, rather than further bully them, have the humility to admit that maybe you don’t know it all. We all deserve respect regardless of our size or any other personal factor about our appearance, abilities, or differences. 

I am disappointed that Greg did not speciofically respond to the HAES or fat acceptance community talking points, but I do have hope that he will address those issues more thoroughly. I hope he does invite the talented Christa Trueman to educate staff on size diversity and fat oppression through the great work she has done, as he has indicated. Some other very appreciated friends also feel that he should take down the original post altogether, as it led to so much unmoderated abuse of others on the page; I am on the fence on whether it should be taken down altogether. 

I think that Greg has made an excellent first step in showing the error of the post by Daiya, and I look forward to seeing how they move forward from here. I will definitely keep you updated on future progress that's made, and I hope to speak with him soon as well. Thanks, Daiya, for agreeing that size prejudices are wrong. Thanks, Greg, for such a heartfelt and sincere apology. I think it does speak volumes about the ultimate integrity of the company.