Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m half French, half Mexican and now American singer, actress, tv host and animal lover. I live in Los Angeles, CA. I’ve been here for 6 years now and in love with my city. Currently I have 2 national tv shows that I host in Spanish for the US called “En Vivo” (Monday through Saturday) and “El Mameluco” (Monday through Friday) both shows are live on Estrella TV network.
Find Stéphanie online here:
www.youtube.com/stephaniegerardsg
Facebook – www.Facebook.com/stephaniegerard
Instagram – @StephanieGerard
Twitter – @ GerardStephanie
You can listen to some of my music on Spotify and all digital platforms and some of my music on my website: www.stephaniegerard.com
I have 2 dogs, Dougal and Moon and they are my life, they make me a better person everyday.
I also practice yoga and trapeze and I love cooking and discovering new vegan food.
What lead you to veganism?
I admire Paul McCartney so much! I have a tribute album to The Beatles. And one day 7 years ago I was watching on YouTube a video and suddenly I saw a title that caught my eye. “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian” by Paul McCartney so I decided to click on it. 40 seconds had gone by and I couldn’t stop crying. For me it was an eye opener, I grew up always having dogs and I love dogs and animals in general but when I saw what they did to animals in slaughterhouses I was in shock. I lived my whole life not thinking about THEM. I was terrified, when I finished watching the video I realized that I had no idea of what animals went through. So if I loved them, I couldn’t eat them! So I started investigating about vegetarianism and I saw something really funny. I never liked dairy or eggs at all, since I was young, milk and eggs made me throw up, so a vegetarian way of life wasn’t for me, and I discovered Veganism. It was perfect for me! No need to consume any animals or animal products at all.
When you first went vegan how did you phase out your non-vegan food, clothing and other items?
Food at home was really easy, I started looking for substitutes at the grocery stores and bought and tried new things, discovered soy and almond milk and loved them, finally I could drink some “milk” with my cereal! Clothes were not a problem cause I never wore leather, not my thing and never liked the smell. The main problem for me and still is: Shoes, thankfully there’s more and more brands that keep coming out with new stuff but finding vegan shoes was almost impossible! This part has taken years for me to be able to switch fully.
With bags, wallets and purses I remember when I was like 12 years old and I watched a video of a crocodile getting skinned alive and that petrified me, the fact that women carried a dead animal everywhere and from than day on I never bought or used any leather on my purses, always went for the fabric ones. It’s really sad I never made the connection before.
Do you make any exceptions for yourself or your family, when it comes to veganism?
My mom and my dogs weren’t vegan, but my mom was always very open and she agreed not having dead bodies in our fridge, she listened to me very easily, and she switched milk for the almond and coconut ones really easy, the only thing that I allowed was cheese for my dogs, they loved it and they’ve been eating it forever. Slowly I’ve switched their diet and now they love plant-based chicken, almond cheese, beyond the meat patties, and I thought well, part of being domesticated comes with a diet change so why not? It’s been a very slow process for them as well. And my mom is super sensitive and I showed her a few seconds of Paul McCartney’s glass walls and she bursted crying but sometimes if she was traveling or ate at restaurants she’d allowed herself to eat non vegan. But she had cancer a year ago and when we found out it was hormonal, I told her she had to go fully plant-based and she accepted really easily. Now she’s fully vegan and our fridge is 100% cruelty free!!
Do you believe we should show children the process of how animals are turned into meats?
YES!! 100% if only I’d seen that video before, my awareness and consciousness would’ve developed sooner! The fact that we don’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Parents and schools should show the process. 98% of the kids would go vegan.
What does being vegan mean to you? For example, does it extend to not killing bugs and bees?
For me it’s all about the animals, people talk about health, and have a million excuses. For me it’s ONLY ABOUT THE ANIMALS… I don’t understand why if we have so many options where cruelty, torture, and murder aren’t involved, why would you keep choosing what’s bad for you, for the animals and for the environment. I struggle the most with people not having empathy towards other live beings but they don’t even respect themselves so it’s really hard to ask them to care. Others can be approached with the healthy lifestyle that it is, or spiritual wise, you can’t consume another’s energy and feel ok with it. But people that have this false beliefs that human lives are more worthy than non humans lives, I just can’t understand or deal with them. So for me every live matters. No matter how small they are, they all deserve to live.
Is it every vegan’s duty to become an activist?
I think we have the duty to speak up, to tell the truth, to speak up for the innocent lives that are being taken everyday, and the truth is, it’s not ok to kill. From any point of view, THOU SHALT NOT KILL. We have to thrive to be the best versions of ourselves.
I don’t care if cavemen killed, we’re not cavemen anymore, we have to evolve as a society as a world that’s in danger. But in general awareness is not being raised and ignorance consumes people and the problem is how can we make them open their eyes or how do we make them feel something or care when they’re numb?!
How compassionate or empathetic are you towards non-vegans?
When they’re non vegans because they’re ignorant and they don’t attack, I’m very compassionate, they just don’t know better, and if they have an open heart and mind they will understand and they will listen, and I’ll take as long as they need to clear their doubts and teach them about veganism.
When they attack and insult, I try to make them think but sometimes it’s just impossible. So I rather not deal with them.
Any recommended Vegan books?
The Forks Over Knives Plan, Becoming Vegan, Compassion and Animals, Why we love dogs, eat pigs and wear cows, Animal Liberation, Change of heart.
Any recommended social sites, blogs or pages?
@officialpetalatino @peta @moby @seemenotmeat @jessyforjustice @cowspiracy @gamechangers @laanimalsave @earthlingsfilm @traslosmuros @thoseannoyingvegans @thebestveganmemes @fakemovement @shopbluedistrict @nocarne @kindomshop @animalsabove @beyondmeat @uptonsnaturals @califiafarms @the_tofurky_company @ecobased @empathicculture
What’s your favorite Vegan restaurant?
I have a few!!
Little Pine, Bulan Thai, Au Lac, Veggie Grill, Sage, Pura Vita, Vromages.
Some encouraging words for new Vegans?
You will begin with yourself and then you’ll want to change the world and spread the word and then you’ll get tired and annoyed and you’ll be questioned and attacked, just please remember this: YOU are saving 10,000 lives per year by being a vegan, and you will plant that seed in someone and make them change, don’t give up and remember it’s all about the animals.
What is the vegan seen like in your city?
LA is probably the most vegan city ever! We are very spoiled! Vegan friendly, lots of us here!
What are you favorite Vegan non-food products or companies?
Blue District, Vegan Club, Kindom Shop, Arsayo Bags, Mink Shoes, Friends not food London, House of vegan, Belius eCosmetics, Thrive Causemetics, Paw J, Anastasia Bones Couture, Time IV Change watches, Svala Company, Animals Facing Left, The Savage Fashion, Goldrad Bags, Divadi Energy Shoes, by Ninette.
What is the toughest Vegan item to find that you need?
Vegan contact lens Solution and vegan dog food.
Leave a Reply