# Vegans Consuming Semen **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 25, 2011, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953 "2011-03-25T12:19:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/1 "2011-03-25T12:19:46Z")
> **[Do shadows weigh anything?](https://www.straightdope.com/21344081/do-shadows-weigh-anything)** You’ll have to scroll down past the main column, down to the “Question’s We’re Still Thinking About.” IMHO, a vegan who swallows semen is NOT cheating, for this reason: vegan moms nurse their babies. Since human milk is a human-produced “animal product” (so to speak), then it stands to reason that semen is as well. Since mama’s milk is not off-limits, then neither should semen be. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/2 "2011-03-25T13:56:47Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > IMHO, a vegan who swallows semen is NOT cheating… Depends on whether said vegan is “dining” outside of a committed relationship. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/3 "2011-03-25T14:08:33Z")
As only the Kinksta could sing it: [Eating ain’t cheating. Lord, it ain’t no disgrace](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/k/kinky+friedman/waitret+please+waitret_20079482.html) ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/4 "2011-03-25T17:48:07Z")
> [@](#): > > You’ll have to let your conscience be your guide, but I hardly think swallowing is the critical … oh, wait. You mean cheating on _veganism_. > > — Cecil Adams I just wanted to say, “nice one!” ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/5 "2011-03-25T17:54:35Z")
Of course, the answer depends on exactly _why_ one is a vegan. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/6 "2011-03-25T18:00:36Z")
I have heard anecdotes of vegans eating their own placentas with the justification that it never had a face, no life was lost, and it was given with free consent. That would satisfy the moral objections. All of those arguments could be applied to semen as well. ETA Link to [cite](http://www.foodaq.com/html/Vegetarian-Vegan/210114.html) ---
**Author:** ![wclark\_xoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@wclark\_xoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wclark_xoom)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/7 "2011-03-26T07:27:56Z")
I know that for at least some vegans, milk itself is not off-limits, but rather is avoided because of the close connection between the dairy and beef industries (or meat from other milk-producing animals) and so there’d definitely be nothing wrong with swallowing semen. ---
**Author:** ![dersk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@dersk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dersk)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/8 "2011-03-26T14:08:15Z")
Umm, then they’re not vegans. By definition, vegans don’t eat animals or animal products. Generally, vegans are against the exploitation of the animal, so unless you’ve paid an unfairly low amount for the oral sex, you should be okay. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/9 "2011-03-26T14:32:33Z")
Some vegans will not swallow their partner’s semen if their partner has eaten meat. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/10 "2011-03-26T14:44:16Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Some vegans will not swallow their partner’s semen if their partner has eaten meat. “But honey! There hasn’t been enough time for it to digest!” ---
**Author:** ![wclark\_xoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@wclark\_xoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wclark_xoom)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/11 "2011-03-26T19:02:49Z")
> [@dersk](#): > > Umm, then they’re not vegans. By definition, vegans don’t eat animals or animal products. > > Generally, vegans are against the exploitation of the animal, so unless you’ve paid an unfairly low amount for the oral sex, you should be okay. Yes, they are vegans, Dersk. It’s more of a hypothetical situation than a practical one though, because in practice you’re not going to find milk coming from a non-exploited animal. My point is that it’s not the milk itself that’s forbidden by veganism; it’s the manner in which it’s obtained. Milk obtained from a wild animal that voluntarily provided the milk (think “Remus and Romulus” maybe) would be just fine for a vegan to consume. Since the beast providing the semen presumably did so of his own free will and without exploitation, there’s nothing wrong with a vegan consuming it. Ditto for breast milk, as others have pointed out. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/12 "2011-03-26T20:25:04Z")
Vegans who consume milk of domestic animals are typically called lacto-vegetarians. I’ve met Hindus who will consume dairy products but not eggs, due to their religious beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/13 "2011-03-26T20:30:42Z")
Hey! The Straight Dope made it on the Cheezburger network! [Linky](http://afterdark.failblog.org/2011/03/25/just-answer-the-question/#comments) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/14 "2011-03-26T22:55:55Z")
> [@wclark\_xoom](#): > > Yes, they are vegans, Dersk. It’s more of a hypothetical situation than a practical one though, because in practice you’re not going to find milk coming from a non-exploited animal. My point is that it’s not the milk itself that’s forbidden by veganism; it’s the manner in which it’s obtained. Milk obtained from a wild animal that voluntarily provided the milk (think “Remus and Romulus” maybe) would be just fine for a vegan to consume. Could you point me to The Official Rules of Veganism where this is written? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/15 "2011-03-27T01:22:27Z")
Vegans who consume semen are typically called spermo-vegetarians. Similar applies for those that swim the red river. ---
**Author:** ![wclark\_xoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@wclark\_xoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wclark_xoom)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/16 "2011-03-28T17:54:41Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Could you point me to The Official Rules of Veganism where this is written? No problem. [Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Vegan-Complete-Adopting-Plant-Based/dp/1570671036/) Note that these rules, although ratified by the Second International Vegan Assembly in 1993, have not been accepted by the heretical Alpha Lyraens. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/17 "2011-03-28T18:26:10Z")
> [@wclark\_xoom](#): > > No problem. [Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/Becoming-Vegan-Complete-Adopting-Plant-Based/dp/1570671036/) > > Note that these rules, although ratified by the Second International Vegan Assembly in 1993, have not been accepted by the heretical Alpha Lyraens. Holy smoke! There’s a book on veganism? When did that happen? However, using Amazon’s search within the book feature, I can’t find the words Second International Vegan Assembly. Or wild animal. Or exploited. Or voluntarily. Or Romulus or Remus. So even beyond the obvious that no two vegans agree on much of anything, and the fact that I’ve never heard any other vegan ever make a statement remotely resembling yours, your cite is a lousy one. Try again. ---
**Author:** ![wclark\_xoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@wclark\_xoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wclark_xoom)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/18 "2011-04-01T04:45:34Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Holy smoke! There’s a book on veganism? When did that happen? > > However, using Amazon’s search within the book feature, I can’t find the words Second International Vegan Assembly. Or wild animal. Or exploited. Or voluntarily. Or Romulus or Remus. > > So even beyond the obvious that no two vegans agree on much of anything, and the fact that I’ve never heard any other vegan ever make a statement remotely resembling yours, your cite is a lousy one. Try again. Well, if you’re going to be all serious on me, I could point at the discussion [here](http://www.megnut.com/2007/05/is-human-breast-milk-vegan-im-having-a-tough-time-swallowing-this-argument-being-made-by-some-over-at-serious-eats-since-h.html) for examples of some vegans espousing the same ideas I mentioned. In particular, note the final post by Simon (emphasis added) > [@](#): > > Since the driving principle behind whether or not a food is vegan is that said food must not come from a non-consenting animal source, human breast milk IS vegan so long as it is supplied consentually. It would NOT be vegan if it was harvested from a human who did not wish to provide it.\*\* Likewise, if a baby is taken in by a wolf mother in the wild and that wolf mother breast fed the baby, that wolf breast milk would also be vegan\*\*… …and come on, I thought “Alpha Lyraens” was a good one. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/19 "2011-04-01T14:24:20Z")
> [@](#): > > …and come on, I thought “Alpha Lyraens” was a good one. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![wclark\_xoom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@wclark\_xoom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wclark_xoom)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953/20 "2011-04-01T17:06:51Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > 😕 Google it. “Alpha Lyrae” is an alternate name for the star Vega, so saying that there was an offshoot heretical group of Vegans that called themselves “Alpha Lyraens” is a bit of nerd humor… …which apparently nobody except me thinks is funny. So nevermind. 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegans-consuming-semen/575953.md?page=2)