When I started Queer Vegan Food several months ago, I had a vision: to showcase weird, unusual, or highly creative vegan recipes that broke the mold of traditional vegan fare, which often imitates foods from the animal product world, and to make the explicit connection between being queer and being vegan. While I sometimes feature recipes that are pretty standard (raw NOreos aren’t quite so strange, after all, and I will admit I love simple recipes as much as the next high raw vegan), I think that my tendency to throw raw chocolate onto kelp noodles and put maca in savory dishes puts this blog in kind of a unique category. A queer category, if you will. Additionally, while I love and adore people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, I appreciate that my blog willingly asserts itself as anti-oppression, anti-violence, anti-cruelty in any form, and logically extends that to both non-human animals and non-normative sexual and gender identifying-humans.
Still, I’ve kind of been wondering, am I potentially alienating potential readers by being so explict about my sexual orientation and how I think that relates to veganism? I imagined there would be some room for crossover readership among people of all sexual orientations and even levels of interest in veganism. After all, who doesn’t love an awesome cookie recipe that just happens to be raw, made mostly from locally-sourced ingredients, vegan and organic, and promotes a cruelty-free ethic for both human animals and non-human animals? At the core, I was hoping the food and the ideas would speak for themselves, and I wouldn’t alienate people who were neither queer nor raw vegan.
To find out for sure, I checked in with business and online marketing guru Marie Forleo, whom I greatly admire for her sass and tough-minded approach to helping women succeed in business. Forleo graciously featured Queer Vegan Food and my question on her weekly Q&A Tuesday show last week, and I was blown away by her response!
Watch it here:
I loved Marie’s response. She advocated that I not worry about alienating customers–those who “get it” so to speak will be interested, and those who don’t, well, they can go visit some other blog! Additionally, she pointed out that it is important to focus on the needs of the reader (she uses the word “customer,” but I’m really not aiming to create a business out of this blog, so I much prefer the word “reader”). To shine the spotlight on the needs and desires of your reader base is the important thing–not to focus, say, on my personal sexual orientation.
More than 6,000 people watched Marie’s response on Youtube, and her blog got dozens of comments from women of all stripes who appreciated her messages. That’s part of what I love about Marie–while she answered my specific question, I think the lessons she shares can be helpful for many kinds of entrepreneurs.
I am still figuring out the balance between personal politics and awesome recipes. I would LOVE it if you, the reader, would allow me to shine the spotlight on you for a bit, and ask whether you think the balance is working here on the blog? If you don’t think it’s working, what would you love to see more of? More recipes? More current events explored from a queer-vegan foodie perspective? More photos from my work-life (did you know I work at a raw vegan retreat center in Arizona? ‘Tis true!)
This blog is still in its infancy. Thank you for reading!
Your blog is beautiful as it is! That’s the wonderful thing about the internet … there are so many niches to fill and so many different readers to reach. Plus I honestly feel that when I read blogs by bloggers who aren’t sincerely devoted to their blog’s perspective, it comes through. I say, stay absolutely true to you and your blog will stay as awesomely unique and genuine as it is today 🙂
Thank you for sharing this – I agree, when blogs are honest I relate to them and their writer(s) more, too. I am glad you’re enjoying, I appreciate your thoughtful feedback!
Are you happy is what is important.
Are you fulfilling the purpose you set out to?
Great questions! 😉
I love your blog. Based on your blog title I assume I’m reading a blog by a queer woman who is vegan and writes about food. I’m down with that.
At Vida Vegan Con, in one of the writing sessions we were asked “what’s your blog mission statement”? I think that’s all you have to ask yourself.
YOU have to be happy with your blog, writing what you want to write about. Readers are attracted to an authentic voice.
Thanks for the support, JL. You’re absolutely right – I feel really inspired when I read your blogs; your passion bursts in every post! I have decided recently that we all “come out” in various ways on our blogs. Whether we’re coming out as queer or vegan or a runner or quirky or whatever else makes us unique, there’s a sharing process that is really intimate and exciting. By being vulnerable and open and passionate, we give space to readers to be the same, igniting discussions and dialogues and a liveliness that creates real human connections. It’s what makes blogging worthwhile, I think!
So excited to figure out a way to get myself to Vida Vegan Con next round! I know Courtney and I would love to see you again.
your blog is perfect the way it is…full of information, beautiful pictures and recipes that are sprinkled with humor! keep up the awesome posts 🙂
Thanks Chocolate Puma 🙂 I appreciate your support, Heidi.
I think your blog is great – I am happy to have recently found it. There don’t seem to be many queer women bloggers out there!
I agree! we’ve got to represent on the ‘net. Thank you for sharing this, I’m glad you’re enjoying!
While i am not same sex oriented or vegan, i am on a quest for a healthier life style in an attempt to become a better happier person and i feel that that is ultimately your message. I’m exploring the concept of eating raw, partially because I’m allergic to over 100 foods and food additives and would like to correct the problems unknowingly poisoning myself has caused and partially because i really just want to be a more fit, vibrant individual. I love your recipes and reading them gives me ideas for my own. I like that you talk about all facets of your life because it makes you a real, likable person. And i like that you talk about issue that are important to you. Not enough people have true passion about anything really and its nice to see. I don’t feel alienated at all ; ) and if someone doesn’t like a topic one day they dont have to read it and if they are
special close minded as to be offended by your sexual orientation or opinions they really just need to meditate or whatever it
Lovely to hear from you, Sammy Cakes. Thank you for sharing this! I really appreciate this feedback.
I’ve been hooked on the articles like The joy of vegan family and Girl Crush Problem. I’m a hetero male vegan and I am adding more raw in my life. Thanks for the fantastic blog and recipes!
that’s so great to hear! thank you! glad to be connected