Most of Peaceful Dumpling’s writers are female, but we don’t want that to obscure the fact that there are some terrific vegan guys out there! In fact, we find veganism to be quite “manly” in the best way possible 😉 Take for example Christian Ottesen. You may know him from his active Instagram account where he can be found posting adorable pics of himself eating what looks to be delicious vegan food. We talked with Christian about his transition to veganism, his favorite vegan foods, and his advice for vegan singles looking to mingle.
Peaceful Dumpling: How long have you been vegan, and what inspired you to make the transition?
Christian Ottensen: I have been vegan since December 2010! I went vegan after my mother recommended Gary Yourofsky (“The Best Speech“) on Youtube. After watching this speech, I saw the documentary Earthlings, which you also can find on Youtube. Here, you can see how we exploit the animals and why we all should think about what we eat.
PD: What’s your desert island vegan food?
CO: Vegan burgers 😉
PD: What’s a typical day for you, meal-wise? Do you normally cook or eat out?
CO: We usually eat chickpeas and beans and a big salad with garlic dressing. On the weekends, we go for tacos, pizza, lasagne, burgers, etc. Not easy to eat out because of the lack of vegan options.
PD: In addition to rocking it on Instagram, how else do you pursue animal activism?
CO: I have a horse that I rescued a few years back, so I spend time with him. I also spend time on different forums where I write about veganism, helping other vegans, etc. I also manage a group on Facebook called “Share Your Vegan Food.” I started this group in February, and now the group has over 8,000 people 🙂
PD: Any other passions or hobbies?
CO: I love music and movies, so I guess I can say those are my other hobbies 🙂
PD: We’re very big on quotes on Peaceful Dumpling ? What’s your favorite quote or mantra?
CO: I try to live by “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”
PD: Do you have any advice for single vegans looking to date other vegans?
CO: Yes. I met my girlfriend on Instagram, so search #vegan on Insta 🙂 I recommend joining vegan groups on Facebook; there are several groups for vegans. It’s possible to find a non-vegan, but the person should be interested in veganism, so the person can take steps towards a plant-based lifestyle after a while. If more vegans date veg-curious people, we will have more vegans 😉
PD: Speaking of which, what makes someone attractive?
CO: People who are compassionate and kind are very attractive in my eyes. It’s also important to have humor and self-irony.
PD: I think some men are concerned that if they become vegan (or even if they just eat less meat), they’ll be less manly. What’s your response to this concern?
CO: My response to this is: If caring about others (animals and humans) makes me a lesser man, then I am a very little man. I like this quote: “You can judge a man’s true character by the way he treats his fellow animals.”
PD: Finally—I must ask about your fascinating tattoos! How did you decide on yours?
CO: My tattoos were an easy choice since I went vegan. I am vegan for life, and veganism means a lot to me; that means that I can have these tattoos for life.
PD: Thank you, Christian! It’s great to know that there are cool vegan dudes out there 😉
If you’d like to follow Christian’s vegan adventures, check out his Facebook group Share Your Vegan Food, and follow him on Instagram (@mrchristian83).
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Do you know a vegan male whose animal activism deserves a nod? Let us know–he may end up on our next installment of Vegan Man Crush Monday.
More Peaceful Dumpling interviews: Interview: Cruelty-Free Fashion Label Delikate Rayne
Interview: Jill Fraser of Luxury Vegan Accessory Brand Jill Milan
Interview: Integrative Medicine Expert Aditi D’Aiello
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Photos: Christian Ottesen
