to this question: A vegan is what Donald Watson said, as he invented the term and founded the first vegan society.
Here's their first newsletter: http://ukveggie.com/vegan_news/
While his argument at first seems to support your case
WANTED - A NAME
We should all consider carefully what our Group, and our magazine, and ourselves, shall be called. 'Non-dairy' has become established as a generally understood colloquialism, but like 'non-lacto' it is too negative. Moreover it does not imply that we are opposed to the use of eggs as food. We need a name that suggests what we do eat, and if possible one that conveys the idea that even with all animal foods taboo, Nature still offers us a bewildering assortment from which to choose. 'Vegetarian' and 'Fruitarian' are already associated with societies that allow the 'fruits'(!) of cows and fowls, therefore it seems we must make a new and appropriate word. As this first issue of our periodical had to be named, I have used the title "The Vegan News". Should we adopt this, our diet will soon become known as a VEGAN diet, and we should aspire to the rank of VEGANS.
However much of the rest of the document makes it clear that Watson's entire argument for veganism is a moral one:
So far as we are aware, every Member of our Group has discarded the use of dairy produce for humanitarian reasons.
We can see quite plainly that our present civilisation is built on the exploitation of animals, just as past civilisations were built on the exploitation of slaves, and we believe the spiritual destiny of man is such that in time he will view with abhorrence the idea that men once fed on the products of animals' bodies.
A common criticism is that the time in not yet ripe for our reform. Can time ever be ripe for any reform unless it is ripened by human determination? Did Wilberforce wait for the 'ripening' of time before he commenced his fight against slavery?
and that he has no real idea about the health effects of vegan diets, except that he feels his own health is excellent.
Apart from saying that we are 'Quite well, thanks', we consider the time perhaps premature to make any great claims for the physiological superiority of our diet.
So the best answer is that the definition of veganism was tied up in ethics from the moment the word appeared in print, and that veganism was considered an ethical system from the moment the word was suggested. Thus Watson's call for advice on integrating veganism into one's entire life and worldview:
Could we have a series of articles (of about 600 words) on "My Spiritual Philosophy"? Articles, letters, recipes, diet charts, health records, press cuttings, gardening hints, advice on baby culture, advertisements (free to Members), all will be welcome.
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