The site says there is an "epidemic" of vegan sellouts, "those who are aware of the suffering caused by meat, dairy, egg, fur, and leather production, yet choose to look away while the animals suffer."
Users can submit photos, city, narrative description and links to a person's website "or other supplemental info" to the site, and the ex-vegan will be added to the directory, searchable by location or name.
Many of the ex-vegans are just regular people, who may not even know a former friend or partner with a grudge added them to the directory.
Others, though, are well known ex-vegans, including Berlin Reed, 31, a vegan-turned-butcher who was inspired to write "The Ethical Butcher" after working at a Brooklyn shop that partnered with small local farms.
“Here we have yet another person hiding behind anarchism to justify their selfish behavior,” says Reed's entry on the Vegan Sellout List.
The site seems to anticipate backlash from those who find themselves on the site. Instead of an ordinary "contact us" form on the website, visitors are encouraged to "send hate mail." In the field where a visitor can write their message, the site prompts, "Your Hateful Message / How You're Going to Sue Us / Etc."
Former Top Chef contender Andrea Beaman was also called out on the site for turning away from veganism for health reasons. She said she isn't bothered by it, and she understands their extreme mentality. "When I was a vegan, it was the most judgmental time of my life!" she said.
