Veganism is officially mainstream. Beyonce and Jay-Z have tried it, Sainsbury's has unveiled coconut-milk cheese, and the number of vegans in the UK alone has spiked by 360 per cent in a decade.

But that doesn’t mean it’s accepted, and recent articles in the US have sparked a debate into vegan-shaming, and comparing it to fat shaming.

There is a special vitriol reserved for this group who have given up animal products. Hundreds of 'I hate vegans' listicles and think pieces can be found online, accusing vegans of being self-righteous and - like a "skinny" person might lecture a "fat" person - acting like missionaries trying to convert anyone who will listen.

But the vegans we spoke to take a different stance: rather than seeing themselves as shaming meat eaters, they are confused by the hostility towards their lifestyle choice.

“Vegan shaming is most definitely a real thing,” says Sophia Najafinejad, a 25-year-old marketing associate based in Los Angeles who became a vegan in 2013.

For her, the animal-product-free lifestyle improved her physical health and helped her to hone her culinary skills and explore the food of different cultures whose culinary traditions are less focused on meat and dairy. Convincing others to do the same didn't factor in. Instead, she found that others suddenly took an interest in the tiniest details of her diet.

Adam Connett has been vegan for almost a decade.

“People would definitely tease me about the fact I was vegan. They would tell me it's not healthy or they would think it's stupid I gave up meat and dairy. I would compare it to fat-shaming in that people make you feel bad about yourself for who you are and your choices.

“People are hostile towards veganism because it's not the norm,” she argues. “Western society is taught that meat and dairy are a staple in any meal and that without them, you're going to be unhealthy and end up sick. I agree that meat and dairy can have some beneficial effects and I don't judge those that choose to eat them, but I don't think it's the end-all-be-all of nutrition."

Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Show all 25 1 /25 Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Ariana Grande, pop star "I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding. But I am a firm believer in eating a full plant-based, whole food diet that can expand your life length and make you an all-round happier person." Ariana Grande/Facebook Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Paul McCartney, musician "I've been a vegetarian for a long time now and over the years I've seen how the attitudes have changed around the world, so I'm not surprised when I see new research that shows more and more people are increasingly adopting 'meat free eating'." Getty Images Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Ellen DeGeneres, TV Host "It doesn't make [Thanksgiving] harder at all. It makes it easier on the turkeys, too. They get to live." Reuters Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Morrissey, musician "I see no difference between eating animals and paedophilia." Getty Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Bill Clinton, former president of the US Dr Dean Ornish, Clinton's doctor, said: "I asked him, 'Why do you want to live longer?' and he said, 'I want to live long enough to walk my daughter down the aisle and to see my grandkids born and grow up.'" Getty Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Peter Dinklage, actor Dinklage has been a vegetarian since childhood and featured in PETA's 'Face Your Food' film. WireImage Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Russell Brand, comedian "I'm now vegan, goodbye eggs, hello Ellen." PA Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Ellie Goulding, singer "I've got taxidermy, I've got animals.... deer and all sorts. But weirdly, I'm a vegetarian and I don't eat meat. I'm a walking contradiction." Getty Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Ellen Page, actor Page was named as one of PETA's 'Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities' in 2014. Getty Images Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Al Gore, American politician "There are 10 vegan restaurants in Nashville now." Speaking about how he maintains his vegan diet in the city. Getty Images Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Tobey Maguire, actor Maguire said he was a vegan and "stopped consuming any mind-altering substances" when he was 19. Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Stella McCartney On her website, McCartney said that "the decision not to use leather or fur is not just because I don’t eat animals or that I think that millions of animals each year shouldn’t be killed for the sake of fashion. It’s because I also believe in the connection between fur and leather and the environment. There’s a huge connection." Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Natalie Portman, actor Portman converted from being a vegan to vegetarianism. Getty Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Woody Harrelson, actor "I've always been relatively healthy except for my vices." HBO Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Jared Leto, actor and musician "I'm pretty healthy... I've been that way for a long time - 20 solid years of eating vegetarian/vegan and taking care of myself. That probably helps the preservation process." WireImage Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Jessica Chastain, actor It was reported that the vegan actor bought her mother a vegan food truck. AP Photo/Sony - Columbia Pictures, Jonathan Olley Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Joaquin Phoenix, actor Featuring a PETA advert to promote vegetarianism for Thanksgiving, he said: "Holidays can be murder on turkeys. Let's make this one for the birds." Celebrity vegans and vegetarians In March 2018, Beyoncé revealed she was following a plant-based diet when preparing for her headlining performances at Coachella music festival, while Jay-Z wrote about going vegan in a 2013 blog post, describing it as a “spiritual and physical cleanse". Getty Images Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Kate Mara, actor Mara told E! Online that she stayed fit and healthy by being a vegan. Getty Images Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Alanis Morissette, musician "I'm predominantly vegan, which my friends hate because it's not monogamous; 80% is vegan; the other 20% is following what my body needs." Reuters Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Alicia Silverstone, actor Silverston has a blog called The Kind Life which discusses vegan and vegetarian food. Rex Features Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Kate Nash "I became a vegetarian last September - I used to suffer from OCD and it got stuck in my head that if I didn't eat meat then my bunny rabbit, Fluffy, would survive a dangerous operation she had to have." Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Jennifer Lopez, singer and actor Lopez said that she recommended a vegan diet "because you wake up and feel great". Getty Images Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Mark Hoppus, member of Blink 182 Hoppus announced he was a vegan on Twitter. Getty Images Celebrity vegans and vegetarians Olivia Wilde, actor "[Being vegan] is not always easy and accessible. But it's a way of life and makes me as a person feel really good and physically look better." Getty Images

On this side of the pond, Adam Connett, a 27-year-old who works in video and lives in south London, has been vegan for almost a decade and has watched the movement change. He decided to go vegan on his 18th birthday because he was put off by the meat and dairy industry, and spurred on by the hardcore punk scene and “straight edge” friends he hung out with.

"I guess at that age you feel like you can change the world and it was just a no brainer for me," he says. He has no interest in converting others. In fact, others barely know he's vegan unless it comes up in conversation.