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Social media star and entrepreneur Tash Oakley was forced to stop calling herself a vegan after she was slammed by her followers for wearing a luxury leather bag.
The 26-year-old bikini model, who became plant-based earlier this year, was blasted after posting an Instagram picture yesterday – in which she was wearing a Chanel leather bag.
Oakley has previously spoken out about how she dropped animal products after watching Cowspiracy, saying that the switch changed her life.
But now the snap has upset her following, some of whom asked the social media influencer to ‘refrain from preaching’ she was vegan.
‘Concerned’
A fan commented: “I know that you have switched your diet to vegan and I think that’s great and it’s a start, but please refrain from preaching you are truly vegan in any of your future posts.
“I can’t make you, but please think about that you have a lot of influence and I’m just concerned that the younger generations will think that a person who still wears leather but doesn’t eat any meat products can still be vegan [sic].”
The follower also explained that vegans don’t wear any kind of animal products – and asked the model to promote more ethical brands like LaBante, and Stella McCartney.
Response
Responding with a lengthy comment, Oakley admitted that she could not be called vegan because of her decision to keep her luxury leather bags.
She explained: “However, I have a vegan diet and no longer buy leather goods or fur.
“I have noticed quite a few people in the vegan community asking me not to call myself vegan because of my leather goods,’ she said, adding that she will clarify that she has a vegan diet instead.
The personality behind blog A Bikini A Day took to social media in August this year to announce her shift to a vegan diet, saying that she gave up eating animal products ‘in respect for [her] own body], all animals, and for future generations’.
