Vegans have rallied around a mother and her young son after she revealed that he was bullied by other kids for having a plant-based birthday party.
Mom Angel Craine revealed that her four-year-old son, Malachi had been eagerly awaiting his Pokemon-themed birthday bash at the end of October 2023.
However, as the day of the party drew closer, the youngster's excitement was dampened when none of his classmates sent in their RSVPs.
Speaking with 7News at the time, Angel revealed that she was appalled to learn that her son was being bullied at school due to his choice of having a dairy-free cake. "They’ve all bullied him and told him they aren’t coming unless he has cow [dairy] in his cake," the devastated mom said. "I just can’t get over that kids his age already bully vegans."
Angel, who transitioned to a vegan lifestyle in 2022, is keen on raising her children with a choice. Although she didn't impose her dietary choices on her sons, Malachi decided to adopt veganism last year, after a revelation about the ingredients in chicken nuggets.
Now, his mother finds it disheartening that her young son has faced such ostracization from his peers. She told News.com.au: "He still comes home since then and tells me the kids aren’t being nice to him."
In search of solace and advice, the heartbroken mom took to the Vegans in Australia Facebook group, where she shared a post detailing Malachi's distressing experience. "My four-year-old son seems to get bullied a lot for being vegan," she wrote. "So I’m wondering if there are any people around northside of Brisbane with vegan children that would like to come to his fifth birthday."
But the community's response was overwhelming, as the young boy's experience resonated with many. Her post garnered immense support, with 12 children of group members then promising to attend Malachi's fifth birthday party. Overjoyed by this turn of events, Angel said: "He’s always excited to make new friends and is super excited about his birthday."
"He’s super excited to make friends with similar interests and ethics," the mom-of-two added. "I absolutely am in awe of how caring the vegan community is."
The proud mom also gushed over her son's strength, saying: "I am proud my son doesn’t let the bullies get to him so much and is still so passionate about being vegan and loving animals."
Remember, no matter what you think about dietary preferences, no child deserves to feel left out because of their personal or dietary choices.
