For today's interview, we're joined by Dr Melanie Joy – author of Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs and Wear Cows and founder of advocacy group Beyond Carnism. We discuss what prompted her to go vegetarian and then vegan, what carnism means, and why our systems are structured to make us believe it's OK to support harm to animals. She shares her views on how and why society has a bias towards meat eating, why carnivores get defensive, and why there are negative vegan stereotypes in which we are deemed over-emotional and irrational. Should we try to convert people? How can we cope with that sense of urgency to turn people vegan? And how should we talk to our loved ones about veganism?  Dr Melanie Joy answers all these questions and more as she outlines how we can be  effective ambassadors for veganism without causing a divide.Music by Purple PlanetOur best-selling magazine, Vegan Food & Living, is packed with fresh, nutritional recipes and you can try an issue for just 99p by visiting veganfoodandliving.com/podcast, or using code PODCAST when you order with us. Choose between our print and digital plus membership to receive the latest issue to your door or to your device, along with having easy access to 1000’s of plant-based recipes at your fingertips in our fully searchable digital magazine archive.