“No one likes vegans, except other vegans, though sometimes even that is debatable,” says food writer Alicia Kennedy, who is currently working on a book about plant-based eating and made omnivores’ perceptions of vegans the topic of a recent newsletter. Is a negative perception of vegans and veganism holding you back from taking the plunge into a meat-free, dairy-free, egg-free diet? You might need to rethink who vegans are or dig into the history of veganism to better understand that vegans can’t and shouldn’t be stereotyped. Whatever you’re picturing, and whatever your associations, you’re probably not seeing the whole picture — and there’s definitely a place for you.