Bodily fluids
One of the lesser issues when it comes to converting to veganism is the dilemma of swallowing semen. Oddly, one of the more popular searches when it comes to finding our forum is related to swallowing semen, and is likely the result of vegan curious couples who are concerned if they are eating people, or some perverted people who type whatever comes to mind. The majority of these searches however likely derive from teenagers who are joking around with their friends. Regardless, some people are genuinely concerned with the issue of swallowing semen during intercourse.
Short Version
Put short, as veganism relates to minimizing the suffering done to animals, this is not particularly relevant to rational vegans (other than the Christian ones).
Long Version
The long version is more scientifically and philosophically demanding, but is still fairly simple.
Recalling that the definition for veganism according to the Vegan Society is "a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose," it is altogether fitting and proper that we take into account that we aren’t affecting any human or other sentient organism here, at least not on the physical level.
Going back to basic biology, both genders produce gametes, or sex cells, for reproduction. Females produce eggs, while the Males produce sperm. In the male body, they are likely the smallest cells in the body, and also among the least complex. If we were to value these cells, then we also must value other simple and microscopic cells to the same degree if we wish to remain consistent. Knowing this, it is also imperative to note that sperm is not sentient, which is the main point that Vegans stress (well, the intelligent ones anyway, unlike some people), when it comes to the strawman-carnist arguments that point out the supposed hypocrisy of eating plants when they too are living things.
We must remember that sperm cells are not sentient organisms, they are gametes, or sex cells. Their primary purpose is to carry genetic DNA to reproduce, as the semen themselves don’t reproduce themselves. But this article is not going to be a Biology class on reproduction, so if you are interested in investigating this subject further, watch this.
Remember, it’s not like semen are complex organisms with objectives or goals, like eating, sleeping, defecating, urinating, or reproducing (the human body already creates at least fifty million sperm cells a day) to continue existing, or are pursuing a career in the arts or are trying to write a book to satisfy their entrepreneurial and self-pleasing pursuits. If you want them to pursue personal ambitions, the only way to do it is to have unprotected sex and usually having about one of them become a sentient life with inherent value.
Conclusion
We also have to take into account that, no matter the sperm’s demise, whether it be through swallowing, using protection such as condoms, or rubbing one off in the school urinal, you are ending their existence and purpose all the same. If you truly believe that sperm have inherent moral value, then you might as well give up on masturbation, protected sex, and even those nocturnal emissions that you don’t really have control over in order to retain your moral compass’ consistency.
If we accept the idea that sperm are living, sentient beings with inherent moral value, then we are simply advocating for deontological nonsense mutual with the pseudo intellectual musings in the same vein as the NameTheTrait postulate promulgated by Mr. Isaac Brown (and we did the best refutation, just saying).
