Let the Search Begin: Are You the ‘Sexiest Vegan Next Door’?

Winners of PETA’s Annual Compassion Contest Will Each Receive a Free Trip for Two to Hawaii

For Immediate Release:
March 4, 2019

Contact:
Audrey Shircliff 202-483-7382

Who’s the sexiest vegan of them all? Starting today, PETA’s 2019 Sexiest Vegan Next Door competition is open for submissions. Modeled after PETA’s iconic Sexiest Vegan Celebrity and Most Beautiful Vegan Celebrities contests—whose many past winners include Benedict Cumberbatch, Ava , Jhené Aiko, Miley Cyrus, and Jared Leto—the annual competition pays tribute to the unique individuals who are living proof that there’s nothing more attractive than compassion.

Starting this year, the contest will be gender neutral. Each of the two winners will receive a trip for two to Hawaii, courtesy of Humane Travel.

“Vegans are the (dairy-free) crème de la crème when it comes to showing respect and compassion for animals,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA’s Sexiest Vegan Next Door contest recognizes the everyday heroes to animals who are making the world a kinder place each time they sit down to eat.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to eat”—opposes speciesism, which is a supremacist view of the world. Each person who goes vegan spares nearly 200 animals a year daily suffering and a terrifying death in today’s meat, fish, egg, and dairy industries. While vegans have big hearts, studies show that they have healthier ones, too: In addition to having a reduced risk of developing heart disease, vegans are less prone to suffering from cancer, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters are.

Entrants must be U.S. residents and at least 22 years of age. Previous finalists and winners are ineligible to enter. The entry round ends on March 29. On April 15, PETA will announce the 20 finalists—to be determined by a PETA panel—and voting will open to the public to help determine the winners, who will be revealed on May 13. The group will choose them based on several factors, including vote count. See the full contest details here.

Past winners include David Anthony, a police officer and one of the first responders of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, and Dani Alexander, an aesthetician who promotes cruelty-free products to her clients and has hosted more than 50 animal-advocacy events. Check out other inspirational vegans on PETA’s past winners page. Not vegan yet? PETA offers a free vegan starter kit containing recipes, tips on dining out, and more. For more information, please visit PETA.org.