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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to find vegans really annoying?

422 replies

seriouslynowdontbesoearnest · 16/05/2017 00:12

Just that really. I know a few and my god do they ever preach on and on about their coconut oil macha powder cacao powder chia seed energy balls and milk industry and calves being killed etc. It's the over earnestness and attitude that they are the most enlightened people to walk this planet that wind me up. It reminds me of being 18 again.

OP posts:
KingIrving · 16/05/2017 07:48

But despite my use of coconut oil, I consider myself a "proper" vegan because I eat plants.
I didn't know there was such thing as proper and improper vegans.

HoldBackTheRain · 16/05/2017 07:48

OP I tried to change my name just for you to EnergyBalls but have forgotten my current password so can't!

Through my work I was helping someone who had a heroin problem. Whilst making a cup of tea she looked at me with absolute disgust when I got the milk out and practically snorted at me 'No, I don't have PUS in my tea thank you, I'll have a herbal'. And I thought, you cheeky cow, you've mainlined heroin and you're having a go at me for having fucking milk in my tea?!!

One of my oldest work friends who lives abroad comes over 3-4 times for work and we try and meet up. He became vegan 2 years ago. he advised me to watch a particluar film that would have me go vegan (I'm vegetarian). I watched it and it was awful. Decided not to show my son who has anxiety and OCD and I know it would have really freaked him out. My friend was so critical and more or less demanded I make him watch it. Every text or email he sends me ends with 'Go vegan'. TBH it's getting on my tits so much I try and avoid him when he's here now.

But again through my work I went abroad a few years ago and stayed with an amazing group of women who were vegan, they still offered to get dairy products in for us (we only asked for milk in our tea and said we'd be happy with everything else). They cooked for us for 4 days the most amazing food but never once preached to us about becoming vegan.

So yes , some vegans are to be avoided like the plague, others are absolutely lovely. Just like everyone in life really!

Bananamanfan · 16/05/2017 07:50

I'm vegetarian. I keep quiet about it. As soon as people discover it, they never stop going on about it, "oh will you be ok with eating there, banana? Do they do vegetarian?" -Ok, they seem like they are being thoughtful, but in 25 years, it's not really a thought I've had myself. Everywhere does vegetarian options now & even when they didn't i could have some starters & sides & be happy. People just love the idea that other people are difficult.

Lightship · 16/05/2017 07:52

I'm vegan, and the only times I ever talk about my diet is when someone seems to view it as a reproach and starts banging on about how carrots feel pain when you dig them.

Sparklingbrook · 16/05/2017 07:53

YABU

SuburbanRhonda · 16/05/2017 07:57

I'd be tempted to go vegan myself

So you'd like to be vegan but can't do it, so you pretend it's because you don't want to hang out with vegans because they're preachy. Right.

AllPizzasGreatAndSmall · 16/05/2017 07:59

Replace "vegans" in that sentence with "women" or "black people" or "Muslims" or "lesbians."

It's not the same, being vegan is not a protected characteristic.

FormerNymphet · 16/05/2017 08:00

Just because you have met some preachy vegans in the past does not mean you can tar them all with the same brush brush.
I'm a vegetarian and tired of justifying my lifestyle choice to certain ignorant people. It does not make me dislike all meat-eaters.

Radishal · 16/05/2017 08:13

Corbynistas are much worse. Sorry you've met some arch zealots- never positive for any group of believers.

Topas0117 · 16/05/2017 08:18

We have canine and incisor teeth for a reason! Grin If people were meant to be vegan/vegetarian, we would have a mouth full of molars!

Kokusai · 16/05/2017 08:18

Thing is, being a vegan is irrifutably a more ethical position than being a meat eater who eats lots of meat, and eats out in restaurants (low welfare).

People hate baby chick crushing and baby calve slaughter being pointed out to them. Because they would rather believe meat comes in a plastic packet with no other implications.

So lots of meat eaters get all defensive about their low welfare meat and dairy choices and react against that, by getting pissy about 'preachy' vegans.

If you are comfortable with you does try choices, just say so. I eat meat and have come to terms with the suffering it entails, and I don't find other people seating habits a threat.

TheFaerieQueene · 16/05/2017 08:21

I'm a vegan and can say without a doubt, I haven't preached once about it. It is nothing to do with anyone else what I choose to eat and vice versa. I also cook meat for my family and friends and apparently I'm very good at it. How anyone can say that is annoying is beyond me.

SentientCushion · 16/05/2017 08:26

How was the woman who asked if there was a vegan option before joining the queue unreasonable??
I don't understand. Lots of places don't have vegan options and what a waste of time to wait in the queue to find out there's nothing you can eat. Do you wait in the queue to ask where the toilet is or to get a fork?

Pumperthepumper · 16/05/2017 08:35

SugarnetMum is it not more likely that she wanted to check you had something suitable for her to eat before she wasted her time standing in a queue?

OP, I think you're BU. Vegans get a bad reputation but I find they're nowhere near as annoying as the arseholes who constantly shove aloe Vera down your throat as a cure for all human suffering.

blerp · 16/05/2017 08:36

"Thing is, being a vegan is irrifutably a more ethical position than being a meat eater who eats lots of meat, and eats out in restaurants (low welfare)."

No it isn't, you sound like a religious person.

People who honestly think killing, milking etc animals for food should go vegan for sure. I just wish the rest would stop acting like they're ashamed because they are being preached at by someone moist-eyed that is horrified by it.

Nothing wrong with farming animals for food and the eggs, milk, cheese, meat etc. we get out of the process are brilliant.

Pumperthepumper · 16/05/2017 08:36

Ahhh sentient cross-posted in the time it took me to type that! Stupid phone.

Brokenbiscuit · 16/05/2017 08:43

I think it's hard to argue that veganism isn't a more ethical position. It isn't only about animal welfare, but about environmental concerns as well.

I hasten to add that I am not a vegan. I admire vegans, but I'm afraid I love my cheese too much!Grin

GingerAndTheBiscuits · 16/05/2017 08:45

Yep, really annoying. He never puts his washing in the basket and has to be reminded to do the washing up every night. Bloody vegans.

blerp · 16/05/2017 08:48

You shouldn't be eating it if you think it's wrong.

(Or more healthily in my opinion, understand that it isn't wrong at all and say so when people suggest it is)

Honestly I think people should have to participate in these processes at least once before eating animal products. That way there wouldn't be so many morally confused people around and those who have doubts could go vegan etc.

Mombie2016 · 16/05/2017 08:49

brokenbiscuit Yep environmental concerns as well hence my friends comment about coconut oil and other products that have a huge carbon footprint.

WhatALoadOfOldBollocks · 16/05/2017 08:53

One of my friends has turned vegan and now 50% of her Facebook posts are animal welfare petitions or disturbing pictures or videos of slaughterhouses. She did mention though that there seems to be phases vegans go through, and the first is to become almost evangelical about it. That's where she is at the moment. Very irritating adn I can see how it would turn many people off the idea (and I agree with most of what she says too!)

anon1987 I was going to post one of his videos too! He's pretty funny Grin

If people were meant to be vegan/vegetarian, we would have a mouth full of molars!
This reminds me of a video I saw the other day of a horse...eating a live chick! Confused Apparently it's not uncommon for herbivores to eat meat from time to time. It blew me away TBH.

SentientCushion · 16/05/2017 08:56

blerp I have to agree with you.
I'm vegan and I have way more respect for someone that says 'I don't think eating animals is wrong,' than someone who ties themselves in knots saying tired arguments against vegans.
Either you don't like the way animals are farmed and you don't want to see it, in that case go vegan instead of blaming vegans for pointing it out to you, or you don't care or think it's ok in which case you don't mind being shown it because it doesnt bother you.

SandInYourToes · 16/05/2017 08:57

OP, YABU. Unless you have met all of the vegans in the world and found all of them annoying, in which case that would be a valid statement. Perhaps don't generalise next time. Hmm

SentientCushion · 16/05/2017 09:01

I would totally go vegan but then a vegan posted something I agreed with on Facebook about how I should go vegan and now I can't go vegan because vegans are annoying Hmm

LovelyBath77 · 16/05/2017 09:02

Yes, it is the attitude of some people. We have a niece who has now put the children off drinking milk by going on about it having pus in it (thanks for that) and now, DS has gone vegetarian after speaking to her. I think they need the milk and meat as they are growing. Thanks for that. No problem with vegans who don't go on about it and affect others with it.