to think that Vegans get an unfair amount of hate?

[britchick77]

Having been a carnivore for 37 years, last year I did a vegan month to try and reduce my meat intake – mainly for environmental and animal welfare reasons. My health didn’t come into it (I actually still think it’s slightly healthier for the human body to eat meat). But it felt like the right thing to stick with it, so I have.

I don’t ever bring it up in conversation unless asked, I’ve never tried to convert anyone else, if I go for dinner at someone’s house I’ll eat whatever they cook (including meat). So I don’t consider myself preachy or extreme in any way.

The thing is that I get asked about it All The Time – every time I eat anything in fact. Recently I went out for dinner with a friend, ordered the vegan option, he’d asked me if I was vegan and what the reasons were. He then told me all the reasons why people should eat meat (free range is fine, slaughter is humane, UK has great welfare laws, chicken is better for the environment than soy, meat is healthier for us), and I put forward my counter arguments. It was not an emotional conversation, more of a debate.

He later told a mutual friend (who reported it back to me) that I had become weird and fanatical. As far as I was concerned if anyone was being preachy it was him! He instigated the debate, told me I was wrong and why, then expected me not to argue back when he said something which objective research has shown not to be true?

I don’t get it. Is it the pure fact of being a vegan that is considered extreme? Is it because it makes people feel guilty about their eating habits? Because they think vegans are judging them? Why do people care what I eat, when it doesn’t affect them at all?

@britchick77

I imagine a lot of vegans/plant-based people (?!) felt this way before they gave up meat. I know I did - that's why I'm vegan now...

Except, you're NOT a vegan. You stated clearly in your original post that you eat meat and dairy sometimes 'to save wasting food'

Christ on a bike, I am embarrassed for you you are sounding more ridiculous every time you post.

'lights blue touchpaper and retires'...

Not really luv, no-one is getting angry about what you are posting, we are just very entertained by how you keep contradicting yourself, how you keep tripping yourself up, and how you sound less intelligent each time you post.

Oh and why say you are 'retiring' from the thread, and then post again 10 posts later? Can't resist preaching about veganism eh? (EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT A VEGAN!!!!) 😂

@Shatnersbassoon

I've never, ever been surprised to learn that an acquaintance is vegan; it's out there straight away. Never does it just crop up after a few weeks or meet-ups, like it might with a vegetarian or other specific dietary requirement. It's got to be mentioned, and then repeated usually every time they eat something they imagine non-vegan people will be amazed to find can be produced in vegan form: 'Mmm, vegan cake...' - of course it is, we wouldn't guess it was a bacon double cheeseburger without the reminder.

THIS in spades ^

Remember, the first rule of Vegan Club is you tell everyone about Vegan Club! 😂

😂

I also dont have anyone I know in real life harass me for it. I believe thats because meat eaters dont actually care about what Im eating

Because you’ve never had the direct experience. Others have, as you can see in this thread. I’m very happy for you. I have always kept my vegetarianism to myself but have been uncomfortably quizzed about it roughly a billion times. Why do they care? I don’t know, but some really do.

Of course Ive had people question my choices, Ive never had it descend into an argument/harassment. I dont understand, if you feel uncomfortable when people question you aggressively about it, just dont engage. Just shut down the conversation if you dont want to have it.

Omni: Why are you vegetarian?
You: Its just my preference, why do you eat meat/mind?
Omni: Because I like the taste/believe its healthier/our ancestors did it.
You: Fair enough. Are you going on holiday at all this year/have you had your hair cut/hows your new job going/literally any other subject?

You havent changed their mind, they havent changed yours, nobody did any preaching, you move onto the next topic of conversation.

Obviously if youve got somebody who is receptive and respectful then you can elaborate a lot more but if you know thats not the way the conversation will go, and you're not happy about it, then just dont do it. If the other person insists on repeatedly trying to draw you into an argument about dietary choices, Id question why you are spending time with that person.

If the other person insists on repeatedly trying to draw you into an argument about dietary choices, Id question why you are spending time with that person

Believe me, if I could have gotten out of seeing these people I would have.

I am vegan but always the most pissed at a party, do they cancel each other out as far as being dull counts?

I've stopped eating meat recently (just don't want to any more), although I don't really consider myself to be a vegetarian as such.
It has come as a great surprise to me just how many people insist on questioning me about it, what made you decide, why this, why that, why not something else. It is almost as though they are angling for a disagreement/debate on the whys and wherefores. I don't talk about it at all if I can help it.

It's been really interesting to hear everyone's different opinions and experiences on this.

It seems to me that almost everyone believes in the live and let live approach. However, I think it's basically impossible as a vegan/someone-who-avoids-meat-and-dairy-products-99%-of-the-time to avoid being questioned/attacked/preached to in every instance because there will always people who:

a) have met some annoying vegans and think they are all the same so pick a fight to persuade them they are wrong (I think my friend fits into this category)

b) have a tendency to get wound up about things and often belittle and personally attack those whose views differ from their own. I have a colleague like this and there are several on MN who seem to go from thread to thread attacking people and eye-rolling on a wide variety of subjects - not just veganism

c) feel guilty and want to justify themselves about eating meat and push their views

d) are genuinely interested!

A meat-eater could equally apply all the above to vegans and that's why meat-eaters equally will come across people who judge them for their food choices (probably not as often though, because they are in the majority).

In hindsight I should probably tone it down in future, even when someone asks and wants to discuss. In my friend's case, he led the argument and I gave as good as I got, which I thought was fair game. However the person with the majority view on any subject can usually afford to be more vocal about it because there's no danger of being seen as an extreme nutter and your views automatically dismissed - when you are the minitory you have to be a lot more careful about how you put your view across, and it's quite often best not to bother.

So from now on, I'll be actively avoiding talking about it (even when someone asks) by changing the subject or making a joke. Unless I'm sure they are that rare category d!

Alternatively britchick I guess you could just explain that you eat as little meat as possible because you are concerned about animal welfare and the impact on the environment. It’s difficult to argue with that one unless the other person is a vegan in which case they will think you are ripe for conversion