...to wonder why people are so rude about vegans?

[CheekyWombat101]

Obviously not everyone, but in general, I can’t go a single day without hearing a comment or spotting an eye roll if the word ‘vegan’ is spoken out loud. It’s like a dirty word. Ironically a word usually brought up by someone who isn’t vegan, but starts the conversation and then takes offence at it. It’s really bizarre.

Over and over again you hear associated words like... fad, militant, extreme, unhealthy...

Why? Why do some non-vegans take such an interest, and such an offence to it all?

Non-vegans who don’t care or are supportive - you are awesome! Please keep doing what you’re doing, it’s really refreshing.

I don't hear it much IRL, possibly because I know a few, as well as generally mixing with/coming across people who aren't narrow-minded.

But on here people get REALLY angry about it, and vegetarianism. Particularly when the barbecue threads start: 'AIBU to be outraged that I'm invited to a BBQ where they're NOT SERVING MEAT?!?' Answers: 'No! What's the point?'/'How rude of them'/'Veggie food tastes shit'/'I wouldn't force them to eat meat, how dare they try to force people to eat veggie food?' etc etc.

I don't think vegans are treated any differently from any other group that is evangelical and rather blinkered in its approach.
There are some vegans ( NAVALT*) who are evangelical and there are others who are poorly informed. Neither make for fun companions.
I'm sure there are lovely vegans who aren't strident or pushy, and who appreciate the health issues veganism can bring, who acknowledge the risk of vegetarianism/veganism hiding an eating disorder, who are aware of the environmental impact of the other lifestyle choices they make (eg flying) etc etc but they are overshadowed by their less tolerant and more strident advocates. It's always the way.

*Not All Vegans Are Like This

I don't feel guilty, I don't feel defensive. I don't share the same views, or wish to follow the same diet. I don't wish to discuss it either.

I will respect your right to live according to what you think, your wishes, and would really like it please, if you would respect my right to do the same.

Militant vegans fuck me right off, particularly the ones that target businesses and harass, intimidate and abuse those involved in those businesses. Lecturing, hectoring vegans who assume that I get fucked off with them banging on about it because of their moral superiority make me reach for a bacon butty. I get fucked off with it because they're as boring and annoying as someone trying to get me to convert to their religion, or sign up to their MLM scheme.

Those that don't feel the need to ram it down my (or anyone else's) throat, - all power to their elbow, and I'll happily invite them to dinner, find a suitable recipe that accommodates their dietary prejudices and cook it, and even refrain from eating meat at that meal so as not to upset or offend them.

Oh, just to add, most of the vegans I know are in the last category. Thank you baby cheeses.

I think lots of vegans are unfairly seen as "going on and on" about their veganism when a lot of the time they have to mention their vegan diet, especially if they are round at someone's house where most of the food and drink on offer will NOT be vegan.

People are rude about vegans because they are pathetic sheep OP who go around following other peoples actions.
It must be similarly awful having red hair and having to suffer a lifetime of abuse for it.
Why do people pick on two innocuous things like veganism or red hair? I have no idea other than it makes them look stupid and bigoted.
If they want to abuse somebody they should seek out a paedophile or a wife beater OR maybe just get a life and go and do something useful with their spare time.

It's not vegans that are the problem.

I was vege and vegan for angood few years. I had vege friends and relatives too.

We all just wanted to get on with it. If we went out if dinner or bought a sandwich we just bought something off the menu or if there was nothing we just ordered a portion of chips or bought a bag of crisps.

Its everybody else that bloody starts. " why dont you want a bacon sandwich" " you dont know what you see missing" etc. Never taking no thank you as an answer and hasseling you the entire time with questions until you explain why you are vege/vegan. When you finally give them your reasons in the hope they will shut the hell up you get accused of recruiting.

who are aware of the environmental impact of the other lifestyle choices they make (eg flying)

Oh yes the obligatory put down that disqualifies all else BUT YOU FLY!!!! GOTCHA! It's funny how only veggies/vegans get all this thrown in their faces but no one else who ever tries to do anything helpful to the environment. You Recycle??? Oh BUT YOU DRIVE A CAR!!! ??? Nah..........

Perhaps you have particularly strange social/work circles then? I can't remember the last time I heard or saw anything against the word vegan - must be months.

I had similar first thoughts, surely a large part is being in a work or social environment or media that is antagonistic. If someone or somewhere was constantly going on about it, I'd have to take steps to remove. I couldn't be dealing with that negativity.

On the very rare occasions I hear anything negative about vegans, it's alongside people slagging keto or the carnivore diet or anything similar - the overidentification with one's diet and oversimplification that all health (and sometime world's problems) are solved through what we eat. Not even the EAT-Lancet recommendations, taken by the media as the 'planetary diet' is claiming anything like that.

I think too, that if people wish to eat vegan foods, they shouldn’t attempt to replicate meat and fish. Plant based by all means, but make it recipes that don’t try to look like something they aren’t.

You know meat doesn't come out minced or in hamburger and sausage shapes, right? Is that making mean into something it isn't? Of course not, they're just convenient shapes people process food into. Veggie mince, burgers, sausages is the same - it's processing food into easier to use forms. It's also easier, like with cereal and bread (which are also shaped), to fortify foods that way which can be important.

thinking too much about the meat and dairy industries makes people feel guilty and uncomfortable, and so they go on the defensive because they don’t want to face up to what they’re contributing to.

I haven’t rtft, but I agree with this.

And I’m a meat eater.

I think you misread my post Arya I didn't present it as a gotcha. I have a mix of both types of vegans in my social circle and family. I feel sorry for the ones who are expected to be difficult because some people look for 'gotchas' rather than having a more rounded approach.

@introtist, @madcatladyforever, @SarahTancredi Well said, all of you.

I think vegans are wrong and most will end up going back to a more sensible and balanced diet. Based on my opinion, I think it's funny to laugh at vegan jokes but I don't ever start talking about vegans just to be cruel.

It's kinda like religion. I think religion is bullshit. I don't go around telling religious people that they're fantasists, but if someone else says it first, I will almost certainly laugh and join in the banter.

OP, you need to toughen up. You have made a conscious decision to live a certain way that you know is largely derided, so it's quite silly to wring your hands and cry about why everyone is so mean about your unpopular life choices.

I have vegans friends, we're respectful of each other - we chose restaurants with vegan options, they eat their choice, I eat my lamb. Everybody is happy. They are more than willing to talk about their choice if asked but they don't push it - and funnily enough, people listen! Most importantly, they don't get offended

However, I have met a couple of judgmental preaching idiots who are just following a current fashion and will bang on about their ill-researched ideas and try to shame non-vegans. These are the ones people do mock. Wasn't there some idiots recently trying to cause a scene in a restaurant or cafe?

My view is that there are a lot of people who are maladjusted twats.

Some of these maladjusted twats become vegan. Some do not.

It's not being vegan that makes you shouty, judgemental and obnoxious. It's being a maladjusted twat.

A lot people are perfectly nice. Some of these people become vegans too.

thinking too much about the meat and dairy industries makes people feel guilty and uncomfortable, and so they go on the defensive because they don’t want to face up to what they’re contributing to.

I disagree.
The solution is not to stop eating meat, but to make the production more "human" even if it means putting the price up to guarantee well-treated animals. It's better for whoever eat them in the long term.
No one needs to eat a filet steak every day, we don't need to buy chicken for 50p a pack of 2 tights. Treat animals decently, charge £8 if that's what it costs for a decently raised, fed and killed animal - that's a better solution.

@LadyWho I can categorically tell you I won't go back to a non-vegan diet. I was happily veggie for almost 30 years with no cravings, wobbles, or regret.

You call it jokes and banter? How would you like to go through life with practically every other day being the target for the 'jokes' and 'banter', it's disheartening, depressing, annoying and exhausting.

We do have a sense of humour, but the bacon comments we've heard a million times, people that constantly pick / 'joke' at us are neither original or funny, they are simply sad bullies. Bullying people because of their lifestyle choices and should get a life. I thought this thought of behaviour was usually left behind at school.

Its everybody else that bloody starts. " why dont you want a bacon sandwich" " you dont know what you see missing" etc. Never taking no thank you as an answer and hasseling you the entire time with questions until you explain why you are vege/vegan. When you finally give them your reasons in the hope they will shut the hell up you get accused of recruiting.

THIS!

The only time I mention it is when I am in a situation when I absolutely have to. In a restaurant with people who don't know, if I order the vegan option I get a barrage of questions and demands for reasons. I'm old enough and experienced enough now to just be polite and not go into detail, because the second you actually start giving reasons you'll get slagged off for being 'one of those vegans'! Can't win...

Why do some non-vegans take such an interest, and such an offence to it all?

I don’t take an interest. I couldn’t care what people eat. But some Vegans seem to want to tell me what they eat. And they seem to want to tell me what I should eat. When that happens, I will voice my opinion. Those Vegans don’t like my opinion and they want to continue to try and tell me I am wrong. That’s when I will become less polite about it.

@LillithsFamiliar my apologies then, I'm not a vegan myself, I'm vegetarian but I've come across this so many times and it's so annoying. I don't even want to get into conversations anymore with people because it's almost always how the conversations ends up

Because they stand in the msat isle with posters and pictures I couldn't Gove two shits about refusing and blocking my way to grab a fucking chicken breast?

I couldn't care less about the 'my name is daisy cow, you killed me" stickers. Just let me get my meat.

It I stood in a vegan isle holding joints if beef and refusing to let then get their vegan cheese, there would be uproar.

You do you, I do me. Dont get involved in my life choices thanks.

I'm no longer vege however I quite often order something vegetarian off the menu because I dont always fancy meat and frankly having lived through the rice filled green pepper days (let's face it that was it) it's nice to have options to choose from now.

Even that seems to be enough to trigger a reaction

"Oh you arent going all weird and vege again are you"

I have never ever ever asked someone " hows the dead cow" or " I dont know how you can eat that"

Seems to be one way traffic for sure...

I'm not fully a vegan so wont claim to be as I still eat cheese

I think that's called a relaxed vegan.

Perhaps you have particularly strange social/work circles then? I can't remember the last time I heard or saw anything against the word vegan - must be months.

I think it depends quite a lot on who you know that is vegan. We have a very militant part time vegan at work. He will spend mon-thurs lecturing us all about how evil drinking milk is and then have duck pate and brie on friday. I must admit to getting a certain schadenfreude from the vegan bun fight threads.

Just to clarify, not all vegans are like that, or are in anyway annoying.

But the ones who are seems to grate on me a little extra. I actually have vegan family members, and friends. I think people who are vegan as a genuine life choice are great. The ones who stand in and outside supermarkets rallying to people who like meat are just self righteous, look at me I feel important twazzucks.

I used to be vegan..i was an evangelical bore. Now i respect vegans and eat vegan food but my vegan friends are convinced that their choice is better than mine ( to eat animal products afain.) They do try to convert me. I am not threatened...i just don't think anyone has to justify their chouces...ethical or not.