Why is there so much hatred towards vegans?

[keysonthehighshelf]

I'm veggie, and slowly cutting down on certain things with the aim of being fully vegan by the end of the year. I'm not perfect, and I in no way dislike those who eat meat. I know some vegans are really aggressive but the vast majority are quietly vegan for their own reasons. I am raising my son vegetarian simply because I have never prepared meat before. I've seen a nutritionist and they've confirmed it's absolutely fine to raise a baby vegetarian and has given me meal plans and advice re supplements (which aren't actually needed). I still have had at least 4 people imply that I'm damaging him, and have had people aggressively tell me that 'vegans are hypocrites for wanting their food to look and taste like meat' - it doesn't really bother me but my sister who is vegan finds it upsetting. AIBU to think it's odd that people have such annoyance towards vegans? Or is it in my head?

"They don't, but the OP said most vegans are 'just quietly getting on with it' in which case they won't encounter any 'hate' because no one will know they are vegan to 'hate' them over it."

but real life often doesn't work like that. I was out with 2 people who don't know each other very well, we had a drink and then decided to go for food. In that situation, my vegan friend asked the waitress a question and my other (now ex) friend started banging on about how he loved meat and how could she be vegan and how did she get her nutrients. He went on for ages. It was quite something.

Because it's being billed as a healthy way of eating and it's not especially for children and teens who are very suggestible.

I would like my children's brains to develop properly and for them to actually get their full complement of vitamins and minerals.

Being veggie a couple of days a weeks should definitely be pushed, but veganism is not healthy.

@underneaththeash

Agree completely. Veganism may be healthier than a standard western diet of processed crap, but there's nothing inherently healthier by excluding meat, fish, eggs and dairy.

I don't care what anyone does in their life but unfortunately there is a percentage of vegans who attempt to ram down our throats how bad we meat eaters are and how superior they are. The inevitable happens - we ram it back.

There are thousands of vegans who just get on with their own lives but there's a minority who have big mouths and even bigger egos.

I don't agree with hatred towards vegans, they can be vegan if they want to be. But my one gripe with them is that I have never ever met a vegan who is pro life when it comes to abortion. To me that makes (pro choice) vegans the worst kind of hypocrite. I still don't hate them though.

I've seen a nutritionist and they've confirmed it's absolutely fine to raise a baby vegetarian and has given me meal plans and advice re supplements (which aren't actually needed).

Do you realise anyone can call themselves a nutritionist?

I have no problem with people who are actually vegan, the ones who check the ingredients on a packet of crisps then order a beer without checking the ingredients annoy me.

Oh and the one I worked with who insisted the onsite canteen didn't sell meat up to British standards because it was all halal, I tried to explain that there was no way on earth the bacon was halal.

I’m a vegetarian, I have never in my life eaten meat, fish or dairy

Are you sure? Copepods have been found in UK drinking water.

For me it's each to their own. Only slightly annoying though when vegetarian options in restaurants are being replaced by vegan options, instead of catering to both. Vegan cheese being the deal breaker.

It's not your average herbivore who is by definition a timid soul. It's the evangelicals, and not least because they are flat out liars.

Saw a recent TV ad which stated that eating meat was 'un-natural' for humans. We evolved with omnivorous teeth and a short gut so the extra blood supply could go to our large brains. We evolved as homo sapiens because our ancestors ate meat.

"Are you sure? Copepods have been found in UK drinking water."

this is not comparable to eating a piece of meat or fish or cheese! You don't have to get your head round the texture of water!

"It's not your average herbivore who is by definition a timid soul."

what does "timid soul" mean?

@meatandcrustypies that's my point really. Vegans get to foist their principles on us meat-eaters in all situations. I have a Vegan friend who cooked a turkey when she invited non-vegan friends for Christmas lunch. But she is the only one who would do that. I like some Vegan food, but it isn't my choice tbh.

I'm not really suggesting that Vegans should always cook meat for their non-vegan friends. I'm just pointing out that this is why many non-Vegans get annoyed with them. It's inflexible thinking. There are more than one points of view.

and my other (now ex) friend started banging on about how he loved meat and how could she be vegan and how did she get her nutrients. He went on for ages. It was quite something.

This happens all the fucking time.
But it’s always vegetarians and vegans who get called out for being preachy.

Are you sure? Copepods have been found in UK drinking water.

See, another stupid nit picking ‘gotcha’ comment that veggies and vegans put up with all the bastard time.

Flamingo sorry, yes, I know it happens all the time.

I just feel I made a very bad choice of friend there, didn't expect him to be such a narrow minded idiot.

No need to apologise Autumn, I just get so fed up when you get people saying that vegans are all preachy when you get never ending stupid comments.

I quietly side-eye people raising their kids veggie or vegan because it isn't giving them the choice. They will find it very hard to eat meat/dairy when they are older as their body just cannot digest it. So as much as you can say "they can make their own mind up" yes, their minds can but their body can't.

this "digesting later" thing

I have the most obscenely ridiculous huge family outside the UK. The ones who started on dairy, meat, fish etc later in life haven't had any problems. I appreciate that's only one family. But I'd be interested to see any real stats on it.

you can't keep everyone happy - as I say, I really wish I'd been raised veggie or vegan and HOW I wish I had been kept off sugar.

I love this idea that children have to eat meat and dairy.

Someone needs to tell a lot of India this for a kick off.

You know Sherpas? The people who carry all the crap to the top of the mountains when then western people can’t? All vegetarian, mostly vegan.
But carry on about how children have to eat meat.

They will find it very hard to eat meat/dairy when they are older as their body just cannot digest it.

Can you link to the research on this please? I’d be interested to read it.

My daughter has a friend who at the age of 3 has been trained to demand to know if any food contains animals - phrase straight from Dad to me!

I couldn't care less about others choices across the board but do object to the passive aggressive way I was spoken to about sorting food for my daughters party, I was catering for 6 children out of 38 with various requirements and happily doing so - when I checked what sweets she liked for her party bag was told Percy Pigs were fine - so all other kids get a 10p bag of Haribo she gets a £2 pack of Pigs!!

What made it worse was having catered for her, made sure she had vegan friendly cake to take home etc she didn't even show up with no communication!

"Someone needs to tell a lot of India this for a kick off."

IKR?!

I love this idea that children have to eat meat and dairy

Dairy is pretty dam necessary considering we're mammals.

See, another stupid nit picking ‘gotcha’ comment that veggies and vegans put up with all the bastard time.

Hey I didn't make the sweeping statement about never having eaten various things, if you make a statement like that surely you can defend it?

I used to work with people who were vegans. I was the only one who wasn't. They would constantly criticise everything I ate and tell me what was in it. For example, one person told me how it was disgusting I had cream on my hot chocolate as it was cow puss. The ironic thing was they were all new to being vegan. Became a bit of a fad in the tattoo industry.

Therefore, I despise them.

Oh and before you start about humans drinking milk from other species...

Human breastmilk is milk.

Milk is an animal product.

Breastmilk may be ethnically vegan but biologically, it's an animal product.