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?

Because I don't need someone telling me that poor animals had to die for me to eat them like I'm some idiot that doesn't know that!

I've been veggie, was veggie for 15 years but I became extremely unwell & was Dr recommended to start eating red meat (there wasn't the variety of veggie options that there are now) and dammit I do love a good steak now!

It's the vegans who storm into the burger joint & harass the meat eaters there that I hate. It's the ones who blockade the meat aisle at the supermarket, it's that militant attitude that you're better than everyone else.

I know what happens to put meat on my plate, I've seen the videos and documentaries and I still eat it and still find it delicious.

I don't hate vegans, in fact I've spent quite long periods of my life being vegan myself and have several long-term vegan friends, but I'm very wary of what seems to me to be the fascist vegan front.

There was a vegan festival locally a couple of years ago and I went along with friends expecting a nice friendly atmosphere and some good food. Instead I encountered what I can only describe as the local vegan taliban – very extreme, very emotive and full of hate towards meat-eaters and vegetarians. Really troubling. Some of these animal rights people are terrifying.

I don’t hate Vegans, but the whole Veganism drive at the moment is pretty irritating especially when most of the retailers’ vegan’ ranges is highly processed junk

Each to their own. However... a cafe near me recently decided to go vegan (because it's trendy) and I've pretty much stopped going for two reasons:

1. the owner loudly and constantly enjoys telling everyone who comes in how much healthier she feels for going vegan
2. while the cake is still ok it tasted a LOT better with butter and eggs in it

Like I say, each to there own so I go somewhere else.

And that is the reason that vegans become quite passionate about sharing this with people. It's up to other people if they listen or not - it is only called "preachy" because the person doesn't want to hear it.
Aka

1. My decisions are so right and morally superior that I feel the need to force them on other people regardless of whether they have asked my views. (Aka lecturing and preaching)
2. If anyone has an issue with being preached at and lectured then that only confirms my view that my choices are superior and they can't handle it / feel guilty / it proves how right I am

It's that sort of sanctimonious 'i'm more enlightened than you' crap that gives veganism a bad press.

I've got quite a few vegan friends who cringe when they hear that sort of thing and some even say "I'm vegan but not one of those vegans" and everyone laughs because we all know how irritating the evangelical vegans are.

I'm an omni but have a wide variety of friends who are omni, pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan. We are all nice people and so no one preaches to anyone. If we go out in a big group we opt for somewhere with a decent vegan/vegetarian selection. And none of the vegan people lecture the meat eaters

I don't know why other people care what other people eat/drink/do

Some of the posts on here highlight exactly why some people feel vegans are ‘preachy’ about it and can’t stand it when others aren’t vegan. Really not doing yourselves a favour.

@Notcool1984 you're right, it does trigger people! It's not like the rest of the population has no opinion so the being opinionated aspect alone doesn't explain why people are triggered. But anyway.......
What do you miss most by the way? I would miss real milk in my tea :-(

Coffee I like it with soya milk. Cereals or lovely with almond and coconut milk. I can do without yoghurt. Parmesan would be a sacrifice but there are substitutes. It's milk in TEA. That'd be my big adjustment.

@derxa I'm not really hugely interested in animals but I am interested in respect the earth. I read a lovely book a while ago that has stuck with me, ''if women rose rooted'' by Sharon Blackie, she has another one out now. It is about the need for us to value connection to the universe. She gives examples from celtic folklore and the messages in the stories have completely fallen from our consciousness but they are still such valuable messages! If you have any 'celt' in you at all you would enjoy this book!

Vegans need to check their privilege

OMG! Now that’s funny. Are vegans more privileged than meat eaters? How does that work, then? Go on, please tell.

I give zero fucks about what anyone else eats. Unless they pointed it out to me, I wouldn't even notice. I'm too busy deciding what I am going to eat to stop about quiz you about your food choices.
The only thing I HATE are people who think I am interested in their food choices. That includes anyone on a 'special' diet, wholefood eaters, gourmets, dieters, people who only eat extra spicy food and, yes, vegans.
Listening to someone bang on about what they are eating, and why, is as entertaining as listening to them talking about their dreams. Funnily enough, usually the same people
Eat what you like, and shut the fuck up about it.
This is the way to world peace

Goddess Thanks for the recommendation.

I have much more in common with the sherpas who keep sheep and yak than with many people on here. People have looked after domestic animals for thousands of years.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_domesticated_animals

Because people who meat are mightily offended that you don’t.

😂 Don’t be so stupid 😂

I have bowel damage - I thought it was IBS for nearly 20 years but surgery has confirmed differently

I can't have artificial sweeteners, pulses, green veg raw fruit/veg and I have intolerance to dairy, eggs & soya and I have quite violent but probably not allergic reactions to coconut and almond

So I eat a lot of cooked root veg, potatoes bread and meat
Years ago if I asked about dairy/egg free I'd get offered things without eggs/dairy now everything is vegan generally has soya/almond/coconut in and so I'm stuffed!

I am having to be so much more careful now vegans has arrived!

I really don't care what people choose to eat or not eat, but I don't appreciate being told how wrong I am for eating meat. You do your thing and I'll do mine.

I also detest the whole, "If you do x then you can't possibly care about y" mentality. We'd be a whole lot stronger if we could work together to change the thing we all care about and leave our differences out of it.

It's the vegans who storm into the burger joint & harass the meat eaters there that I hate. It's the ones who blockade the meat aisle at the supermarket, it's that militant attitude that you're better than everyone else.

I have never seen this happen.

I have seen people bitching about the vet existence of vegan sausage rolls and the huge amounts of abuse levelled at a local vegan cafe via the comments section on the local paper.

veggi here- I cant stand some vegans, I used to work in a health food shop and some of the ‘vegan extremists’ would always lecture me on not being vegan... I got a torrent of verbal abuse because I like cheese. Some of them think they are so superior because they’re saving the planet but the amount of processing and plastic packaging in vegan foods is also harmful to the planet. I was want them to acknowledge that.
I buy my cheese from a local farm where the cows are happy and looked after.
I appreciate some vegans are ok but it’s they way that some vegans think they can tell people what to eat.
One vegan that used to lecture me in my shop (obviously I couldn’t say anything back as I was a professional shop assistant!) she was really really fat. Healthy diet my ASS

I have never seen this happen

I haven't seen this happen, but I have a family member who had this happen. They stormed his restaurant, because they disagreed with a product he had on his menu. Well, they attempted to storm it. Him being a rather large well fed chappy, he stood in the door and laughed at their somewhat puny attempts.

So then they just noisily picketed his business.

His clientele being similarly bloody minded buggers, he actually put more through on the books that month. . .

Then they started stalking him, sending him threats of physical violence. To him and his family.

You can believe me or not. But it makes my blood boil that people think they have the right to do this because they think people should live according to their lights.

Just like those who harass, intimidate, and murder doctors who perform abortions.

That is interesting @Herbalteahippie. Romesh Ranganathan is also pretty chunky, I think people assume vegans will be slim and healthy. But I guess it’s a good reason to eat a lot of crisps/chips. If I went vegan I would probably OD on white carbs.

If we did not have plastics or other synthetic materials,what would vegans wear on their feet ? Clogs ?

I’m vegan. Must vegans I’ve met are not worth knowing. I was so interested in animal rights activists groups until I joined them then abruptly left after the poor attitude of a lot of them - I couldn’t do with the negativity and double standards. There is/was a lovely vegan cafe where I live. It closed fine once because of bad blood between all of the local vegans protesting against the cafe for stupid reasons. It reopened and has just shut down again for the exact same reasons.

Out-veganing each other is something I've seen too. My relative has no time for moderate vegans, they're winning by being more vegan ie a tub-thumper.

I've never met any vegans or omnis IRL who are real arseholes about it, it's always on line.

Except my DF. Who never stops going on at me about it. Yet gobbles up all the vegan meals I cook him

I think many of us are vocal because we feel guilty for how we used to eat and a bit hopeless that we can't do more for the animals (which is the essence of veganism by the way, although perceived environmental and health benefits are also motivators, most vegans, real vegans, if they found out tomorrow there was no difference in health or to the environment would still avoid animal products.)

I don't know how to word it without being inflammatory but imagine you found out that turning on a light switch meant a dog was killed or you could use candles to light the room instead and the animal suffering would be avoided - which would you choose? Wouldn't you encourage people not to flick the switch and to use the candles instead?

Some people will say 'but dogs are different.' Thats just your perception. My perception is that all mammals are incredibly similar and pigs and dogs especially.

That's just how I see it and I continue to advocate for veganism by sharing vegan products on social media, cooking vegan meals for friends and doing the best I can do.

Great post okno