Why do so many people criticise vegans?

[trunch]

I'm a meat eater!

However, I don't understand why people criticise vegans so much.

They aren't hurting me and are trying to save animals and the environment.

What's wrong with that?

Surely people should be more critical of me because animals are killed for me to eat?

You’ve really no idea why? Then maybe listen to the lived experiences of vegan explaining it to you? Because more often than not when we say “oh no milk in my cuppa please” for instance the immediate response is “why?”
It’s not an interrogation but I rarely offer the information that I’m vegan upfront, but then I often find myself explaining it, briefly, not in depth and certainly not a lecture, to people who feel the need to ask.
You’re the one who did the cliche “how you do know… they tell you!” joke so I was just trying to explain some examples as to why they/we often end up talking about.

Generally people are not rude or interrogating, just interested or nosey.

I don’t care what anyone else eats I wasn’t vegan for the first 34 years of my life. But now when I ask for a vegan menu pizza express I am telling people about myself inadvertently, but otherwise I wouldn’t have the menu I need so I kinda need to mention it?!

I haven’t RTWT so I don’t know what experience @tobee is referring to, potentially just being asked about it? But I don’t think my response is that heightened, just a little lighthearted.

So we now attack everyone in a group because some are militant?

Why?

I didn’t say I’d never noticed any, I said I hadn’t noticed MUCH. I have certainly experienced someone making disgusted faces at others eating meat, and the odd person making sanctimonious remarks.

To be fair, most people do eat meat so it’s not like talking about eating it in general conversation seems odd?
I don’t have a problem with vegetarians or vegans, as long as they’re not forcing it onto any pets/young children they might have, or proselytising about it. They have no right to dictate what others should eat. There are some people who would like to be vegan (or eat certain foods) but can’t, too. Some vegans would even be angry about that!

You don't hear of people lecturing vegans that they really should eat animal products.

What?! That is hilarious! As a vegan I can assure you meat eaters constantly lecture vegans. Oh we are al going to die of protein deficiency, humans are supposed to be top of the food chain, what about farmers, it’s different because those animals are bred to be eaten, what about b12…. it’s constant, all over the internet and in the comments sections. Even just an advert for a vegan item will have meatheads yelling about eating more meat to cancel out any vegans and “but bacon” etc.
I’ve come across far more meat eaters obsessed with lecturing vegans than the other way around!

I don't know @changecandles. Same as some vegans might reference that a friend of theirs was tricked into eating meat.

I might well feel attacked if I thought vegans thought all meat eaters would do that.

You can't have a personal reflection on somebody else's thoughts and actions, only your own. You can wonder why people do or say things, but unless you're told, it's all an assumption on your part. I think you mean opinion, rather than reflection.

And you missed the word 'some' out of your final sentence. I can't imagine many meat eaters are 'triggered' by vegans. 🙄

Yeah, and you've done it exceptionally well in my opinion. You have backed up any statements with evidence, and you haven't risen to the goady posts made by some.

There have been things where we haven't invited a vegan friend out. We've wanted to try a particular restaurant or we've visited somewhere and weren't sure where we'd end up eating.
Having trawled around towns and cities with them and found it stressful to find somewhere to eat, sometimes it feels too much to invite them along. Even if they find something vegan but it's not very exciting their disappointment can be palpable and sometimes it just feels easier to avoid.

I do have concerns about people trying to feed dogs, cats and young children vegan diets- but don't know anyone personally who does this.

I'm a vegan and I totally agree with this. (Also, I'm not one of the vocal ones, I promise!)

@macaroniandcheeze I'm sure lots of vegans are lectured in this way by "meatheads" as you like to put it.

But you're less likely to notice, as a vegan, the other way around. It's human nature. To prick up one's ears when someone is speaking contrarian to one's own beliefs.

I daresay you can imagine that.

Thought I’d answer the OP while I’m here. Haven’t rtwt so sorry if others have said this.

I think vegans are criticised for these reasons

1. it is against the grain of what’s “normal” and society doesn’t like that
2. it goes against the beliefs that most people grow up with (ie that you’re supposed to eat animal products) and people don’t like that because it contradicts what they hold to be true.
3. it’s got a moral component (ie. We should/shouldn’t be killing and eating animals) and people don’t like being confronted with that
4. it feels like a judgement on their own behaviours to not partake in it, eg. I an eating this sausage so why won’t you eat some with me? A bit like someone trying to egg on another person to have a beer with them if they’ve said they’re not drinking. There’s a sort of unspoken bond of community that we are all supposed to do these things together and that anyone not doing the things is boring/high and mighty/ bad in some way.

just my (vegan) 2 cents.

Some people feel passionately about the joys of eating meat @HereForTheAnimals.

I daresay you'll decide I'm being goady here. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Oh God, yeah.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Just looking for the vegetarian foods at this buffet"
"Oh, you'd never catch ME eating that rabbit food! Don't you know carrots can feel pain too?"
(Laughs uproariously at own "joke". Wanders off with a plate piled high with the last of the mushroom vol au vents)

The majority of my friends are veggie or vegan. Someone asking why they have chosen a dish is weird. I often have a vegan burger when I'm out as I don't like meat burgers. I don't think I've ever been asked why nor would I feel I have to justify my choices meat or otherwise

I think I'd agree with most of that @macaroniandcheeze. Except that meat eaters feel guilty. It just doesn't make me feel that way. I've made my informed choice, some time ago, and happy to carry on eating meat, vegetables and vegan food whenever.

Oh we are well aware of that, some people just can't help themselves with the 'Mmm, bacon' comments. You crack on 😉

Except you absolutely do hear of it. Many of us have talked about our experiences of that on this thread and others threads previously. We’re told we ‘need’ meat, we look ill, lack vitamins, we should use our teeth for what what they were designed for, we are are questioned on our choices because we order a vegan meal etc.

All I can say is that's not me in rl @HereForTheAnimals.

But I'm rebutting the suggestions that all meat eaters eat meat and feel bad about it or are ignorant.

I agree too, however when it comes to children I will judge people who feed their children processed meats such as ham and bacon which has been confirmed as a known carcinogen by the WHO but who complain about vegan food.

I have spent 34 years of my life not a vegan. I’d say my experience as a vegan of 2 years doesn’t outweigh those 34 and I know which years I have been most lectured.

Ok well I'm not going to dispute your experience @macaroniandcheeze.

Yeah you wouldn’t ask your own friends though would you, because you already know? I mean more like on first meeting someone, making a new friend, seeing a relative for the first time in years, going to a client lunch with work.

I agree with you as I feel exactly the same. I enjoy eating meat and consuming dairy and animal products. I feel zero guilt in relation to my dietary choices.

What this thread has illustrated is that there appears to be a large number of rude, boring and socially inadequate people on both sides of the fence! There are very odd behaviours being described here.

ETA: I'm referring to people who posters have described, BTW, not necessarily people who've posted!

FWIW I happened to mention to a few friends that I'd responded on a thread about veganism and was going to be honest. It is the one topic everyone advises not to engage with.