Why do some people get mad and rude when I tell them I am a vegetarian?

Question

OK I eat dairy (I cant live without ice cream) but I dont eat eggs or gelatin products

Answer 1

me lika vegetarian!!!
pple eat my family for thanksgiving.
mesa got saved by da vegetarian
now i is crying
waaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Because some people cannot accept differences. I get asked all the time for why I'm a vegetarian, and many times I've gotten weird remarks like "animals are meant to be eaten". It's really annoying....Just tell them that there's nothing wrong with being a vegetarian and that they shouldn't disrespect you because you don't disrespect their decisions to eat meat. If they're still ignorant then just walk away. Good luck and best wishes.....

Answer 3

I have never known of someone to get mad because of being a vegetarian.. That is strange.. Now of course I do know of vegetarians that get upset about people eating meat! Maybe it makes them feel bad because they do eat meat! Guilt will make some people get emotional!
I eat meat and could care less what someone else is or isn't eating!
As long as your not giving them a hard time about their choices in what they do/don't eat than I wouldn't worry about their insecurities ..
I wish I could stomach more veggies!
Enjoy your healthy eating but don't forget your protein!(In other forms than meat of course)

Answer 4

Don't know without further input, but, HOW do you tell them? If it's just for information, they shouldn't. I'm thinking of a friend of mine, who doesn't just say, I don't eat meat...she says, I don't see how you can just sit there and eat that poor little animal on your plate, you are so stupid, don't you know that animals have rights and shouldn't be killed, etc, etc, etc. I'm not saying you'd do that, but, if those people who are mad/rude to you have had the experience before, they may be expecting an attack to go with the info, so they get defensive first, kinda like an Andy Capp joke: "I thought he was gonna thump me, so I thumped him back first." Congratulations, btw, on making the best food choices!

Answer 5

Depends on what kind of a vegetarian you are. I have met those veg who don't eat meat, but eat eggs. What's up with that? Some don't eat any meat at all, but wear leather jackets, what's up with that? Some are strictly vegetarian, which is fine, but also make this disgusting face when dining with folks who eat meats then start judging them for eating animal. What's up with that.

I have also met normal vegetarians who show me this is their choice and they also respect others. I don't have a problem with that.

Again, what kind of veg are you?

Answer 6

First off, you don't give enough information to make a reasonable answer.

What event occurred that made them mad and rude to start with? Were you invited to a dinner or some kind of occasion and they didn't have vegies or what was the deal?

It would perturb me to invite someone to eat and had no idea they were on a meatfree diet and they failed to mention this kind of important bit of information ahead of time.

Answer 7

I just converted, well on the way there. Almost cleaned out the freezer. I used to have a unsettled feeling when I was cooking up the steaks, and this cute Blondie didn't want to eat my steak.
I didn't understand.

So that would be the best answer, they don't understand.

Answer 8

Have you ever experienced the horror of visiting a vegetable slaughterhouse? Their poor little cries of fear, wide eyed and salivating from a sense of impending doom. How can you even think about eating them?

That's why people get mad. They are one with the minds of the veggies.

Answer 9

It is exactly the same with me!!! I HATE it sooo much!!! i think some people don't understand it and why we chose that lifestyle. Some people are very conventional and find it hard to accept lifestyles different from their own. i wish people would be more understanding about it and accept the fact that we lead a healthier lifestyle.
Great Question.....

Answer 10

Well people just think of us (I'm a vegetarian too) as outsiders. They think that just because they eat meat we have to too. That's just not fair. The best way to deal with them i learned is to just ignore them and let your true colors fly :P

Answer 11

Because most vegetarians are self-championing, arrogant hoity-toity types - all based on what they eat.

The "We love animals more than you" is neither convincing, nor is it true. Just because I eat meat doesn't mean I don't love my 3 dogs and 4 cats.

Without getting offensive (or any MORE offensive), let me just sum it up when I think of someone who finds the need to insist that I know they are vegetarian: PETA.

PETA is the biggest hypocritical bullcrap do-nothing animal murdering organization of them all. They fund domestic terrorism against our universities and medicine research. Even PETA's Vice President wouldn't be around if she didn't use medicine that was developed by TESTING ON DOGS.

See, regular meat eaters like me don't know what it means when you say you're vegetarian.

Are you worried about your diet? Your health?

Or are you going to try and liberate my animals, the majority of which are incapable of surviving outside the front door?

Or are you out to give me the gospel of eating meat, using intolerance to find fault in my diet?

Or should I leave my leather jacket in the car so you don't dump paint on it?

You, and in my opinion, ALL vegetarians are choosing to stand apart from (notice I didn't say above) the crowd. Don't expect the majority of Americans to simply understand your point of view based on "I'm a vegetarian". Recognize that regular people see vegetarians as "more picky than most people". More effort is required to please you.

So when we ask "Why are you vegetarian", get to the point, satisfy our curiosity, and get on with other topics that I might enjoy. Calling me a flesh eater while I'm eating a hamburger isn't going to really offend me the way I'm sure vegetarians wish it would, but it will sufficiently cement my opinion that you are a dull, single-track-minded individual with a narrow political agenda that I will likely never subscribe to.

And above all, most people reject PETA and their intolerant references comparing animals to Jews, Jesus, the holocaust, et al. It is not mainstream, and it never will be. PETA opposes seeing eye dogs, which sucks for disabled people. I could go on, but I think this helps answer your question.

I wish it could be put more politely, but a straight answer is better than a pretty answer.

And if you are vegetarian for the "sanctity of animal life"... just know this:

YES, WE KNOW WE ARE EATING DEAD ANIMALS, THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.

It's hard, sometimes impossible and often inconvenient to even order a pizza without hearing a speech. Seriously.

I don't mean to be mean with this post, but I'm just trying to let you see it from the other point of view.

Think of it like hearing "Wherever we go we CAN'T go to _____ or ____ or _____" because some people are so militant about their vegetariansim that they won't eat in a restaurant because meat is SERVED there.

The same goes for the kosher guy who says "Remember guys I can't eat a cheeseburger". We'd gladly oblige if we didn't have to hear every detail as to why.

I respect that you don't eat meat. But respect that I do. But the movement of vegetarianism doens't allow you to do that without you being looked down upon by your peers. What if you told your friends that, "Hey, I'm okay that people eat meat". You'd be dropped off the list, and we perceive that. THAT is why I started this post with the arrogant label.

That's my point of view. :)