why do people have such a problem with vegans and vegetarians?

Question

really, i mean, i do know that there are some vegans/vegetarians out there that harass people or try to convert others (which, i also know, could be very annoying) but not all of us are like that. and some dont like us for no reasons at all! like when i decided to be vegan my sister kept giving me sh*t about it. why? why does our live style bother some people?

Answer 1

Mostly you're paying for the sins of a vocal minority. The rest is human instinct playing in. The sharing of food, especially meat, is a primal act of kindess. Refusing what you're offered is insulting on a basic level. They don't mind that you don't eat meat, but it bothers them that you won't eat what THEY offer you.

Personally, I find it generally arrogant for a person (not you specifically, as I haven't actually met you) to remove themselves from their place in the foodchain, as if they're better than nature and all the rest of the creatures in it. But that's really conceptual, I don't actually have a problem with vegans on an individual level.

Answer 2

Yeah I know what you are saying, since I've been a vegetarian and more so since I've been a vegan, I get comments like "You are gonna be sick", "I know the reason you are so pale, It's because you don't eat meat"(oh no, it's not because I was born with my complexion *sarcasm*), "Aren't you losing a lot of protein, That could kill you", and every other thing you could imagine. Before when I was a Ova- lacto vegetarian( and even before that when I was a meat eater) I would be sick all the time, most of the time a really bad sore throat(till the point when I was hospitalized, cause I wasn't eating at all, and couldn't get out of bed) Now since I've been a vegan I get sick like twice maybe 3 times a year!!! I love being a vegan, I don't think I'll ever go back to eating meat and dairy, no matter what the meat- eaters say.

Answer 3

People usually have a problem with it for two reasons:

1). They feel that you are implicitly judging their lifestyles. By making a difficult and non-mainstream lifestyle choice you must have felt very strongly. Vegetarianism is an uphill battle, hard to find foods and it's expensive. Some people get angry that you feel so strongly about something they don't want to have to defend for themselves. Even if you never said anything, they often feel you are insulting their lifestyle choices.

2). Rogue vegetarianism can wreak havoc on dinner gatherings. The host or hostess who is inexperienced with vegetarian cooking will often be flummoxed by the single vegetarian thrown into the mix. Should she serve an all vegetarian meal? Should she make an additional meal just for the vegetarian? Does she have to throw it out and start over because she accidentally used chicken broth or eggs? It creates all manner of stress for the hosts of a gathering. The more direct communication you can have with the host, the better you can direct their efforts and put them at ease.

With family, it can just be a matter of them getting used to it, and figuring out what to do. With others, just do your best to make them feel accepted regardless of their choices.

Answer 4

My family hounded me for years about it, saying all sorts of stupid things, just to annoy me. Well, my parents were like that generally anyway, but from what I've found, it's that it's like going completely against someone's lifestyle. You were once a member, then suddenly you decide that you are going to quit the group and leave. People take offense. It's a very primitive thing. They think that you are saying, "Your food is not good enough for me" when it really has nothing to do with them at all. Especially parents, because they have raised you and fed you a certain way, then suddenly you say you're going against them and don't want their food anymore. It's silly, I know. If they'd just calm down and be more rational about it, but no, families have no need to censor their feelings and just let it all out.

On the other hand, I'd get 50 questions every day from my friends such as, "where do you get protein from" "where do you get vitamin B12345 from" and on and on and literally I kept a nutritional almanac next to the phone so I could look up all their questions.

So silly since they never ask themselves the same questions. I just say, "So, where do you get your vitamin B123456 from" Answer: "meat" Next question: "where does your meat get the vitaminB12345 from?" I’m just skipping the middleman and going straight to the source – hey, that’s a good one! I’ll use that from now on (although, no one asks me anymore, since I’m so fit, healthy, young looking, etc.).

Answer 5

My 26 year old daughter is a vegetarian. I never realized people were so nasty to them until my daughter became one about 6 years ago. She says the minute someone finds out she's a vegetarian (she eats vegan at home, but she's really not a full fledged vegan--just a vegetarian) they start telling her how much they love meat. She hates that. It's like they have to rub it in her face. I feel bad for her because she's a vegetarian because she is sensitive to animals and that's why she's a vegetarian. She tries to keep it quiet so people won't badger her about it. But, of course, if you're eating with someone and they notice what you're not eating....well, it comes up. I've made some lifestyle changes because it is so important to her..like buying cage free eggs and not buying from companies that do animal testing. I think people say insensitive things because they are feeling uncomfortable about their lifestyle in front of you and so they feel the need to make excuses for it. or something dumb like that.

Answer 6

Just look at some of the comments above, about eating dead animals. Even though most vegetarians and vegans do not force themsleves on people, a small group do, and since that is what people see, people think that way about all vegetarians. If you see someone crazy about vegitarenism, throwing red paint on people and such, people will get that idea about all people.

Look at slavery. Most white people did nto own slaves, but becuase those people were vocal about it, as well as crule, it made a lasting impression.

It is the people who are most crazy about the cause who accurally hurting the cause.

Answer 7

I don't have a problem with vegan/ vegetarians, so I really don't know how to answer this question. Personally I think vegans live a healthier life then most people who eat meat. I've been thinking about going vegatarien myself.
My supervisor is vegatarian and sometimes I feel she has a problem with me because I eat meat. I don't know it depends on who the people are. I don't have a problem with any one.
We're all people and it seems we should treat each other like it.

Answer 8

People are often uncomfortable around people who have habits and tastes different from their own. And, some (like your sister, I think) might take some type of offense - as if you've set yourself apart from her and therefore think she is not as 'good' as you are. You most likely don't think that, but it's a perspective some people take.

If you were to tell people you have a special diet due to medical reasons, they would likely not care.

And, some people just don't know how do accommodate vegans & vegetarians and it can make them uncomfortable or they feel like a 'bad' hostess. One friend of mine has asked several times for recipes from a vegetarian friend & he has yet to give her anything.

Answer 9

Well, some vegans/vegetarians try to FORCE their life style on to others. So after seeing it on TV more then a few times; people naturally assume that all Vegans/vegetarians are that way.

Then when they meet a Vegan/Vegetarian they "know" what's about to happen so they are primed for it. And then ANY thing a Vegan/Vegetarian says, does, is filtered through what everyone knows, "they're trying to change me, well I'll show them".

Personally a lot of the Vegans/Vegetarians, I've met, have said things that could be taken by someone who was looking as trying to force their life style on them, and neither party even realizes it.

Here's an example

"Did you know tofu is a excellent source of protein?"

The Vegan/Vegetarian is trying to make a nice polite conversation about food.

The Omnivore see that statement as forcing a lifestyle on them, that they don't want, on them.

It so easy for both sides just to walk into this and not realized it.

As far as your sister goes, same thing, she afraid you're going to become one of THEM, and try to change her and how dare you even think about that.

Vegans/Vegetarians suffer from a lot of bad press, from fellow Vegans/Vegetarians who do try to force their way of life on other people.

Sad but true.

OK one more thing is it ok if I just use VV for Vegans/Vegetarians? It would save me a lot of typing, but I know how offended people can get, so let me know.

Thanks

Answer 10

I'm all for being vegetarian if you want to. Just dont' shove it down my throat or hassle me at a potluck b/c I seasoned the green beans w/ ham.

The militant vegans really do give all vegetarians a bad name.