Is it hypocritical to be a vegetarian to boycott animal cruelty, but still consume milk products?

Question

I've wanted to become a vegetarian for a long time and for many reasons, animal cruelty being one of them. But I don't think I'll be able to give up cheese and skim milk. Am I a hypocrit to stop eating meat and eggs because I want to stop animal cruelty, but still drink milk??

I know I wouldn't be a 100% vegetarian, I'd be a lacto-vegetarian.

Are there brands of milk and cheese I can buy that don't have hormones in them?

Answer 1

Yes. Welcome to the world; every human being is a hypocrite. But that does not mean we should refuse to try.
That does not mean we should give up having beliefs and working toward our ideals and morals.

I don't like the concept of all or nothing. I cannot stop global warming; does this mean I should go cut down a rainforest and pollute as much as possible? Of course not.

Vegetarianism is a path. If the environment or your stance on cruelty is why you are doing this, then becoming vegan is a long-term goal, but don't worry too much about that now. Unless you have lived the peak of a varied and bountiful diet, you should not give up everything right away. Many people are used to meat being the center-piece and therefore feel a lot is missing when they give it up.

Stopping your eating of dead animals is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, by the very fact you believe in something, many will look for ways to call you a hypocrite, but that is because you make them feel guilty for believing in nothing.

Give up the animal flesh to begin (sorry, fish is an animal.)
When you lead a comfortable and bountiful vegetarian life, maybe then you will want to start dropping some of your dairy products. You could even do some now if you wanted to. Get soy or rice milk for your milk. Tofutti makes vegan cream cheese, sour cream, cheese and ice cream.

:)

Answer 2

To be honest there is more cruelty in milk than there is in a steak.

A dairy cow is forced to become pregnant over and over again . Within hours of being born her calf is taken from her and the grief they both feel is tremendous. If the calf is male it is bred to become veal. It is put in a tiny crate - so small it cannot move and will never see daylight and is killed after about 14 weeks.

The female calf is either raised as a replacement for her mother or is killed for the rennent in her stomach (a common ingredient in cheese).
The mother cow is given growth hormones to keep her milk production unnaturally high and her udders become painful and so swollen and heavy they drag on the ground. This process repeats itself until she is considered too old and unproductive and is killed and turned into cheap meat. It is a miserable life from beginning end.

I loved cheese too but I love the fact that I now longer participate in this cruelty any longer much more.

I applaud you for chosing to make changes in your diet but please consider taking steps to become vegan! It is easier than you think and worth it!

Answer 3

Animals that are kept in feed lots or pens, then slaughtered are abused and I think it's horrible. As to milk products, the cows are milked with a machine, which isn't traumatic like the first example. Therefore, I'd think you could be a vegan and still protest animal cruelty and enjoy milk products.

Answer 4

I am a vegetarian who eats eggs in addition to vegetables, fruits and grains. My reason for avoiding milk products is that they are like poison to me and make me very ill.
I see nothing wrong with other vegetarians having dairy if that's what is good for them.
It doesn't seem hypocritical at all, just unhealthy because whatever the cows eat and ingest (IE hormones & antibiotics) goes into their milk.
Good luck.

Answer 5

I am in the same boat as you, I no longer consume meat, however, I still eat eggs and drink milk. For me, it is easy because I live near an organic dairy where the cows and chicken lead a very happy life because they eat foods in their natural diet, live outside and are able to roam free. Look for organic, cage-free eggs. However, good milk is a littler harder to come by...look around where you live for an organic dairy. If not, purchase organic milk and hope for the best. It should be free of hormones to meet organic standards. You may want to consider switching to 2% or whole milk as a vegetarian. For me, the higher fat content in milk has helped me sustain my weight and feel less tired. Whole milk (and 2%) contains conjugated linoleic acids (CLA). CLA is essential for the transport of dietary fat into cells where it is used to build muscle and produce energy.

Answer 6

ask yourself this: is the cow being cared for properly and given a good life in exchange for it's milk. and unless it's organic milk more than likely the cow is not being treated well. its' just locked up in it's little unit to produce milk. most organic companies not only do not add hormones but have a human farm where the cows are allowed to graze in grassy areas. so research. i think on this planet there has to be giving aswell as taking. if i had a farm and a cow i would want milk from this cow but i would treat this cow as a pet, an important pet that was providing dairy to me and my family. because if the cloning issue i am trying to wean myself off of dairy. we buy horizan butter and milk as of now, because the company went public and said they would never use cloned milk for their dairy products. but horizan is so pricey!! so i'll continue to buy the butter but we're drinking rice milk that i've learned to make real well. good luck!

Answer 7

Vegans don't eat meat, cheese or use anything with any animal products in them. Vegetarians still eat dairy, and many even eat fish. But yes...it is slightly hypocritical.

Answer 8

It depends on what level and why you are against animal cruelty. Many people just do not want the animal to have DIED for them. milking an animal does not kill it. but some people are opposed to the cruelty that goes on other than the killing, so they go vegan as well.

Answer 9

why wouldn't a vegetarian drink milk when a cow has to be milked to stay healthy? so why not drink the milk since it's going to thrown away anyway. just don't eat the meat.

Answer 10

this is the factor which you're able to examine. that's all too handy to circulate purchase leather-based footwear, suitable? And that large tassled handbag from aim made up of suede. even though it bothers you , and additionally you comprehend that's the comparable dermis off the cow which you vehemently refuse to consume the flesh of. i would not say that's hypocritical, as i don't consume meat for motives different than ethical subjects. yet, considering that doing so, I know that's a double nicely-known. you already comprehend this or you wouldnt positioned up. SO the question is, the thank you to stay cool and function all your large purses and cool classic unfashionable schit and not be a dam hypocrite? some human beings basically use previous used leather-based, from charity shops. a minimum of you could tutor the leather-based is previous, did not get made out of greed. that would be the only way i could think of you need to circulate. Vegans certainly do not use something that as quickly as belonged to an animal, and DOnald Watson regarded the epitome of somebody not afflicted via trend or traits, and he wore a superb style of handcrafted plant fibres. So that's as much as you. discover a good place that sells vegan footwear and bag, some are very good. OR< use basically older leather-based. Vegans stay away from using animals for nutrition or clothing as much as they are in a position to. i don't think of abyone is suggesting going below the hood of your girlfriends vehicle to style the axel grease and notice if that's come out of cow hooves. That pronounced, i discover it disgusting out total lives are reliant on making use of animals as totatl slaves for us in many issues- from cleansing soap, to shampoo, candles, axel grease, make up, rubber sterring wheel covers. i think of there could be a warning on each merchandise bought that proclaims its animal content textile. you're doing the suited suited element to question, yet now you're confronted with an exceptionally super uphill conflict. that's not your fault, although that's going to finally end up being a course you're taking, or do not, and stay with the end results of that. i think of going the path of the uphill conflict is a sturdy one, for the reason which you have asked and already comprehend you consume animal products an duse them. Ghandhi did not end as quickly as he'd began. HE could have have been given drained too, yet as quickly as in actuality available, you won't be able to un-comprehend it.that's not your fauly that many many things are packed with animal crap.