people oppose me being vegan?

Question

ever since i went from vegetarian to vegan a couple of days ago, i received a sudden influx of arguments and "concerns" from neighboring friends. all of them tell me the same thing:
"don't you want to be healthy?"
"we were meant to eat meat."
"for every animal you don't eat, i'll eat twice as much."
"don't you have to take pills?"
"just eat a little once in a while."
"what you're doing doesn't change that fact that. animals will still die and be eaten every day."
"they aren't equal to us."

and things like that. really, it stresses me out and i need to ask how you guys deal with these kind of questions? i've been vegetarian since circa 6th grade, which is now around 3 years. some friends even tell me i won't last long being vegan, that i'll start eating meat again..

Answer 1

well, i actually became vegetarian and switched to vegan as well.

i dealt with the same thing. i have copied your questions and entered my reply on the side.

"don't you want to be healthy?" - of course i do. i don't feel healthy when i add meat in my diet. just like you might not feel healthy if you took meat out.
"we were meant to eat meat." - you are right. the early brain structure of humans grew and strengthened by eating meat. now that humans have evolved enough to realize the harms, especially environmental, we have the paradox.
"for every animal you don't eat, i'll eat twice as much." - i hope your fat jeans are on order from land's end - you'll need 'em
"don't you have to take pills?" - most of the vitamins and minerals are in the foods that i eat, but i could take some supplements if needed, such as iron
"just eat a little once in a while." - most people don't realize that many vegetarian and vegan protein foods have more protein per serving than meats
"what you're doing doesn't change that fact that. animals will still die and be eaten every day." - that is true. however, by cutting my intake, i make a difference in the business of meat processing, which in turn makes a huge dent in pollutions each year
"they aren't equal to us." - in my opinion, that is a non-issue. i am not removing meats b/c animals are equal. there are larger concerns. inhumane treatment of animals in the food processing industry as well as massive pollution, leading to large environmental impacts. being a vegan helps me take drastic steps towards changing my imprint on this plant. it makes me feel good to make a difference every day.

one thing to keep in mind is that there is no way to remove yourself from being a part of the animal products industry. for example, tires are processed using left over cow parts. I for one wouldn't have a job if i had to walk the 50 miles to work everyday. however, the change you are making has a large impact on the earth.

if your friends are telling you that you won't last as a vegan, you should acknowledge their point - maybe you won't. it is okay to try something and change your mind. don't be too hard on yourself and take it day by day.

Answer 2

That's a hard thing to deal with. I would do your best to explain why you're vegan. Be honest, but don't let them make you uncomfortable. I get the sense that some people argue with vegans because they don't want to admit they feel a little guilty about eating animals.

It's okay if your reasons for being vegan are emotional, gut reactions that you may not be able to explain to people who don't understand. That's how many of us start out. As you're vegan for longer and you meet people and read, you'll get a real feel for the arguments you can use that are based on facts and logic.

Don't worry so much about winning debates or convincing them to be vegan. The best thing you can really do is make sure you eat well, you're healthy and you're happy with your decision. Prove people wrong with your actions not your words.

If you need support, there are lots of great vegan communities on the web. My favorite is a podcast called "Vegan Freaks" which is by a couple really awesome people. They also have great forums on their site where tons of vegans hang out. I think there are a lot of teen vegans there too. You can find them at:

www.veganfreakradio.com

Answer 3

Hello. So you're getting a hard time for being a vegan... what's the big deal I wonder? You've made a conscious decision to not eat meat, and that's applaudable. To make such a decision and keep to it is commendable also, so don't give up your guns. I wish in some ways I were a vegan, for it's probably a better way to live healthwise. Don't worry about not lasting, but rather face each day as it comes going day by day. Do make sure you get checkups to make sure you're alright as your growing and such. So keep pushing an doing what you feel to do. Show your friends that you've got determination, and that is a quality that will positively transfer into areas of life. Take care.

Answer 4

I know the feeling. I recently turned from veggie to vegan and everyone seems to think I'm going to keel over from malnutrition! My advise is don't get drawn into an argument. Tell people that there are too many reasons for becoming vegan to list, and refer them to a good website (such as peta or viva). If they really care about you they will look into it, and once they see what a good thing it is they will support you (and maybe be converted themselves?). My boyfriend went ape when I told him, but he's read up on it, and while he still eats meat and dairy, he totally respects my beliefs and defends me when other people start bitching.

People seem to get really irritated when faced with something they don't understand, or with something that makes them question their own ways. It was the same when I stopped smoking. Someone would offer me a cigarette and when I refused they would smirk and lay it on the table and say 'ha! we'll see how long THAT lasts'.

never mind.

Answer 5

Well, what I don't get is how you went from Vegetarian to Vegan. Being Vegan is a political/social view. They don't want animals to be killed (despite the fact that they kill and eat each other). Why would you not eat meat since 6th grade and THEN suddenly say that you're "Doing it for the animals"?

At any rate, the general population opposes things that lie outside the norm. For example, homosexuality is outside the realm of normalcy among many Christians. They see it as a sin and they are entitled to have that view. I'm gay and I don't have a problem with them, although I disagree, but it's when they try to push their view on me (such as trying to "cure" me) that I have a problem. Friendly debate of views is one thing, but just blatantly forcing ones views on another is simply wrong.

In my experience with Vegans they try to make me feel like some kind of horrible animal abusing maniac just because I eat meat. As long as you are not imposing yourself onto others then they aren't justified in attacking you like that. As far as dealing with them goes, there isn't any real simple solution. You just have to believe in what you believe and hold true. Maybe there is someone like minded or at least supportive of you for you to vent your frustration with?

Answer 6

Well, I will start this out by saying, I am NOT vegan or vegetarian. I would never say something like that to someone who was, though. People are so rude. I admire that you stick to what you think is correct. I try to stay healthy, but the vegans and vegetarians who I know are much healthier than I am. They seem to be able to keep their weight under control better too.

I know it is easy for me to tell you to ignore these people. Maybe you could just try telling them that you do not comment on their diet and that you don't appreciate them commenting on yours. Hopefully if that is all you say to them, they will soon get tired of harassing you.

Good luck to you.

Answer 7

ok first of all, like every dietary lifestyle, you need to make sure you ARE getting all the vitamins and nutrients. it does mean taking some dietary supplements and pills. and i'm hoping you did alot of research on that to make sure you are staying healthy.

with that said, people are scared of what they don't know. and of you being right. see, if what your doing is write, that makes other people who are not vegan or vegetarian bad for eating meat and what not. which is why people turn a little nasty and judgemental. i never really understood the whole vegetarian thing myself, until i became a vegan recently. it's so obviously healthier than any other diet there is out there and if done properly.

tell them, it doesn't matter if they eat twice as much or ten times as much. its a personal decision that you are making for yourself. becasue you choose not to eat a living animal that was tortured and fattened for your consumption that is completely unneccesary. did you know we started out as vegetable and nuts and fruit eating nomads? the only time meat was eaten was when we couldn't find anything else. and every part of the animal was eaten and used and respected. since we don't do that anymore, and we have plenty of food , it should also go that we don't eat meat as well.

and also make sure to tell them, you aren't judging other people for eating meat. its up to each person to make their own life decisions. this just happens to be yours for ethical, personal, and healthy reasons. pure and simple. and if they can't handle that, they should find out more about what is behind being vegetarian before they critisize something they don't know much about.

thank you very much. hope that helps! :) didn't know i was this passionate about it until i read some of those ridiculous comments people told you.

Answer 8

Don't let those people change your mind. You ARE doing a good thing. I was vegan for 3 months (I couldn't give up cheese), and vegetarian for over a year (too hard with a non veg wife that wouldn't eat the stuff I did. Even if it isn't about the animals, it is healthy so long as you watch your proteing intake and B vitamins very carefully. I ran a marathon and 136 mile relay race around the island of Ohahu while a veg-head. I was about 11% body fat and the best shape of my life. You are also saving the environment. Eating meat every day is not a sustainable resource and by not eating any, you are helping to reduce methane and greenhouse gas emitions.
Keep up the good work.

Answer 9

This is something that bothers me as well, it should be entirely up to you, and you alone what goes into your body. try reminding them that plants are at the bottom of the food chain, anything else (meat) you eat you can't know what it ate/had injected into it and by default you are also consuming that however gross or bad for you it may be.
also, ask them why they didn't ask you these things three years ago when you actually stopped eating meat. Obveously the people telling you that you won't last long and you'll start eating meat again are wrong if you've been fine for 3 years already, you might give in to cheese or icecream however :)

Answer 10

don't let people influence you, if you want to be vegan be vegan. you aren't hurting anyone especially not yourself, the vegan lifestyle can be very healthy when done right. i'm sure you've done your research and everything else to prepare for this new lifestyle. and i'm sure that one day more and more people will eat more veggies or even become vegan like you : bottom line don't worry about them, get your protein and calcium from other sources than meat and dairy and be proud of your decision :) i know it is hard enough to change your life without the criticism of others, enjoy your new life and it's benefits.