Why can't people fathom that a black girl from the south can be a vegetarian?

Question

I mean, I have incountered more BS about not eating meat. My own friends still pick on me about it. It was alright at first, but now it is getting old. I can understand my husband giving me a little grief but it makes it really hard when it seems that everyone is against you.

Answer 1

Hiya sister! Sounds like we have a few things in common. Many, MANY people cannot wrap their little minds around the fact that a black female could be a vegetarian and not be completely loco. I get that all the time. "How the hell do you eat soul food?" people ask me all the time. "Don't you miss wings and ribs and barbecue?" Of course I do, but I won't miss the fact that I'm saving myself from a world of health probelms by not eating it.
My parents and relatives still think I'm going through a "phase". They carefully watch me at holidays thinking....any minute now....she's going to CRACK. And I never do.
All you can do is try to educate people as to why you made the choice you did. You don't have to preach or even try to help them understand the whole vegetarian lifestyle....just clue them in on why YOU did it. Make it absolutely clear that you don't intend on reverting back to meat-eating and hopefully they'll back off.

+Peace, light and love+

Answer 2

I've never been in the south, but I have heard that most people cannot comprehend vegetarianism there. I'd just suggest sticking up for yourself and remaining adamant about your choice to stop eating meat. Real friends respect your decisions. Tell them point blank that you don't appreciate them making fun of you 24/7. If they still give you crap about it, may be you should question your friendship with them.
Also, remember that you are not alone. Meet other vegetarians, either in your area or online through message boards. That way, you won't feel like the odd man out.

Answer 3

I have to admit it's not too often that you find anyone from the south who is a vegetarian and even more rare to find a black woman who is one. You are truely an angel for doing what you believ in even though others around you show little support. People don't seem to associate african americans with vegetarianism but if they take the time to research they would find that Angela Basset and Brandy are vegetarian as well as Elizabeth Muto who was voted Miss Black America. In fact there are a lot of black vegetarians but people tend to ignore the fact that they are vegetarian and focus solely on their careers. I think it's great that you are taking a stand and hopefully your actions will lead others in your community to switch to a healthy and humane diet as well.

Answer 4

Culture is a strong thing to beat. The southern Black culture has been created with a lot of pride to support people through some difficult times. Culture includes food choices. African Americans are responsible for Bar-B-Q, When slaves would get the unwanted remains (pigs feet, ribs, and so many other items) of the slaughter they had to make those items flavorful, and the spice mix they used and the method of cooking became known as Bar-B-Q.

Meat eating and the pride surrounding it run deep in that culture, as does the act of eating Roast Beef run deep in the Menonite culture that holds my family's history. I went Vegetarian, and my family still thinks I am crazy, 18 years later.

These meat based diets are pre-industrial diets, used when men worked their butts off to make a living. Today, most of us sit around on those butts, which get bigger and bigger, and we complain that we can't move as well. It is a post-industrial society, and our diets will take some time to catch up. But those of us who have made the change to vegetarianism are leading the way to a healthier diet. It is not only the intelligent thing to do, but I believe it is necessary for the populous to continue.

You are leading the way into a new society, and culture.
In order for culture to change we need some people willing to look crazy, before the rest will learn from us. Gandhi, Socrates, Jesus, M.L.King, and many others made a stand once, even though others thought they were crazy. Look to them for strength and wisdom.

Answer 5

Well the main reasoning is, how many southern people (Black, white, indian, latino, etc) do you know that eat healthy?
I am white and from South Carolina and when I go back home, if I try to make something healthy I get looked at like i'm sick!
We grew up on lots of fried foods, casseroles, greens, anything with pork fat, grits, cakes, pies and all the sweet tea you could drink.
And my dad and family to this day still say "you have to die of something one day" as a reasoning for not eating healthy.
And with a good amount of people in the south stating this fact everywhere they go, its hard for people in other areas to imagine anyone from the south could ever be a vegetarian or eat healthy as a a matter of fact.

Answer 6

Yup I've walked in your shoes many times. I'm from Puerto Rico (recently moved to Portland OR) and the only people there who follow a veggie lifestyle do it for religious reasons (advent mostly).So being that I'm atheist folks there couldn't understand my reasons for being vegan.

Portland is a very veg-friendly place but I still get weird looks every now and then for being black and for being chubby too.

Drop the over generalizations people, some of us are not pale, skinny, health freaks. Choosing to be a vegan has nothing to do with race, it has to do with having the ability to make a choice.

Send the following link to your friends.

Famous black veggies -

http://www.blackvegetarians.org/features/famousveg.htm



Not that I think segregating yourself will solve this but joining any of the following online communities might help.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blackvegans/
http://blackvegetarians.tribe.net/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blacksocietyofvegetarians/

Answer 7

What?!? you are a black girl and you are from the south and you don't like meat!?!??? how is that even possible?
:] just kidding...

Well I can't say that I know exactly what you are talking about because I am a white girl from philadelphia... LOL
But my family was against me becoming a vegetarian... my mom tried to sneak meat and dairy in everything she made... I'm still a little scared when I eat something that she cooked for me (I have to ask my little sister whether my mom put something unwanted into my food)...
They came to their senses... my family now realizes that I am not dead... or sickly ... and that I am very health conscious... They pretty much gave up on questioning my lifestyle.
My friends crack jokes about it... they call me pale and stuff like that... I either ignore it, or pretend to laugh about it and change the subject.

Sooner or later they will come to their senses... Maybe you could try your best to ignore them until then. Or confront them and tell them how they make you feel. And that their anti-vegetarian jokes aren't that funny anymore...

Good luck. :]

Answer 8

Girl if your worried about what other people say then you dont have a life! Be proud of the fact that you have guts to eat healthy foods and not foods that will end up giving you problems later on in life. Hell I get picked on because I 'm Hispanic and I just love Chinese food...Why would I go to a Mexican reastruant when I make Mexican food all day long? I would rather eat chinese when I 'm out and about. Eat what you want and tell people they are what they eat......

Answer 9

Probably because people are so used to meat in their meals.

Just FYI, there are some people that come to mind, like Coretta Scott King, who became vegan toward the latter part of her life. This was due to one of her sons who is vegan, and apparently he became vegan because of activist Dick Gregory. Part of the reason is due to idea of oppression and freedom (does being stronger/smarter/greater in population mean domination over others must follow).

Answer 10

Sweetie, I doubt it has anything to do with skin color, or where you are from. I am a white girl from NC, and I get grief too! Its mostly from closed minded idiots who dont like when someone doesnt think EXACTLY like they do. It makes them feel different, so they strike out. Keep up the good work, and blow off the fools who think they know whats best for you. Tell them when they pay your grocery bill, and sign your mortgage check, then you might listen. As for your hubby, tell him that you will respect HIS eating choices, but that he has to do the same for you-its a two way street, and you are entitled to eat how and what you choose. Good luck!