This Thanksgiving it will be my 2 year vegan anniversary. And yet... I'm rather confused. I've explained my issues in the past with people either not understanding exactly what I do and do not eat, or giving me hell for it... which is a normal issue vegans encounter. But then, everyone who knew me, seemed to really adapt to it, accept it, and understand it. Now, why the sudden change? They are treating me as if this is something new, all over again. Everytime I'm sick, my boyfriend blames it on me not eating meat, lately. Recently seeing my family, they asked me if I eat chicken and fish sometimes. Why would anything have changed? I don't understand why it seems to be so important to people what I eat; I could understand why it would be important if I was not eating, or eating like shit ....but I eat a very healthy diet, and I've been very good with my recovery from my eating disorder as well. What exactly is so offending about the fact that I'd rather eat tofu than steak? I STILL am having trouble understanding that. And I wouldn't give a shit, if they would have just stayed respectful as they were...but now all of a sudden it's a big deal again. According to my aunt she thought it was just a "phase" and she's "surprised I haven't grown out of it by now" My other aunt, asked me on my dad's birthday, "So why exactly did you go vegan?" "I have a lot of reasons, that would take a long time for me to explain, but..." and just as I was about to summarize my reasoning, she chimed in, "You did it to be different, huh" I laughed the way you laugh when you kind of want to choke someone...that whole "Hahah...I'm going to try not to scream at you now..." And I just said, "No... thanks, though." and walked away. WTF. It's not that I'm not used to this, especially from people who DON'T know me well, but why is everyone who did understand it, all of a sudden on my case again? Have any of you ever had that where... the people around you just tend to turn around again and give you hell for it after a long time of respecting it? "
Congrats I have no idea, people are just weird. My family changed their tune after a year or so too. They realised it was for the long haul and maybe that weirded them out. They got over it though so that's all good. re: being diffrent Hell yeah, I mean who'd want to be like all the other mindless people who eat their meat because it's all they know? We're totally bucking the system
Probably, most everyone thought it was just a phase and that if they let it go, you would eventually become "normal" again. Since it's becoming clear that you intend to make this commitment long-term, they are re-questioning you about your decision. Try to be patient, address their concerns intelligently, refuse to take the bait when they tease you, and they will most likely rediscover acceptance eventually. Congratulations on your anniversary, BTW.
ah well after 20 years veggy my family stull loves to pass the turkey right under my nose and makes it apoint to ask i want some it honnestly makes me want to just skip all holidays altogether that and the fact that the most thought they put into providing veg alternatives is mashed potatoes and they sometimes make a second batch of stuffing and now i'm not even the only veg, bros dad in laws gf is veg too and well uve never seen anyone offer her meat i think parents just want to 'fix' you..as in make u a carbon copy of them
my parents are cool with it, actually. they remained cool so far, anyway. My dad will actually stick up for me a lot of times and say stuff like, "Oh I dont think shes missing out though, have you ever tried that vegan ice cream? its better than real ice cream" and my mom has never really said anything about it, she buys me vegan cookbooks and stuff for my birthday and christmas all the time. my relatives and boyfriend are the worst about it though... and some selected friends roll their eyes at me too. then I get people that are overly cautious about it, which is better than the ladder, but it gets annoying at times...like my boyfriends sister for example, is very respectful about it, but sometimes she will get a little carried away...she might be talking about a good dinner she had at some restaurant and then go, "Sorry, Bekka, I hope it doesnt offend you that I was talking about chicken..." or something I'm just kind of like..."uh..no? as long as you dont try to get me to eat it, talk about it and eat it yourself all you want... "
to clarify, too, it's not that I can't handle these sorts of things, I did in the beginning and all... I just am a bit confused why some of the people who were nice about it for a long time, are all of a sudden making a big deal of it as if I went vegan yesterday. I guess they DON'T understand it was a lifestyle change for me...not just some temporary diet or something. and mrsshf, with my relatives, its better to not address the concerns at all... because they are "always right"...thats how my dads side of the family is, as a whole. So I try to blow it off when they talk to me about it. My doctor thinks its wonderful though, maybe I should tell them THAT
i get that all the time and the funniest part of the whole thing is that the people who tell me that I get sick a lot are the people who are always sick! i actually have a pretty good immune system.
just tell them 'if you cut meat out of just 1 meal a day and of everyone in the country did that we'd end all world hunger, but, since ya wont do that, its ip to me to cut it out entirely so the 7 of you can continue ' every 1 vegatarian allows 7 others to continue eatting meat without causing firther starvation kinda turns the tables on em huh
(((((((((hugs!!!))))))))) Yeah sweetie, I'm afraid it's not just you. I've been homeschooling my kids since birth. My son just turned 11... you'd THINK my parents would get the idea that this isn't just a whim, right? Nope, my mom still goes on quests to end my homeschooling & have me go get a paying job. Funny, her YOUNGEST has been out of school for 8 years now and SHE hasn't had a paying job in 32 years. But I should get one while my babies are schooling here in my house? ((((((hugs)))))) Yeah, I've got a few of those in my family too. love, mom
I have tons of allergies and terrible sinuses, but my immune system, really is fine... I RARELY EVER get colds or the flu...viruses are so few and far between for me. What's great, too, is the fact that dairy, especially, fucks with your sinuses, so imagine if I actually ate dairy, how much worse it would be.
Just stick to it and be strong. Tell them that eating dead animals is gross to you, shut my parents right up.
maybe they are being weird because over the two years you've a) taught them that eating dead animals isn't the most moral of positions and b) you've showed them that veganism is really quite easy... they might be feeling somewhat guilty about eating meat, and you've shown them they can't just duck out by saying "veganism is too hard," and they might be feeling kind of defensive about their meat eating - which comes out as them being odd to you. They could just be trying to justify their own behaviour by ragging on yours...
Yeah, and cool people will admit that too...like my dad has. He said last year, hunting season, "Yeah... I'll still go out there, but I don't even know if I'll even bring my gun or anything... I just dont care for it anymore" He has stuck up for me and told everyone that I still can eat like a normal person, and that the food is NOT bad. He's pretty awesome about it.
