*rant*

Arg! You know what is horrible?

When you tell someone you can't drink milk when at their house because you're lactose-intolerant, they apologize and offer something else. But if you should tell them it's because you're vegan, they look down upon you! It's so sad! Lord! I mean, if the doctor said you can't, then they feel bad, but if you're doing it for your health, the lives of animals, and the safety of the environment, then it's stupid! Apparently, nowadays, morals and values are just not cool at all...

 

honestly i haven't dealt w/ the negativity personally


but i also don't tell ppl whom i think will be unsupportive

 

I'm both so I guess I'm lucky. But I know what you mean, people are understanding about the milk allergy thing (I'm allergic to milk protien rather than lactose intolerant) but you get eye rolling at the no egg thing.

 

it is sad. vegetarianism and veganism is viewed as a choice and lactose intolerant is viewed as something by which one must sacrifise.

 

Neither have I. But I surround myself basically with open minded people, so that is probably why. I just dont see how anyone can look down upon veganism.......there is nothing negative about it.

 

Gertie, veg*nism is a choice. One people should really respect though, the same as other moral choices.

 

that really sucks a lot. whenever i tell people i can't drink milk or eat eggs i expect to get a negative reaction, but most of them have been in awe that there are people who have the willpower to do something like go vegan. people can be very silly sometimes though, i agree.

 

Totally understand and agree

I've been trying to talk my mother into letting me give up dairy (in efforts to go vegan).
Tried almost every angle of ethics, got me nowhere. She only agreeed to it because I'd convinced her it might help my hayfever. Read something about it in a magazine.

Ah well end result was the same.

I tell people I have a meat intollerance, no need to mention it's all in the mind

 

I know how you feel. Recently in my Foods class my friend and I got made fun of because we didn't want to eat this gravy because it was flavored with beef cubes and I said the flavor of beef disgusts me, and everyone said so what its still not meat you can eat it. I said the flavor of an animal's flesh disgusts me, and they were so shocked that I wouldn't eat it.

 

That happened to me yesterday, i went over this girls house and her mom got like 80 bucks worth of pizza and i ate none cuz im a vegan. and she kept hassling me to eat it cuz she paid so much money for it. I felt so bad that I couldn't...and on my way out she was like "well, atleast have some cookies" and i didnt even bother saying i can't eat cookies either because she would probably look at me in horror and confusion, so i just said no thank you, but i appreciate it, and left.

Peace and Love,
Dan

 

i became a vegetarian as a result of health problems. my body reacted to meat like a food allergy. whether it is health, or religious faith, or something inside that refuses to allow you it can be a choice, but please rememeber it is not always.

 

I think it's easy for them to poke fun of what they don't understand. I remember my view on my brother's vegetarianism while i was eating meat, honestly I thought he was silly and it wouldn't hurt him to eat anything with meat or with meat flavoring, etc. Of course, I had no idea what went on in the meat industry, I didn't take them time to really take a look at his feelings. Maybe if we informed them and they actually listened, put everything in the closet for a minute and were open to new information and opinions, we wouldn't get hassled as much. If they want to continue eating meat, fine, I'm not out to convert the world, but I want them to understand where we're coming from.

 

...ironic, eh? especially considering that the election were polled as granting morality/values the utmost in superior standing. good luck kid.

luvin'

 

As far as the whole "choice" thing, its not a simple matter of "oh, should I pick the green computer or the red one?" From the moral perspective its more like, "well, I technically could run over those kids crossing the street... but I won't."

I think people get weird about it because they do understand something about it. Not so much the part about what we eat, but the moral implications. No one wants to think of themselves as a bad person, and thus wouldn't like the murder comparisions. I was like that before I changed; I didn't want to hear/read anything about it and mumbled something stupid about the food chain. When people are bothered by something like that, they tend to make light/fun of it to relieve the stress.

The lack of knowledge about alternative foods just makes the thought of change harder, because when you hear the term "vegetarian" (which I fucking hate) most people will quickly think of vegetables, rather than say pasta, sandwiches, fake burgers, etc. It's kind of misleading.

 

heh... I love this one!

 

Yea, when I go to friends' houses, and I deal with their parents, they're almost irritated by my responses. Even though I don't actually ask for anything, they try to offer me things and i just say 'no thanks'. My friends don't get it either, but their parents (who don't have much of a relationship with me) make me feel more uncomfortable.