Discriminated against as a Vegetarian?

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  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
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    I fully respect people's decisions to be vegan...I reserve the right to tease them though. Hidewall.gif

    Yeah, you're right. My best of friends, the guys I ride with, would "tease" me. If "tease me" means give me crap. But, they earned the right.
  • modernfemme
    modernfemme Posts: 454 Member
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    Vegetarian for almost a year now. I've had my screw ups, but for the most part, everyone in my life knows i'm vegetarian and no one makes fun of me except my dad - but it's only in jest and I know he actually thinks it's cool. My husband's grandmother thinks I'm an alien from out of space though - but she always goes out of her way to prepare me something.

    Maybe I'm not very sensitive about it, but people teasing me about not eating meat don't hurt my feelings.
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
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    I think there is plenty of judgment on both sides of the matter. I get it from both the vegetarians AND the meat eaters. This is because our daughters have worked on the farm where the animals are raised that we will eat. They feed and care for the animals, name them, play with them, and make sure they are given attention. The animals are all free range, non-hormone and low stress.

    Then, when a few years ago, I asked them to participate in a butchery session. They knew that the animals they cared for were the ones they ate (we even say thanks to the animal by name at dinner time). Both kids decided to attend the butchery (done by the farmers) and watched the animals die and assisted in cleaning up after. I asked them (did not force them) to do this so that they would never forget the price the animal paid for their meal.

    I half expected the girls to become vegetarian after that. However, even as they shed tears for the animals, they promised they would never waste meat.

    When I told some meat eating parents about this, a few were horrified that I would expose my kids to such violence. Some vegetarians thought that I was just making the slaughter of animals "acceptable" to my kids.

    The way I see it, we are omnivores. We choose to eat meat. But our family will always know where that meat came from and make sure that the animals are treated with respect.

    I love this! While I do not agree with eating meat....I don't flame others who do. My daughter is an omnivore and it is her choice to make, not mine. I live in the deep south....I'm friends with many hunters and I know they use all parts of the deer once they 'bring it down'. I would prefer a person hunt and kill and eat everything they can from an animal than to waste it or just hunt for sport. I believe that if more people would attend a slaughter or hunt....they would truly appriciate where their food comes from.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
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    Wow, where on earth are you from that is so backwards minded? I can't believe people say such things.

    Vegetarianism alone is the new going green so people should at least accept it as a popular and green fad if nothing else (*I am NOT saying these are your reasons but it has gained popularity/exposure so it shouldn't be a shock to anyone anymore.)

    The best you can do is ignore them, especially the most idiotic comments like "mooooo" there is no response for something that low.

    I am not a vegetarian but have no problem with others who are. That being said I do NOT ask why. I fear the lecture that will follow regarding animal cruelty, how environmentally un-friendly breeding is in addition to chemicals and diseases in the slaughter process. I plead ignorance-is-bliss on that one ;)

    My only beef (ha ha, pardon my pun) is people who claim to be vegetarian but they eat fish. Then they are a pescetarian NOT a vegetarian. A fish had parents, it was alive, bread, ate and lived therefore who is to judge the level of cruelty that is acceptable based on the animal type.
  • california_peach
    california_peach Posts: 1,858 Member
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    Please are just plain ignorant. That fact does not shock me, but what shocks me is how willingly they are to open their mouths and prove it. I am not a vegetarian(although I rarely eat meat), but I have married to man who has been a vegetarian for 13 years. And people says stupid stuff to me ALL THE TIME. My favorite comment is: "I could never marry/date a someone who did not eat meat". What an odd comment to make about my husband.

    Anyway, just ignore them and think about all the meat backing up their colons.
  • lexistepps
    lexistepps Posts: 200 Member
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    My mom is a vegetarian, and I tend to make fun of her for it. It's all in good fun, but I support her decision and she looks great, so who the heck cares!

    I am not a vegetarian, but I will often go out to dinner and decide that I am just in the mood for a veggie burger (I think they often taste better and don't sit as heavily in my stomach as a beef burger) and my sister in law is constantly making comments. She's not joking, and I'm not even a vegetarian and it annoys ME, so I know how you feel :)
  • jen_bersabal
    jen_bersabal Posts: 45
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    I totally understand. My family is a very meat-centric family and when I decided to stop eating meat it was a really big deal! Even now I have family members that say, "Awww, she doesn't eat meat" at family functions, as if I'm the one whose missing out on something!
    You don't have to justify anything; it is your choice and a great one at that! :smile:
  • hotpickles
    hotpickles Posts: 639 Member
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    To me, it's just like teasing someone who bought a blue car instead of a red car. It's a personal choice!

    I'm personally trying to eat less meat. I made a vegetarian salad for a get-together and somebody commented on it, how they would love to have the recipe to pass on to a vegetarian friend. I must say, ever since I've cut back on the meat, I've come across some pretty tasty recipes!
  • ZebraHead
    ZebraHead Posts: 15,207 Member
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    Vegetarians aren't people
    You have no tastebuds
    Can you just not be a vegetarian for today?
    I like animals too, they taste good (it takes all of my willpower not to punch them in the face)
    Making mooing noises, or even making up a story about the life of the animal as they eat it.
    and the list goes on and on...

    Too Funny. I know your serious but:

    I am a meat eater and one of my friends is a Vegan, we exchanged barbs all the time. He gave as good as he got.

    I was having eggs in front of him one day and he laid this on me:

    "So how are you enjoying that chicken menstruation?" I laughed to tears.

    I say to each their own. If you and I were having a meal together (and we were acquainted) I might trade some harmless barbs with you as well.
  • NotAllWhoWanderAreLost
    NotAllWhoWanderAreLost Posts: 615 Member
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    i am sure the comments are just as frequent (if not more) as when you tell them you are muslim or jewish and dont eat pork. ... Immediately i hear stories about bacon and ham and all sorts of crazy *kitten*. ... I am not a big meat eater (more now that i have been trying to up my protein intake) so i can sort of relate to the vegetarian backlash as well!

    Just stay true to what you believe in and let comments roll right off your back :)
  • PuppyBandit
    PuppyBandit Posts: 57
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    In reading some of these replies, there are quite a few smug comments against meat eaters. You all should remember it goes both ways. Being non mean eater is right for you. Eating meat is right for me.

    I loved the post of the person whose family had 3 versions of turkey, one being tofurkey. That is the way is should be, everyone doing what is right for them and not judging.
  • guardup
    guardup Posts: 230
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    I was having eggs in front of him one day and he laid this on me:

    "So how are you enjoying that chicken menstruation?" I laughed to tears.


    I also love to say to my kids when they pour tons of honey into their tea "Boy, you sure like your Bee Puke!"
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    In reading some of these replies, there are quite a few smug comments against meat eaters. You all should remember it goes both ways. Being non mean eater is right for you. Eating meat is right for me.

    I loved the post of the person whose family had 3 versions of turkey, one being tofurkey. That is the way is should be, everyone doing what is right for them and not judging.

    Thank you!
  • Sweet13_Princess
    Sweet13_Princess Posts: 1,207 Member
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    I think it's definately possible for people to discriminate. It basically comes down to them being uneducated about what being a vegetarian actually is and why people make the choice to become one. Also, they think the food isn't tastey. Yes, it's rude. Yes, it's wrong. Look at it this way.... it's a chance for you to help correct people's misconceptions about it!

    Shannon

    PS I'm not a vegetarian, but a flexitarian. I only eat animal products 1-2 a week. I just don't crave it!
  • lexistepps
    lexistepps Posts: 200 Member
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    In reading some of these replies, there are quite a few smug comments against meat eaters. You all should remember it goes both ways. Being non mean eater is right for you. Eating meat is right for me.

    I loved the post of the person whose family had 3 versions of turkey, one being tofurkey. That is the way is should be, everyone doing what is right for them and not judging.

    Thank you!

    Ah, I have to say I agree. I'm friends with a girl who is a vegetarian, and she's constantly posting smug, self righteous vegetarian articles and the like with titles like "UGGS ARE MURDER!!!"....I happen to own a pair of Uggs, they keep my feet warm and I wear them RELIGIOUSLY (and not for fashion reasons, either) so I don't feel like ANY animal died in vain or for no reason...not to mention animal hide has been used for CENTURIES as a form of clothing in one way or another :flowerforyou:

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