Do you ever get grief for being vegetarian or even vegan?

Question

my parents always complain about how i wont eat any meat grrrr its sooooooo annoying

Answer 1

all the time. sometimes i don't reply. if i laugh it off, then i have a feeling it will just get worse and they will cross the line. so i don't laugh it off i usually just pretend i didn't hear it and they usually stop. i think most omnivores feel like vegetarians are attacking them. Like we are saying that they are bad people. for example an omnivore says to a veg '' i don't understand why you would become a vegetarian'' so the vegetarian explains ''i think factory farms are scum, i want to do my part in protecting our planet and i want to take a step in improving my health'' then the omnivore gets offended and says 'what you think i'm a bad person? i am a compassionate human being i recycle. i don't have high cholesterol etc etc'' i think it's just their guilty consciouses in a way...

Answer 2

alllll the time.

but moreso i'm surprised at how much grief veg*ns give other veg*ns for not being veg enough of not being 10000% of whatever else... that's not helping the cause at all.

Answer 3

i am not one, but I've noticed that a lot of people like to bash vegetarians and vegans for their decision to omit meat from their diet for whatever reason.  I would think that in real life, you wouldn't get that much slack over it.  It sounds like your parent's aren't very understanding.

Answer 4

My parents found the extra effort etc. a little tiresome and when they're angry when we go out it sometimes slips out.

As for my friends nearly everyone has just accepted it as my choice, the only thing that can be annoying is if I ask say: 'Are these sandwiches vegetarian?' recently, the women gave me a look as if I was talking utter rubbish and started going on about how they contained no meat and 'oh here have this prawn one'.

SO in the end I could not have anything and she went back and gossiped to her work colleague.

Answer 5

My parents didn't think I would last a week when I started when I was five. My dad still tries to get me to eat meat, but they would never force it. Kids at school have teased me a bit off and on for the last eleven years, but it's all in good humor. Occasionally, someone crosses the line, but it's generally not too bad.

Answer 6

I can only think of one person but she is an idiot that didn't give her kids an ounce of discipline and used to feed them fruit snacks because it was the only way she could get them to eat fruit.

I hardly count her as a human being.

Answer 7

my family always makes fun of me for being a vegan

they call me F**********r and salad tosser just because i don't harm innocent animals

you learn to get over these things

your parents are just jealous that their child is actually standing up for what she believes in

**************

by the way "F**********r" and "salad tosser" are homoerotic references

people seem to think i eat lots of fudge and salad.

i dont

my parents think i'm g*y

Answer 8

yes. apparently its just a phase and i probably eat meat behind thier back

i learned that from my parents

i also learned that animals dont have feelings

haha

Answer 9

I do, but not much.  My in-laws are the ones that complain about it.  Every time my husband, daughter, or me gets sick, they always say "that's because you are not eating beef"  Wow, if the doctors only knew that beef is the miracle cure.

Answer 10

All the time - "you won't get enough protein, iron, etc." so I had to memorize the protein and iron content in my veggies to have an answer for them.

Answer 11

I do not, but my friend does every now and then. As long as you are getting enough protein from other sources, you should be healthy as a vegetarian.

Answer 12

Hehe, very, VERY rarely to be honest. My mother is the typical doting old-world type mother who ALWAYS asks if I want some meat, even though she knows the answer, but she doesn't nit pick at it. Everyone in my family laid off after a few months since they realized it wasn't a phase... I mean, I've been vegetarian since I was 13 and now I'm a parent myself, if this was a phase it would have been over years ago.

I think that since you still live with them, they might see this as a phase or you trying to "find" yourself, kind of like trying alternate subcultures you fit into... it's just going to take dedication and time for them to see that you are serious about it and that this isn't just something you're doing temporarily or because some of your friends are. :)

Honestly I get a lot more grief and problems from people about tattoos, piercings or dying my hair certain colors. I guess that's a "phase" I never grew out of either, and it never stopped me from achieving whatever I wanted in life. It's my body, I figure... what I eat and what I adorn it with is my choice, as long as it doesn't hurt anybody (heck that's the point of being vegan, isn't it? A diet that hurts sentient life as little as possible?)

Answer 13

yes...my parents are like that all the time...my family won't ever except it. ugh...whatever.

Answer 14

All the time. It's usually the same people, so I've gotten used to it.

Answer 15

Not usually from people that I know. Most really admire the commitment that it takes, but I don't see it as that much of a commitment.

The strangest thing I ever got about being vegetarian was from uncle, the Baptist minister. He told me that there was a passage in the bible about how God gave humankind the animals to reign over and do with as they wish, and by not eating meat, I was defying God. I didn't know how to respond to that one...

Answer 16

I'm in my thirties, so my parents can suck it.  But yes, I get grief on a daily basis from people who feel like my ethical choices are somehow an attack on them.

Answer 17

yea my parents do the same to me. and my dad will say things like "time to eat some mass produced cows"

i just ignore him.

Answer 18

Yes. Mostly from my dad and a few of my friends. They'll try to get me to make "exceptions" to my vegan diet which bothers me sometimes. A select few people are obnoxious about it, but the majority of the people I meet just accept it.  

Answer 19

yes from my parents.but when i'm at school people sort of admire/respect me for it. it just depends on the environment i guess.

Answer 20

i have a couple guy friends that do quite often, i have learned just to blow them off. most people i find are curious about it and are unmocking.

Answer 21

I know what you mean. It does get annoying. Meat lovers don't understand how I don't have a craving for steak UGH. You don't say how old you are. If you're on your own, I don't think you have to explain yourself.  It's a little harder if you are still under your parents roof. Then you might try to let them know that this is your choice for now, and who knows maybe you'll change your mind later.  As long as your healthy,  taking care of yourself, and getting the nutrients that you need. Good luck.