Fall away Vegans - do you feel like second class citizens being "only" vegetarians?

Question

I was vegan for about six months a couple of years ago. I actually gained about five pounds because all I did was stuff myself with beans and bread because I sooooooo missed dairy I was looking for anything to fill the void.

My question is - do any of you ever feel bad about your choice to be a mere vegetarian. I LOVE my yogurt and occasional piece of cheese, but I feel so dang guilty about it sometimes. Also, I feel like organizations that I am trying to support through my choices, such as PETA, are really against anything short of a purely vegan lifestyle.

How about you?

Answer 1

I had no trouble giving any of those things up when I saw www.meat.org.  There are so many replacement things like soy milk, which I have grown to love so much that I crave it.

We also eat soy cheese twice a week with pasta to make a mock mac and cheese.  Soy yogurt is odd the first few times you eat it, but then it replaces regular yogurt.

When I see a glass of milk or worse smell it, I see blood and pus to start with.  Then I visualize a newborn calf being torn from it's Mother and fed our of a bottle.  I think of what it would be like to have someone take my baby away.  What's worse is the fact that the boys will be used to veal and the girls will repeat the same suffering as their Mothers.  They will never know what it's like to live with their families, as they did before cows were domesticated.

I guess it's hard for me as a vegan to understand why people can refuse to support one type of abuse and end up supporting another type of abuse.

I don't care how "happy" these so called organic free range cows are.  It's not like it was on shows like Little House on The Prairie.  Cows have become slaves to us and our greed.  I will never forget how much milk I consumed before I learned the facts.  I will have to drink a whole lot of soy milk to make up for that.

Answer 2

When I was a vegetarian, I never felt bad about it. As long as they're saving lives, they help to end suffering in the world, and I'm not sure if I would refer to them as "mere vegetarians," simply because the effort that they put into their diet is considerably large.

Answer 3

i hear yah! i can't get away from the dairy. I do feel guilty its true. Eventually i will be a successful vegan. I just don't have the will power now!

Answer 4

listen i would atleast rather be a vegetarian then eat meat its better than nothing to help out some of those d**n vegans act so high and mighty like there better than vegetarians because they eliminated more well if i want animal products ill have it so they can kiss my *** i dont care !!!!!! i love animals and drinking dairy if its local isnt harming the cows as long as its not over worked i understand about the eggs part but still

Answer 5

I don't think anyone is a "mere" vegetarian. I don't understand why vegetarians always assume that vegans are criticizing them. We're not, really it's up to you if you want to consume eggs and dairy. Your entitled to your decision and we are entitled to ours.

Any way, I did find dairy was the most difficult thing to give up. I do miss cheese pizza, and the soy alternatives don't quite taste the same. But I will happily forgo my slice of cheese pizza due to my moral beliefs against dairy. Those being my moral beliefs, and I'm not upset if no one else shares the same belief.

Answer 6

i hate the taste, and smell of milk, but i put up with it unfortunantly :( i feel bad for them frickin cows.

Answer 7

NO! I don't feel like a "second class citizen," because I'm a vegetarian. That's as silly as asking if you feel like a second class citizen, because your a Jew instead of a Christian. Everyone has their own beliefs.

Answer 8

Speaking only for myself: when I was omni and learned the truth about the animal agriculture industry, the only logical response for me was to become vegan.  I don't believe there is such a thing as ethical vegetarianism: eggs and dairy still contribute to unbelievable suffering for animals, and I don't believe that "I just can't live without cheese" is justification for the mutilation, enslavement, and suffering of animals.

That said, I also believe that being vegetarian is an awesome thing to do for animals.  So you've given-up meat, eggs, dairy, and honey with the exception of occasional cheese and yogurt - that's great!!  Already, you're withdrawing your support from the animal agri industry, and fewer animals are suffering thanks to your new lifestyle.

My philosophy: Just because you can't do everything doesn't mean you should do nothing.  Do SOMETHING.

Anyways, that's my two cents.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 9

~ I felt very bad about being only a vegetarian.  That is why I'm now 100% vegan.  I couldn't handle knowing I was still contributing to poor health for myself and for the animals.  It just wasn't a win-win for me.