What do you tell people when they ask you why you are a vegan/vegetarian?

Question

What do you tell people when they ask you why you are a vegan/vegetarian?

Answer 1

I usually beat around the bush because I get tired of telling people why i'm vegan! I usually just say because I don't like to eat animals...

Answer 2

I say I'm a strict vegetarian for ethical and environmental reasons.  I try not to use the word vegan because people have a really bad reaction to it.  I've gotten better reactions from people when I say I'm a racist than when I say I'm a vegan.

Answer 3

usually to male i say i am 100% non-vegetarian

to female oh shee i dont like it

Answer 4

It depends on how they ask, I have answered like this:

Because I don't eat anything that has a nerous system.

Because I don't want to be on medication and crippled when I'm older.

Because I can't stand the thought of rotting decomposing animal flesh inside me

By research I found that eating meat is extremely unhealthy

Because of the antibiotics, pesticides and hormones injected inside these animals, plus mercury in fish!

Answer 5

I tell them because I don't feel the need to kill an animal for food. But if they are being a snot about it I just tell them because I can.

Answer 6

I dont find that people ask me that question.  They pretty much assume why I dont wat meat and usually dont want to be informed about why.  But the few times someone has asked I tell them I do not want to put rotting diseased animal flesh into my mouth...no really, I simply tell them that I care for animals and dont want to eat them.

Answer 7

I say because I have a bigger heart then you, and I do not want to eat my cat.

But to say it in a kinder way, I do not like animals to be inhumanly treated for their whole life, just for us to enjoy a 20 minute meal.

Answer 8

"i don't like the way meat is produced and how the animals are killed, like in factory farms"

that's it.... they ask more, i'll give more... but that's usually it... the next question is usually "don't you miss a big fat juicy steak?" unfortunately.  instead of "really?  tell me more.... " *sigh*

Answer 9

It depends on who is asking, how they're asking and in what context they're asking.  I don't get into it with people who are asking out of scorn and I don't get into it over a meal, even if the interest is genuine.  But other than that, if someone wants to know I start by telling them that I don't want to participate in the process of breeding, confining and killing animals for food.

Answer 10

It's been my experience that people ask this question for no other reason than they want to justify their own positions on eating meat. Very few people have been genuinely curious as to my reasons for going veg. Most have just wanted to bait me. With that in mind I try to be as kind, factual and non accusatory as possible when I answer.

Answer 11

you don't like to eat things that used to walk or swim or fly.

Answer 12

I just say that I hate plants.

Answer 13

Well, I'm a little bit of a different situation. I'm vegetarian because I don't like meat and because it's healthier. I usually tell them that. If they press the issue, I'll say something like "animals have to die somehow, I'm just not going to eat them". People tend to back off after that.

Answer 14

it depends on how they ask and who they are.  anyone who is close to me knows why i'm a vegetarian and has talked with me about it quite a bit.  

when people that i'm not close to ask about it, i just tell them i don't support the industry....sometimes i'll specify that it's for religious or ethical reasons, but most of the time i find it best not to get into religous/ethical arguments with people i don't know well.

i'm willing to discuss vegetarianism with people as long as they are respectful about it.  if they can't be respecful then it's not their business.

Answer 15

i say its because i am a brainwashed fool.

Answer 16

You answer their question.

People have different reasons for being vegan/vegetarian.  You tell them what your reason(s) are.