Hey all,
So I recently decided to go vegan. My personal reasons for ditching animal products were because of environmental factors, animal welfare, and trying to maintain consistency with the values I hold to their logical ends.
I was curious. I’ve seen a lot of hate towards vegans online, admittedly being someone who partook in that several years ago myself to a small degree. While I’m glad and very lucky people I know closely have been making accommodations for me, I’m also worried about mentioning or bringing it up to people I’m getting to know since I don’t want to rub them the wrong way if they possibly have these notions that being vegan and veganism are a bad thing. Namely when it’s relevant in conversation like people asking me why I read ingredients lists or can’t have something they’re offering me, which I’ve been half-lying attributing to food allergies and intolerances out of worry (I’m lactose intolerant, which helps as a cop-out).
I’m wanting to know what people dislike about vegans, whether they’re based on previous experiences they’ve had, or preconceived notions, and what would make someone a “good vegan” in their eyes. I know I shouldn’t be a people-pleaser, but knowing this stuff would definitely help me gain the confidence to be more open about myself and my personal values to others who don’t necessarily share said values.
Thanks in advance, I’ll try to respond where possible, but it’s going to be a busy day for me, though I do read all replies to posts I make.
Idk but be prepared for people to be extreme assholes to you because they don’t like your choice of food. Mfers will see you not order a meat dish at a restaurant and take offense and try to bait you into an argument. Don’t fall for it because they’ll play dirty
Lots of non-vegans make the assumption that vegans are looking down on them as morally inferior and don’t like it.
The best you can do for them is to tell them that it isn’t about them; it’s your choice for yourself.
Of course you might actually see them as morally inferior, in which case you can just say “Hey I am vegan and while I do see you as morally inferior, it wasn’t me who brought up the subject.”
Plenty of non vegans have those views due to first hand experiences with those vegans, namely the few vocal ones that make veganism their entire personality and admonish anyone who isn’t like them. Personally, I’ve been chewed out twice by two separate vegans, once because I ordered a cheeseburger at a bar (we were out having beers, I got hungry, ordered a burger, and friend of a friend proceeded on a half hour rant about how I’m evil and am destroying the planet, and that I am a terrible person, etc), the other because I walked past a rally on my way somewhere and wasn’t expressly in support of their cause. I also have a couple buddies that went the vegan route, but we just don’t talk about to because it’s a pointless argument. Like, I’m cool with y’all’s choice, power to you, just don’t crawl up my ass because I like meat. Live and let live
Mfers will see you not order a meat dish at a restaurant and take offense and try to bait you into an argument
Who does this?! I’ve gone out to eat with vegan friends many times, and this has never happened, not once. And I live in Texas
you’re probably going to have better luck asking this in a vegan focused community
Hey, glad you want to be a considerate, conscientious vegan! You won’t upset anyone as long as you follow these simple rules:
- Never admit that you are vegan
- Never talk about veganism
- When people are talking about meat, eagerly participate
- Do not eat visibly vegan food in public
- If offered meat or cheese, eat it without protest
- Do not cook vegan food if serving others
- When you see a cow, remark out loud how you want to eat it
That’s about all you need to know to be one of the Good Vegans. Hope this helps!
You sound like one of those people who deliberately tries to feed vegans animal products
My son is vegan and he makes fun of himself - If you vape, you’re vegan, and you’re in a band; which one do you talk about first? Was funnier a few years ago when people carried around those giant vapes. We harassed him a lot for saying, “i can’t eat that” - well, yes you can, but you choose not to- so, now he’ll say he prefers to avoid animal products. If people ask, be honest and answer succinctly - I’m trying it to see if it makes me feel better, or whatever. The hate isn’t from choosing your own food. It’s from the endless conversations and superior, more informed attitude about it - same as anyone who makes one thing their identity - politics, religion, etc.
My buddy went hard when he first went vegan, pushing me to see videos of animal abuse so i would ‘understand’. That was annoying, but it was new to him so i didn’t make it an issue. His making the change was enough to start me on the road myself, though i don’t think he’d understood that (cuz i’d never tell him lol)
