This post made me feel much better knowing that there are others that have experienced this. It also makes me realise that the best way to handle the situation is with understanding and respect, even if you aren’t getting it in return. It is misunderstanding that this anger is stemmed and fueling it will only make it worse. Thanks again!

You might like my blog. It’s got a lot of humor and I rip on a lot of fast food. I’m going to eventually do a vegetarian/ vegan post about why people should be more supportive.

My fiance who loves me very much met me when I was only vegetarian. He thought it was cool and neat that I was vegetarian.

Then I decided to make the transition to vegan. He has taken my decision as a personal attack. He is actually hurt because I will no longer eat pizza from Pizza Hut with him or cheesy scrambled eggs. He feels betrayed by my sudden change in diet.

I still cook meat and eggs and cheese for him…..and I’ve tried explaining to him multiple times that I don’t love him any less just because I won’t eat animal products with him any more.

But he is still hurt by my choice.

And this is from someone who loves and supports me. I’ve gone to dinner at someone’s house while simply vegetarian and had them start in on me about my diet. Funny how it is never me who brings up the food issues. I mostly just want to be left alone about it at this point. I am, of course, more than willing to share my thoughts and beliefs with those who are truly interested.

None of that was meant to be confrontational…merely explanatory from my perspective.

No one is going to call you names for eating the way you eat, but vegans strongly disagree with the way you eat. That doesn’t mean vegans think you harbor secret desires to eat soybeans or that you’re an evil, horrible person. Your having a response like the one you had to this article written for vegans to use in their day-to-day coping with life outside the mainstream is very common, but it misses the point, entirely.

My choice to abstain from animal products in my diet is not a commentary on the food you put on your plate. It is a commentary on a number of things in MY life and in the meat production industry. It has nothing to do with you. If, however, a non-vegan calls me names, points and laughs, accuses me of being malnourished, or finds fun in trying to trick me or make me look hypocritical…I have to wonder why.

This article and the many like it written by vegans for vegans is a sort of dialogue we use to process the hostility, make sense out of it, and get on with life. Don’t take it so personally because it was neither about you nor for you.

I have gone (dietary) vegan for the month of January. Why? Well, I usually only eat meat twice a week, along with maybe a couple of eggs and an oily fish or two, but at xmas I was staying with a friend and I ate waaay too much meat, none of which was free range or organic. Urgghh, sometimes I ate meat twice in one day. Of course I also ate far too much chocolate! Dropping all the animal products this month is my apology to my body, to intensively-reared animals and the poor planet. It’s also a way to get rid of the xmas weight gain, it forces me to try some new recipes, and I will also be interested to see whether it helps with my complexion. I have told a few people about this decision and have not had any backlash, just interest in why/how I am doing it.

I think it is fantastic when people decide to put more thought into what they eat and where their food has come from. There are a few reasons why I will not stay vegan in the long term, one being I am terrible at taking supplements so would be at risk of iron and B12 deficiencies (my iron is already quite low, my calcium probably is too). Also, I really do like the odd chicken or lamb curry! My sister has been vegan for about 7 years (from the age of 17), and was well-supported by my family from the beginning. The only thing she says she misses is being able to buy stuff from a bakery!

Veganism is not THE lifestyle. It is A lifestyle.

I have nothing against Vegans or anyone just because of what they do or do not eat (why would you?), but I don’t feel bad for eating the way I do – oh wait, I do eat too much sugar – or maybe I am just in denile.