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.
I have attempted being ovo lacto vegetarian in the past, flexitarian and pescitarian, but never vegan.
My experience is that your motivation for not eating meat is why people care. If you do it for ethical or environmental reasons and not health ones. Then people will feel that you are thinking that you are superior to them.
Health one is the most accepted reason, because it is not an “attack” on someones values. Yes, it is ridiculous that people feel this way.
However it is more work having guests that have special dietary needs, and vegans and vegetarians are choosing it. People with allergies or religious reasons are not.
My experience is that the easiest way to get the most results with the least friction socially is to be a flexitarian. Eat vegetarian / vegan when you are cooking or buying food, and eat the meat and animal products you are served. That reduces your consumption of animal meat and products by 80-95% without the hassle.
I managed to be a flexitarian for 2-3 years, but gave up. Vegetarian I only managed like a month or two.
Also remember B12!
I tried to be flexatarian for a few months but I gave up. It seemed stupid. Gone back to being full vegan now.
It’s a compromise for sure, and not entirely consistent with the values of a vegan / vegetarian.
I wanted to reduce my meat and animal product consumption and it removed most of the social friction. The constant need to tell hosts of social gatherings of my preferences. I did not have to constantly hear whining from my grandmother about how they ate in the old days, and how we “city-folk” are.
I am currently a meat eater, but try to not eat meat too often. I would not consider myself a flexitarian, but eat way less than before.