people's attitudes toward vegetarians

[EnviroBecca]

At a family gathering this weekend, we heard several weird things said with regard to people's eating habits:

A mom of 3 grade-school kids was saying she's thinking about raising some chickens, "but it would have to be just for the eggs. The kids wouldn't be able to stand eating them once they'd gotten to know them. They're close enough to wanting to be vegetarians as it is!" : Is there something wrong with her kids being vegetarians? Is she afraid to let them face the reality of where their food comes from?

Someone was bragging about how he talked some Hindu colleagues into eating buffalo meat by insisting, "It's not really a cow." He told this as a long story w/several rounds of argument. Why is it important to him that they eat it? Couldn't he have accepted, "We don't eat that because of our religion." in the first place?

The uncle sitting next to MrBecca when he ordered a vegetarian omelet elbowed him and said, "Eggs are meat protein, ya know!" We're not even sure if he knew that we've given up meat for Lent--neither of US told him--and even if he did know that, what's his objection? : MrBecca replied calmly, "The protein may be the same, but an unfertilized egg is not an animal." and then changed the subject. (He refrained from pointing out that an unfertilized egg is like menstrual flow...mmm... )

What is the deal w/some people? Why is it important to them that everyone eat meat? Is it so that they can avoid questioning their own habits?

[AdinaL]

IT is because people are well and truly snowed into believing that you NEED meat. If you dont' have it you are not healthy. And if you are healthy and you don't eat meat - then there is something wrong with them. And that can't happen! Especially in the beef capital of the world!!
If the questions lead to them pondering what a crock they have been sold by the beef industry...then that makes them ponder a whole lot of other things...which makes them freak out.
JMO.

[Doodlebugsmom]

Like you said, I think alot of it is so they can avoid questioning their own habits. I just simply don't see any other logical reason for it. I mean, why would anyone care how others choose to eat? I'm sure the mom was thinking about how her kids' wanting to be veg. would inconvienience her. The man who talked the Hindu into trying buffalo was just disrespectful.

[EnviroBecca]

On the way home from this get-together, discussing these things, we wondered whether we should've spoken up the first two situations and/or asked uncle in the last situation why he cares what we eat. We hadn't because we didn't want to be antagonistic, but were we missing an opportunity to help others think about their biases and possibly change their behavior? Then I remembered the Gospel reading from Ash Wednesday that says not to be like the hypocrites who complain about fasting so that everyone will know they're doing it, but "anoint your head with oil and wash your face" and go out and act normal; when you advertise your religious observance, you receive your reward in the form of people thinking how holy you are, but if you don't advertise you will receive your reward in heaven. So, being quiet about it is exactly what Jesus wants us to do. At least during this fasting season.

[Jish]

(He refrained from pointing out that an unfertilized egg is like menstrual flow...mmm...

Now why did you have to go and say that. Not only do I have my period right now, but I LOVE scrambled eggs and omlettes. At least I used to...: I'm never going to be able to look at an egg the same way again.

[Chelly2003]

My DH and i both eat meat. For some strange reason DS doesnt' eat it very much at all - it doesn't bother me if he sits down to a bowl of veggies - as he does almost every night!!
(I do fancy the veggies up with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese - he LOVES it)

Chelly

[adventuregirl]

I think that another thing about being brought up in our "meat culture" is that a lot of people really have no idea that there are other things to eat. Veggies and grains are "side dishes" to them, so what the heck does a veg eat for their main course? I chalk it up to lack of education - if parents, schools or friends don't set an example, you have to seek that info out yourself, and many people just aren't interested.
When I was veg, people would always ask me why? And, what do you eat? (huh?) Now, if I order something veg, people will ask, are you veg? Well, no, but that doesn't mean I have to eat meat for every meal. (duh)
It can really be annoying, but I think people can learn from your example without you preaching it to them. When someone is intrigued, they will ask you questions. If not, they probably wouldn't be open to it anyway, so don't waste your energy. But sometimes comments really chap my behind, so I gotta say something. :ignore

[DiaperDiva]

It bothers people, because, ,they take it personally. If you say you are a vegetarian, it's like you are questioning their eating habits. If eating meat was a bad choice for you, that must mean they are making a bad choice, so they get defensive. It's the same when I say I'm an atheist, everyone gets all tense and ready to attack :


Now that DD and I have been meat free for...3 weeks? I have started getting weird comments to? Questions as to why, whats wrong with meat, etc? I try and avoid the questions are be as ligthhearted about it as possible

[ilex]

I chose to be vegetarian at the age of 13, everyone else in my family ate meat, so this was very hard for everyone to accept. Soon after though, my sister's both became vegetarian as well, so it made it a bit easier. But to this day, and especially now that I have a child, 15 years later, my father still hassles me about it. He also *forgets* that I don't eat it and offers me meat or dairy all the time, which drives me crazy. But it is definitely an ingrained belief for him, the hunter. : I just hope he doesn't give my dd a hard time, or me a hard time about her, around her.
When people react with disdain or defensiveness when they hear someone is vegetarian they seem to be reacting to feeling threatened by it i think. I find this with every marginalized way of life that we choose to live, not vaccinating, co-sleeping, ebf, and on and on. I think it's threatening for others when portions of society start to move away from the norm. Whether it's good for them or not. Now I'm not talking about everyone here. My mother is a meat eater, and is very open minded and accepting of her children's diet and lifestyles.
But then it also has to do with who you choose to believe when it comes to telling you what is healthy or not, or how far you decide to go into what *healthy* means to you.
I do find though, that attitiudes are changing towards veganism and especially towards vegetarianism now that it is becoming more mainstream. Maybe it has to do with where I live as well, Vancouver, Canada is a regular vegetarian paradise, so the attitude here is a bit different than in other places I would imagine.