I get the feeling that when I tell people I am a vegan a certain wall comes up. I feel weird even talking about it. Especially when I go to social gatherings and I have to politely decline what they serve.
Is there a gentler way to go about things? Something feels so WARM and inviting about eating meals together.
✅ Answers
🥇 Best Answer
I know the first reaction is to defend your choice, and that can easily lead to hostility, so it is best to just be firm and say its your choice and try to talk about another subject.
Dune
Well its getting better as everybodies diet choices are splintering due to damaging effects of food on the body. A Vegan diet is now becoming a safe haven for gluten, lactose, allergies, diabetics, etc. They know Vegans are the ultimate discipline of dieters. They know veteran Vegans will be able to offer the most knowledge on even their own special dietary needs.
But yes social isolation from diet does occur. Maybe you had a friendship on rocky grounds, will there is a chance Veganism will be the end of it. Maybe parents won’t support their Vegan child, like somone asks in this.section everyday. The reasons vary on why social isolation occurs.
Veganism is not a “diet” or “lifestyle”.
It is an ethical philosophy opposing animal commodification and the RESULTING diet and lifestyle.
The “wall comes up” because you tell them that you morally-object to the things they do all day, that being consuming the products of animal slavery.
Source(s):
Common sense.
If you’re going to some sort of function where food is going to be prepared for you, you should inform them of any dietary restrictions that you have. I don’t have anything against vegans. I don’t share your views and I think the mental gymnastics that you perform to convince yourselves that meat and fish have nothing to contribute to a healthy diet is nothing short of astounding, but live and let live is what I’ve always said. Problem is it’s usually vegans who look like a medium-force wind could blow them over trying to lecture me, my 10% body fat, the 3 pounds I bench press, my six pack and the 5 minute mile I run about how “unhealthy” I am because lean proteins are a staple of my diet. How many times have I seen a vegetarian get an unprovoked lecture from a non-vegetarian telling them how stupid/unhealthy they are? Zero. None. In my experience it is always the vegans/vegetarians who want to engage in a conversation about how they are right and you are wrong. I couldn’t care less what you eat. The fact that I don’t understand your lifestyle doesn’t mean that I automatically hold any ill will towards you, just like the fact that I’m not attracted to men doesn’t mean I have a problem with gay people. Here’s the difference, though. Gay people don’t constantly try to convince me that I should be gay and walk around with their noses pointed in the air like they’re better than everyone else.
Ever since humans discovered fire, we’ve bonded over meals. When you reject food someone has prepared for you, they are often insulted.
Is there a kinder, gentler way? Guess it depends on how you handle saying “no” and how they take rejection.
My suggestion is that you not attend social functions where you have to reject food that was prepared for you.
Yes, it can and does lead to social isolation…and do you think for an instant that the cows know or care?
Because it’s human nature to be prejudiced against people whose beliefs are not identical to our own.
I just don’t talk about it, unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Source(s):
Vegan since ’06