When you became vegetarian, did the people in your life respect your decision?!


Question: When you became vegetarian, did the people in your life respect your decision!?
I decided to be vegetarian years ago now but some of my family don't respect it!. My Mum only ever offers me food with meat in & shrugs it off when I say "you know I'm vegetarian"
It really frustrates me because it was a hard change for me to make in my life!.Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
My mom was great (she kind of had to be!.!.!. my sister and I went vegetarian together and there's power in numbers!) She quit eating meat, except for the occasional bit of fish, shortly after we did!.

My dad, who I did not live with, thought it was laughable, but didn't try to stop us!.

My best friend told me it was stupid!. Perhaps not suprisingly, 22 years later we are not friends anymore!.

Everyone else was fine!.

Normally, I'd say just stick it out and your mum will eventually catch on, but if it's been years now she's clearly a tough case!. You're probably just going to have to make it a policy not to let her attitude bother you!. It's really a reflection on her, not on you!. You made a hard change and you stuck to it; it would be nice to be respected for that, but it's probably not why you did it, right!?Www@FoodAQ@Com

That's a bit harsh of your mum!. I decided when I was about 7 or 8!. My mum is vegetarian so she respected my wishes - I respect her because she has never forced me or my brother and sisters to eat what we don't want to!. My mum's side of the family are mostly vegetarian, it was my dad's side of the family who had problems!. At Christmas, my granny would moan about having to provide a vegetarian alternative but she is much better now though :) my brother and dad like to wind me up though, especially my dad!.!. lol!. And yeah I sympathise, it is hard!. But if you're giving up meat because you think it's morally wrong, it doesn't mean that you won't miss the taste!. Personally I gave up because I didn't like the taste!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

I went vegan 8 years ago and everyone in my family was incensed!. They would make lunch and then just say "I would offer you some but it"s ham" and I would have to go scrounge!. They had all kinds of irrational health fears for me!. They offered unsolicited rationalizations for eating meat!. I don't debate people on the topic or try to convert them!. I just cook for them!.!.!.!. hehe

That being said, with many yummy offerings on my part over the past 8 years all of my immediate family have gone vegetarian or vegan themselves!. My mum told me that when I went vegan, it forced her to confront the hippocracy of eating meat and it made her uncomfortable!. It was just a visible reminder that you do not HAVE to eat meat and animal products to live and be healthy!.

There just seems to be something about veg*ns that gets under the skin of meat eaters!. Why else would they troll our area of the site offering their praise of meat!? I really do think it is an attempt to shore up what is basically an indefensible position!. Meat is NOT necessary to thought or health!. I mean c'mon - Einstein was a vegetarian!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

You know how Mums can be; it's same as if you decided to take on a new religion or if you told her you were gay!. This is normal, parent, family stuff people have to deal with by being a little different!. But, the fact is, people do deal with it and move on!.

Being a vegetarian is a choice you made; she's your mum and she may not respect it!.!.!. it doesn't mean she likes you any less!. That's life!. It may have been a hard change for you, but it's a choice that you made!. No one forced you, so part of making a difficult change is dealing with the difficulty!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

when a relative chose to move to be a vegetarian everyone was amazed, then thought well its their choice!. However it was always difficult making dinner for someone who chose not to eat meat or other products of animals, so it wasn't easy, but then for some reason the person either missed it, or just simply reverted back to being a meat eater again!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

It was hard for you to change but remember that your friends and family never made the commitment!. Don't expect them to really understand your needs!. When I became a vegetarian my family said "we can't just eat rabbit food"!. When you go to a non-vegetarian household take a little something for you and some to share!. This is the way to be a good guest!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

My boyfriend at the time totally supported my decision to become veg!.!.!.my family did not (and they still don't, in a way)!.

It was even worse when I decided to go vegan!. I had broken up w/ the understanding boyfriend and somehow got hooked up with a young man who loved meat!. (sigh)

My family and friends still think I'm crazy!. They're starting to come around now that I've shown that this is not just a "phase"!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

My family was extremely supportive!. They not only cook meals with tofu as an option as opposed to chicken (etc!.), but buy lots of interesting vegetarian foods!. Most of them have become partially vegetarian themselves (although they still eat meat when given the chance)!. Although my sister thinks it's stupid and sometimes offers me things with meat, they're all basically supportive!. Www@FoodAQ@Com

My mum was AMAZING!!! She fully accepted my decision and helped me adjust and stuff!

Maybe you should talk to your mum seriously about it!. Let her see you're serious about your decision and let her hear your mature and well thought out argument!. Then hear her side, too, without getting upset!.

Let her know it's not a phase and that her not accepting you makes it harder and upsetting!. At least talk to her!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

For the most part!. It bothered my mom, too, but I think she eats less meat now too!. The funny thing is I remember one case of a guy asking me why I did it, and when i explained why he got very defensive about the fact that he eats meat!.
For the record, I still eat very occasional poultry, and plenty of seafood!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

people usually don't take vegetarians seriously, or those wishing to be and keep vegetarian!. they try to make them change their mind and become omni again!. i don't know why they do this!. but i guess it's mainly because they don't agree with this decision!.
keep strong, hold on to your beliefs!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

It is easier if you tell people you became vegetarian/vegan is for health reason
!.
Many people don't understand the "animal right" reason!.
or maybe they haven't seen/know the cruelty that happen in the animal farming!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Not really they still take the mickey to this day although they put the effort in to make me veggie food and only offer me meat as a joke!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

It was a bit tricky to begin with but my friends and family soon got used to the idea!. The only person who never did get their head round it was my dad who was a master butcher!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

No, they definitely didn't!. However, now they agree with me and became vegans like me! :)
Www@FoodAQ@Com

yeah, they don't entirely, but i just cook my own food!. they are indifferent abt it!. don't care either way really!. my brother does think im weird though!.!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

At first the whole family had to put up with a lot of face pulling, but over the years they have now accepted itWww@FoodAQ@Com

No, they all took the pi$$ out of me!. Www@FoodAQ@Com

As a person who understands meat, I have little respect for the herbivore diet!. Without cooked meat humans wouldn't of had the ability to form an opinion one way or another!.

But to each their own!. It's one way for natural selection to cull the weak!.Www@FoodAQ@Com





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