Silly Statements Vegans Are Fed Up Of Hearing
Haven’t we vegans heard these clichéd statements a hundred times already?
Introduction
Dining outside can be hard. You have to not only remember your table manners, but also consciously be aware of what you’re speaking. For those with social anxiety, it's a double whammy as they must conduct themselves appropriately and stay true to their food habits at the same time. You have to play the fine diplomatic game between sticking to your values while listening to others points of view at the same time.
As a vegan, while dining outside with friends or having a get-together at home with family members, you know for sure that you already have a target painted on your back. It can be socially challenging at best, and extremely frustrating at worst depending on the kind of people you’re with.
You know that sooner or later you are bound to turn into the topic of discussion at the dinner table. At most social gatherings, the conversation invariably turns towards veganism, and the spotlight is now shone on the one lone vegan seated there.
Regardless of where you’re from, you might have come across these typical statements that are hurled towards vegans all the time. As you progress through your vegan journey, you’ll also realize that there’s no particular time or place for people to be hostile towards vegans.
Here are some comments that we vegans are sick and fed up of hearing:
You have got to try some of this chilly chicken! Please. Just one bite. You have no idea what you’re missing.
Look. Most of us grew up in omnivore households where consuming animal products were a matter of culture, taste, and tradition. Back then, animal products were also considered as part of a “balanced diet”. So being asked to “try” meat after going vegan feels like an overkill. I’ve subsisted on meat, cheese, milk, and eggs for two decades of my life growing up.
What more is there to try?
Many of us have not only “tried” animal products, but have subsisted on them for decades before we became aware of the animal holocaust/environment degradation/health problems it causes, and made the switch to veganism. Even if I did miss the taste and texture of meat, I could always go out and buy myself a packet of cruelty-free vegan meat. In fact, you should be the one trying vegan meat.
Ever tried a Beyond Burger? You don’t know what you’re missing.
This particular request also comes in variations like:
- This recipe has been in my family for generations, you’ll offend my mother if you don’t eat it.
- You’ve eaten meat your entire life, so what’s the harm in taking a bit of gravy and leaving the pieces out?
These requests are not out of personal concern for your health, convenience, or whatever else they might claim to be so concerned about, but rather to see how far they can push you before you’ll snap or acquiesce to their requests. Then, when you do, they’ll immediately do a complete backflip and say “hahaha, I told you guys it was never about morals or values for him/ told you this was just a phase/ you guys fell for that? Like he could ever stop eating meat……seriously?….LMAO.”
Basically, the above statements are made to soothe their egos and to make you incriminate yourself because they know they’re doing something wrong. If they were genuine statements made in good faith with solely your interest in mind, they wouldn’t stab you in the back in case you folded. Enough said.
You’ve eaten meat all your life, so stop acting like you’re grossed out dining with us.
Yes, I’ve done many things all my life. That doesn’t mean I’m going to be comfortable sitting around people doing them. Just because I once used to be a smoker, it doesn’t mean I’m going to be fine with breathing in second-hand smoke. And just because I once used to be a meat eater, it doesn’t mean I won’t be grossed out by it now. People change.
As you might have guessed, this line is also another one to make the vegan incriminate himself/herself, as the moment he/she folds, the narrative takes an about-turn to stab them in the back.
Typical victim blaming narcissistic behaviour. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
This chicken biryani tastes a hell of a lot better than that boring salad you got there.
Well, I wouldn’t be forced to order the same old garden salad if the restaurant made some efforts in providing customers with vegan options now, would I?
Why don’t you accompany me to a vegan restaurant next time, and I’ll show you what vegan food is capable of. Deal?
You have a very tough journey ahead of you/Life is going to become very difficult.
If I’m going to look forward to a life free from diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity, high blood pressure, liver and kidney issues, and many other lifestyle diseases that have their roots in animal product consumption, then I definitely look forward to living the “tough life ahead of me.”
I may encounter plenty of difficulties on the highway of life when it comes to finding vegan alternatives while travelling, socializing, or at work. But that’s the price I pay to stay clear of most of the lifestyle diseases out there. Healthy plant-based diets are known to be lower in saturated fats and cholesterol, which is due to the abundance of fresh unprocessed fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, and plant-based oils. The diet is also rich in anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, which help in maintaining bone mineral density and lowers the chance of bone fractures.
Occasional inconveniences are a small price to pay for the benefits I stand to gain from veganism.
Conclusion
When one follows a niche diet or lifestyle, they are bound to receive the criticisms and judgements of the world. Vegans aren’t special in this regard. Anyone who doesn’t fit in with the crowd is viewed as rebellious and unyielding and this is enough grounds for scrutiny and interrogation.
People are free to choose their diets and fight for what they believe in.
Anyone getting offended over their choices should make their best efforts to learn about why they made such choices rather than hurling controversial statements at them and causing a scene.
Have you encountered any of the above-mentioned statements lately? Do let me know how you handled them in the comments bar to the side.
