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.
As a non-vegan, I think the hatred towards vegans is unwarranted. While some vegans are being really annoying about it, the vast majority of vegans are just normal people who happened to not eat animal products. Some people will hate you regardless of what you do because they generalize all vegans as the same. Don’t waste your time trying to please them, they aren’t worth it.
In my experience, the annoying vegans are already annoying people even before becoming vegan, if you aren’t annoying to be around, you’ll be fine.
For me, it isn’t really a hatred, more a “I’m tired of hearing about this.” It’s almost never “I’m vegan” and that’s the end of it. It’s all too often “I’m vegan and you should be too and you should feel bad for not being vegan and here in my TED talk I will cover…”
Be vegan if you want. If you decide to proselytize, take “no” or “stop” for an answer.
Most vegans I know, I only found out are vegans because I asked about dietary restrictions before cooking for them, or we went to eat at a restaurant and they asked the waiter if the dish is vegan.
Sure, some vegans are going to be annoying to deal with like you describe, but they are just a loud minority, you just remember the unpleasant encounters more.
Perhaps, but the unpleasant ones are usually very unpleasant and sometimes violent.
My wife and I will accommodate vegans so long as they’re content to keep it to themselves. If we don’t wish to eat the same thing, that’s our choice and not intended as an offense.