Yes, I’m a Vegetarian, No I’m Not Gonna Frown on You For Eating Meat
By Marissa Merkt
About two years ago I slowly became a vegetarian. First I gave up pork. I never liked the texture of ham and wasn’t a huge fan of bacon so this was pretty easy. Next was beef, a little harder since I loved juicy burgers but veggie burgers could almost fulfill them. Finally, after giving up every other meat, I gave up chicken. That one was tough. I still daydream about chicken and miss the taste of crispy chicken nuggets. But I figured while I eliminating all other meats from my diet, why not become a full blown vegetarian?
So here I am today, I don’t eat meat. For the most part it’s not really something that affects my life. To be honest, I often forget that I am a vegetarian. And no, I won’t frown on you for eating meat but here’s a few things that I do get sick of hearing (and I’m sure all other vegetarians can relate).
- Why don’t you eat meat?
That’s such a complex question, like why do you breathe or why is your favorite color blue? It just is. I know for me personally, I couldn’t deal with the thought that some innocent animal died so that I could have food on my plate. I also never really cared for the taste of meat so it wasn’t something I missed. I was actually glad to have an excuse not to force myself to chew on the rubbery texture. Each vegetarian has their own reasoning behind it, whether it’s for their religion or what not. But please, don’t force us to explain why. We don’t force you meat eaters to explain why you eat meat.
- Are you ok with me eating meat in front of you?
That one’s always entertaining. We live in a meat consuming world so it’s not like I can avoid ever seeing meat again. Besides, it’s not the sight of meat that bothers me but rather the thought of me eating it. So no, I do not mind. Do you mind if I eat my tofu in front of you?
- So do you drink milk?
Let me make something clear- vegetarians are people who do not eat meat, vegans are people who do not eat any animal byproducts (meat, honey, milk, etc.) I’ve gotta give props to all those vegans out there, I don’t know how they do it. But unlike them I do consume milk. Just not by itself, because that’s gross.
- Are you sure they have something for you to eat here?
While most restaurants don’t have vegetarian-friendly menus there are still countless options for us to order. Often when I go out to eat I order a bunch of sides or just ask for a main dish without the meat. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone treats me like I’m a fragile being just because I’m a vegetarian. Like, “Oh hey we can’t go eat there because the vegetarian freak is with us.” Please don’t discriminate against us vegetarians or change your eating plans around ours. We’re content eating pretty much anywhere.
- Wanna try a bite?
No, I do not want to eat your meat. It’s not a very funny joke. I am a vegetarian after all and you don’t see me forcing you to try my veggie nuggets (well, maybe once).
- Do you think you’ll ever eat meat again?
Just like everyone else, I can’t predict the future. Yeah, I’d like to say I’m going to remain a vegetarian forever but I’ll probably end up caving and eating chicken someday. But in all honesty, what does it matter?