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Vegetarianism
15/f.
I'm a vegetarian and have been for a while now, after having begged my mom to let me be one for over a year. I love being a vegetarian and I'm planning on being one until I'm 18, then turn to a vegan. My main, and pretty much only reason, of being a vegetarian is because I'm an animal rights activist [I know what you're thinking. I'm only 15. What can I do?] Well, I haven't done anything yet, to be frank, because my mom would put me in an asylum if I joined or led a demo in front of KFC or at some crowded event. I have my goals set to be a renown animal rights/gay rights activist later on in life, though. Anyways, most people think that I'm a vegetarian because I want to lose weight, and while I DO want to lose weight, that's not what I became a vegetarian, as I've stated above. My family hassles me about it almost every day about how I don't need to become a vegetarian to lose weight *sigh*.
I've tried to get through to them that what they do in animal factories is just f*cked up and I don't support it and I don't believe I'm so greatly important to have an animal killed everytime I'm hungry and that people can live without meat and blah blah. But most people don't care/don't know about what really goes on in animal factories and what not. They don't really care, so even if I do try and get it through to them, they don't believe me or they stand by their justification of dying if they can't eat meat.
What should I do? I'm sick of people telling me that being a vegetarian is another reason to be anorexic & people putting down vegetarianism/ veganism. I've had some lady at a store tell me that being a vegetarian is another reason to be anorexic and another lady at a market saying that veggie burgers/patties are nasty and what not.
Just any reply would be great =)
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I've been a veg for almost 20 years, for pretty much the same reasons.
And this was long before it was cool, like any celebs did, and at that time, it was really hard to even eat out because they had no veg options.
but things are changing a lot now. some people will still be close-minded or jump to conclusions, or not understand why you do it- but who gives a crap?
You be your own person. THey don't need to know why, that's none of their business. And don't feel like you have to 'convert' other people either (unless you want to, but that could make things much harder).
When i go out to eat with non-veg friends and anyone says anything I just say 'look i won't try to tell YOU what to eat, so please don't tell ME what I should eat'.
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I'm a new vegetarian as well and I couldnt agree more with you. You took the words right out of my mouth. I dont understand how people can say vegetarianism is another reason to be anorexic!! THAT MAKES NO SENSE! A vegetarian just simply doesnt eat meat. We find other ways to get protein.
I'm sorry that your own family cant even support you. My mom wasn't too fond of the idea for me at first either. I made my decision just days before Thanksgiving. HA! How well do you think THAT went over? My grandparents who think they know everything had to question why I'm not eating meat and what not. If I told my family that I am an animals rights activist, they would probably look at me like I am so weird. ANd do you know what I hate? When someone else starts lecturing you on how you need protein and calcium! Its not like I dont know that you know? JEEZ! Sorry I'm getting off track here :)
As far as what I think you should do, well I cant help you there because I'm in the same boat. Maybe you could tell people who critisize what we are so much to actually try it sometime! Not all veggie burgers are gross. I eat Morning Star right now and they have a full out vegetarian line of bacon, chicken nuggets, burgers, sausage, ground meat, chicken strips, even hot dogs!!! And those are all SOY products and fully vegetarian. I think they are absolutely delish! But anyways, getting back to the discriminators. People are always going to have something negative to say, and those people are the ones who are too close-minded to accept new ideas. We as vegetarians just have to struggle to get ourselves heard. If only people really knew what goes on behind closed doors you know? Simply put, people who put down being a vegetarian or a vegan are simply ignorant and it shows their lack of education and heart.
Anyways I wish you the BEST of luck in the future and if you ever need a buddy to boycott KFC (or anything else) drop me a message...I'll be there in a heartbeat! :)
Good Luck!
::::EDIT::::
I forgot to put on here how proud it makes me that you want to go on to be an animal rights/gay rights activist when you get older. Thats AMAZING and the world needs more people like you. Dont let other people's negativity get you down! You just have to prove them wrong! Christopher Columbus disproved that the world was flat and proved that it was infact round! Why did people say it was flat? IGNORANCE. People's minds can be changed. And it can be done so in a manner that is not forceful. It just takes time. You are already on your way :) Just keep your head up and remember all of your fellow vegetarians are backing you up! :D
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well im not a vegetarian but my whole family is and my grandmother is a vegan. theres nothing wrong with being vegetarian and if people ask you about it or hassle you just tell them the reason and if then dont understand then its their fault. dont worry about what other people think bc its not even their buisness. and on the plus side if someone asks you about it you can always use that as an opportunity to inform them about animal rights! thats a great way for you to make a difference. hope i helped!
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