Many people find me a bit strange for being vegan. Yet I’ve never had someone call me a weirdo until today that is. Some of my conversations at a family gathering today went something like this:
Other person in confusion about my vegan lifestyle: “Do you eat fish?”
Me: “No”
Other: “What about butter”
Me: “I eat Smart Balance”
Other: “Chicken?”
Me: “Nope”
Other: “Are you from another country?”
If I were in a better mood at the time, I would have burst out laughing. Looking back that seems so funny! At the time, I couldn’t really tell if the person was serious. All I could manage to say is that “I’m from California and some people think that’s another country.”
At times it’s tough being vegan – especially in the midst of cattle country. I’m realizing after nine days in Nebraska that veganism is great when you live in your own little bubble. When I can control all my food in my own kitchen. When I know which restaurants serve fantastic vegan dishes. Where my friends know I’m vegan and don’t ask me 400 questions about my lifestyle. Where my acquaintances ask me where I find vegan clothes with sincerity because they are trying not to buy leather.
It’s harder in an environment where eating meat is like breathing air. Here is a sampling of our lunch today:
- Pulled pork sandwiches
- Red hot dogs (not sure why they were red)
- Stuffing with pork or turkey (I’m not sure which)
- Beans with bacon
- Potatoes drenched in butter and cheese
How did I manage you might ask? I brought my own food – a delicious green bean and red potato salad and chocolate cupcakes with Oreo cookie frosting. I thought for sure the cupcakes would win over the most skeptical critics. My family at them but acted like vegan cupcakes might make them die. Literally my brother-in-law took every bite very carefully while staring at me. Did I mention they ate ALL of them?
I think overall the cupcakes were a hit. But not so much so that they made my family even consider making the connection between delicious vegan food and how it is a boycott against the cruel process of animal production.
Another conversation went like this:
Other: “I feel sad when I pull up next to a truck with cows in it. You can see their big eyes staring at you.”
Me: “But you still want to eat them?”
Other: “I just don’t make the connection between those cows and the meat I eat.”
Me: “Why not?”
Other: “I don’t know. I just don’t. I don’t know how those people work in the meat packing plants cutting up the cows. I could never do that.”
Me: “How is that different than eating the meat? Don’t you realize they are doing that because you are eating it? If people didn’t eat meat, they wouldn’t have to do that job.”
Other: “I see what you’re saying but I just don’t connect the two.”
And finally, the best conversation went like this:
Other: “Where do you shop? Those weird health food stores?”
Me: “Yeah, there are a couple of great ones in Lincoln. We went to Red Clover Market just yesterday and they have everything I would want to eat.”
Other: “You mean like Whole Foods?”
Me: “I love Whole Foods!”
Other: “All those people that work at Whole Foods are weirdoes. Only weirdoes go there.”
Ok let’s put some perspective on weirdoes. At one time people with dark skin were considered weirdoes. Today we have a mixed race president elect.
I would never call meat-eating people from Middle America weirdoes. I prefer to see people with divergent opinions as humans first – to approach them with compassion and respect – as I would any sentient being. Why is it that others don’t see me (or any vegan) in the same way? Why is it that in many circles vegan means weirdo?
I dream of a day when we have a vegan president elect. When the ideals of veganism – which can cross any racial, economic, or geographic boundary – will be considered ethical and compassionate, perhaps even something to strive for and emulate.
