News everybody! I'm a vegan. Not the militant type that scowls at the carnivores or gives the finger to strangers enjoying their eggs Benadict. I've given up eating any animal products for health reasons. Your body practically sweats fat as you're getting rid of all the fried foods, the mayonaise, and the butter. I feel so much healthier. I've got a lot of energy...which probably also correllates to the fact that I go to bed at 9 every weeknight, get up at 5 and go for a walk/run with my dog and I only drink on the weekends, and even then, it's only 2 or 3. My skin looks better and I smell better in general. So, after all of these positives about being vegan, why am I ashamed to admit it in public?
On Halloween, there was a luncheon at my office that I avoided. I cruised the breakroom beforehand and saw that there was nothing that didn't have eggs or milk, and most of the stuff had meat in it. So, when my lunch break came, I just ate what I'd brought from home outside. Many of my coworkers asked why I didn't join them in the lunch room. I stammered. I sputtered. I tried to get away with half truths. "Oh, I have to eat a special diet." or "I don't eat dairy." All of my responses just garnered more questions from my coworkers. Finally, I would come out and say that I was vegan. And then I'd have to explain the difference between vegans and vegitarians. And I had to explain why I was putting myself on such a rigorous diet. I feel that when I tell people of the health benefits that I sound a bit holier-than-thou. I understand that people like to eat meat and dairy and eggs. They taste good! But for me, I like the way I feel when I don't have any animal products coursing through my system.
I think part of my embarassment at going vegan comes from the stereotype that vegans hate anyone who eats animal products. And, for some that is true. But those are the tree-hugging hippy-types who are vegan because they don't want to cause harm to other animals. I don't give a shit about the ugly animals that we use for food. They taste fucking awesome. Unfortunately, they're not that great for us. I know what they say, "everything in moderation." But, Americans don't eat animal products in moderation. They're there at every meal, in every snack...in our gum! Look on the ingredients list of the new Trident flavors...there's milk in some of them.
Now, ever since going kosher, I haven't eaten a lot of meat because it's easier to get away from mixing meat and dairy if there's no meat. So, I just decided that for a while, I'd try the no meat thing. Then, my roommate's brother, who's been vegan for years, told me that if I was giving up meat for health reasons, I'd might as well go vegan because it's the best weight-loss, muscle-building diet (if you make certain to get all of your nutrients in). See, even now I feel like I have to explain myself. In any other situation, I'd just say "fuck it. It's my hot body, I'll do what I want." Why does explaining about being vegan cause me so much shame?
Does anyone else have a habit/lifestyle that is perfectly fine (you're not a child molester, or someone who collects and names their scabs, creating a scab army) but you're embarrassed about it?
-NS
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2 comments:
First of all- good job on being a vegan. I could never do it. You know why? Because I love eating delicious animal products. And you know that health, working out, and all of that stuff is very important to me....but not as important as eating a delicious ribeye or BLT or turkey dog (my favorite).
Here is the lifestyle thing that I have that often makes me feel like I am being holier than thou:
I work out 4-5 times a week and I am very strict with my weight. I find that it almost makes girls hate me when I share weight loss tips or working out tips with them. But I do it for these reasons:
It makes me feel good.
As an actor I have to stay slim.
Health and fitness is very interesting to me.
There are other things about me that people tend to view as snobby or that I am just doing it for the attention or whatever...like...I have strict rules on what I will pay for clothes (no more than $30 for a pair of jeans and $15 for a shirt)....I cut and color my own hair....I don't wear jewelry because I don't like it...
I am just a person who likes to do things a certain way...and I hate it when people (always girls) think I'm stupid for it or that I'm just trying to be an asshole.
Are you following me on this?
I'm right there with you, Wiz. I think that people get defensive when you proactively don't do something they do. In your examples, you don't go to the salon. You don't wear jewelry. Both of those things are highly feminine and generally social status rungs. The super elite get their hair, nails, whatever done on a regular basis at the most expensive places possible. You have decided that you don't need any of that stuff. You're going against the social status. So, people (girls specifically because we tend to be the ones who care about this type of stuff) are going to immediately take it as a personal insult that you don't like these things. Even though, just like me being vegan, it's not about anyone else. It's about what you're comfortable with.
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