VEGAN VIEWPOINT
By Kiley Rosnes
IV Leader Columnist, Sept. 23, 2010
“I’m a member of PETA: People Eating Tasty Animals.”
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard this exhausted attempt at humor, I would not be sitting at community college, rolling my eyes in exasperation. Allow me to explain.
For the past five years, I’ve been meat free. About six months ago, I decided to make the transition into complete veganism, cutting out animal products from my life entirely. It’s something I pride myself on. When I share my dietary ambitions with others, I consistently get one of two responses.
The first response is inoffensive. It’s usually just a simple “I could never do it. Meat just tastes too good.”
I can at least respect the people who respond with this. It doesn’t show judgment or criticism; all it really shows is no desire to change their own habits.
I don’t spread the doctrine of vegan or go knocking on doors bearing hummus and tofu, and so long as my views are respected, I genuinely have no problem.
The latter of the two responses is where it becomes irritating. The above mentioned “joke” has been a default reply for many people who hear me talk about my vegetarian/veganism.
To be fair, it was slightly amusing the first time I heard it…FIVE YEARS AGO. Now it’s gotten old, particularly when it’s used repeatedly.
The joke might not be so irritating if it didn’t open the door for an endless supply of additional digs at my life choice. Apparently since I’m not outwardly offended and don’t complain every time I hear this, I’ve given the go ahead for no holds barred on bad jokes and uninformed criticism. My personal favorite is comments about my cooking, mostly from people who will never try it.
Ahem. A few examples, presented in a bulleted format.
• On tofu egg salad: “Oh, so you’re making poop salad.”
• The incredibly academic reasoning for not trying a vegan chocolate cake: “It’s disgusting because it doesn’t have eggs.” (I used applesauce as an egg replacer)
• Response to my excited plans to make dinner: “Except none of it will be any good because it’s not real food.”
The list goes on.
If I were a terrible cook who’d burned down a kitchen, I would probably be ok with these remarks. I know how to laugh at myself.
However, I am a cooking enthusiast. I spend time with my best friend and fellow vegan finding and mastering new recipes. She and I know how to make food taste good. I’ve even convinced two of the biggest meat eaters I know that I make better tasting food than local Mexican restaurants.
This is not me preaching. I don’t expect to convert everyone who tries my cooking. I only ask for respect.
I would never tell a person that absolutely everything that could possibly be in their cooking repertoire is hopelessly disgusting. I would expect other people to do the same, but since I don’t use animal products, that common courtesy is completely disregarded.
Honestly, all I’m asking for is respect; it should be all that matters.