You’re NOT a Vegetarian… I am!

I have been a vegetarian all my life. Growing up as a vegetarian was quite difficult – there isn’t the choice that there is nowadays and my sister even got bullied at one point for having beetroot in her sandwiches at school instead of meat! Now, I am not one to preach about vegetarianism, each to their own and the decisions they make for themselves even though I have been faced with some pretty preachy meat-eaters at times! What I have found, in my thirty years as a veggie, is there are a lot of myths about vegetarians… who we are, what we eat and don’t eat. WELL, not anymore. I am here to dispell all those myths that are out there and set the record straight once and for all!

1. “You’re a vegetarian… just have the fish dish!” This is the response once given to me by an employee of McDonalds when I asked him what there was for vegetarians. Just to let you know… we DON’T eat fish. People who eat no meat but eat fish are called Pescatarians. General rule for vegetarians is No Food with a Face! McDonalds do now offer a veggie burger but no vegetarian kids meal… hmmm know where I won’t be going when Alyssa is older because SHOCK HORROR my daughter is vegetarian too!

 2. “I’m a vegetarian… I only eat chicken!” This one really really bugs me. No, no you are not a vegetarian. Because guess what?! Chickens are animals… poultry, birds, alive so guess what if you eat chicken, you eat meat and are therefore not a vegetarian. Remember… no food with a face!

 3. “You’re a vegetarian… but your not skinny! I mean you have curves!” Yes yes, despite the lack of meat in my diet, I have in fact managed to find a few other foods to eat which unfortunately mean I am not a svelte size 8 but a rather curvy size #*!! We do have other sources of protein that help us pile on the pounds… so don’t worry we aren’t all starving and in desperate need of a bacon sandwich!

4. “You’re a Veggie? So do you meditate and burn incense!” I actually do burn incense because I really like the smell of some of them, but no no despite stereotypical belief, all vegetarians are not infact hippies. I may own a poncho, I may even own some flared jeans, but I do not sit around talking about peace and love. You are much more likely to find me muttering expletives under my breath because I am having issues getting everything I need to do done!!

 5. “So, if you’re a veggie, how do you live without cheese and eggs and stuff?! I’d die!” No no, no no, once again you are barking up the wrong dietary tree. People who choose not to eat any products of animals such as milk, cheese, eggs etc are called Vegans. I know this is getting complicated but I swear there really is a difference. Now, I could not be a vegan purely because I bloody adore cheese. A good strong cheddar or an ooeygooey camembert. Sorry folks… just a plain old vegetarian right here!

6. “Vegetarian: An Old Indian Word for Bad Hunter!” Okay, let me make this clear. Being a vegetarian is a personal lifestyle choice. I apologise to all the meat-eaters out there if I have offended you in some heinous way by refusing to eat your worshipful meat. However, (apart from slightly in this post) I personally do not insult you, campaign against you, ridicule or shame you for choosing to eat meat. Therefore, show me the courtesy and the same respect and do the same. Okay? Cheers!

 7. “I was only joking. God, vegetarians have no sense of humour!” Actually, generally I can take a GOOD joke or two. I can even sit through a couple of meat jokes about bacon (Keep Calm & Eat Bacon… thanks Homer Simpson!) however, if you continue past the odd one or start a continual lifestyle bashing, chances are most peoples ability to see the funny side will disappear. However, dare we say something back, joke or otherwise, and we are one of those vegetarians getting on our high-horses preaching and attempting to convert the entire world… yeah no!

8. “I could never be a vegetarian. I don’t like vegetables!” Well, then good job you aren’t a vegetarian then isn’t it because otherwise you might actually starve. Thank god in your meat-eating diet, you have pasta, pizza, rice, pulses, eggs, cheese, sugar, bread…. I can see how you would not do well as a veggie!

9. “So you’re going to force your daughter to be vegetarian? How selfish!” Excuse me, how I raise my daughter is actually my concern. I am not forcing anything upon her. I have chosen to begin her life on a vegetarian diet (which my health visitor has assured me is fine and she’s very healthy) in the same way you have chosen to allow your child to begin life as a meat eater. At some point in the future I will offer her the chance to eat/try meat if she so wishes without any reprecussions from me. Will you be offering your child the same opportunity. Or, if they come to you saying they want to be a vegetarian, will you pass it off as “just a phase?!”

So there you have it folks. This may come across as a little ranty in places but it is not designed to attack anyone specifically, merely to dispell myths and make some people think twice before opening their mouths and commenting on the life that I and many others choose to lead. If you ever fancy a meal with me, I am happy to sit down with you and if you want to order a rare steak and chips (my best mates fave meal) that’s cool. I am happy over here with my celery stick and lettuce leaf.

 Do you know anyone that’s vegetarian? What ridiculous stereotypes and myths have you heard?