Vegetarians...quick question...
Trujeeper
Posts: 58
Okay, so I call myself a vegetarian...but I have been told I am not and it made me very mad. Let me explain...
I do not eat beef, pork, chicken, veal, opossum, racoon, etc. I do however eat seafood. The reason for this is that I am allergic to soy and soy based products...I have to drink milk and eat cheese because I have a calcium deficeintcy (sp?).
The fact is, what other vegetarians eat to compensate for lack of proteins, those soy burgers and soy chicken patties and soy bacon, etc. I cannot eat (unless I'd like to be doubled over in pain for two hours.)
So then I had a conversation with a lady who is a die-hard, by-the-book vegetarian. She said I was an insult to vegeratians. Now I could have gone off on her...I could have told her how she should be a vegan and not consume vegetables grown with animal waste composts. But I was adult about it and did not stoop to her level.
Why is this such a hot button issue with vegeratians? She didn't even bother to see if there was a reason for my choices. I don't expect people who are lactose-intolerant to drink milk. Why should I be expected to eat soy when I am allergic? I'm saving the lives of animals with my choices...and I wish I could survive without eating any animal at all, but the doctor said it was not possible unless I'd like to be in the hospitol. What was her problem? Is our society so heartless that we have to jump on any person who does not fit our mold of the perfect human? I was the bigger person about it but it got under my skin anyway.
So, am I a bad vegetarian?
Trujeeper
I do not eat beef, pork, chicken, veal, opossum, racoon, etc. I do however eat seafood. The reason for this is that I am allergic to soy and soy based products...I have to drink milk and eat cheese because I have a calcium deficeintcy (sp?).
The fact is, what other vegetarians eat to compensate for lack of proteins, those soy burgers and soy chicken patties and soy bacon, etc. I cannot eat (unless I'd like to be doubled over in pain for two hours.)
So then I had a conversation with a lady who is a die-hard, by-the-book vegetarian. She said I was an insult to vegeratians. Now I could have gone off on her...I could have told her how she should be a vegan and not consume vegetables grown with animal waste composts. But I was adult about it and did not stoop to her level.
Why is this such a hot button issue with vegeratians? She didn't even bother to see if there was a reason for my choices. I don't expect people who are lactose-intolerant to drink milk. Why should I be expected to eat soy when I am allergic? I'm saving the lives of animals with my choices...and I wish I could survive without eating any animal at all, but the doctor said it was not possible unless I'd like to be in the hospitol. What was her problem? Is our society so heartless that we have to jump on any person who does not fit our mold of the perfect human? I was the bigger person about it but it got under my skin anyway.
So, am I a bad vegetarian?
Trujeeper
Donate to Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness today.
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
Peace!!!
People tend to want to label and quantify and pigeonhole things with a term.
I think the official naming commission would call you a pesceratian.
I don't eat meat, and seem to have given up on fish now, so I think I have to change my status!
I just say I don't eat meat, and no it's not a competition with most vegetarians.
If you're allergic to soy, try seitan, quinoa, tempeh with no soy. Great foods with which to make wacky experiments in the kitchen.
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
__________________________________
It has nothing to do with vanity. A lot of people who choose to become vegetarian do so because they believe in the sanctity of life. A lot of vegans choose to be vegans because they go one step further.... they feel that the way that dairy animals are treated is inhumane and disrespectful.
Generally, becoming vegetarian or vegan is a conscious choice based on animals and animal life. You never know, one day you may choose not to eat fish either. With some folks, it's a progression.
I say, keep up the good work!
Mohandas K. Gandhi
~I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance than I should have been by any epaulette I could have worn.~
Henry David Thoreau
No you are not a "bad" one, that is a very personal choice. Some people who eat seafood do consider themselves veggie, and you have to do what works best for you.
Technically, you are a pescatarian rather than a veggie.
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/glossary/g/Pescatarian.htm
But so many pescatarians call themselves vegetarian that is quite commonplace. Bottom line, who cares what others think!
You don't need to eat soy items to be a vegetarian you know. This is practically unheard of in India, and there are millions of healthy vegetarians there. They are clever with protein combination, using legums, grains and dairy. Look into Indian cooking - they have so many delicious recipes.
R.i.p. My Dad - May 28, 2007
R.i.p. Black Tail (cat) - Sept. 20, 2008
Primarily, I was worried about the antiobiotics/hormones/steriods put in the food by factory farms.
Secondarily, I wanted to lessen my impact on earth. Thirdly, due to animal cruelty conditions on factory farms.
I believe we are part of the animal kingdom and I've always respected Native American consumption principles...if we choose to consume another living thing, we should waste none of it and allow the animal to die with honor.
Does that make me a bad vegetarian?
In any event, you sound like a pesco-vegetarian to me.
Hartford, CT 1998
Hartford, CT 2006
Hartford, CT 2008
Albany, NY 2009
Hartford, CT 2010
Hartford, CT 2011
oxc
*May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
— Unknown
>
...a lover and a fighter.
"I'm at least half a bum" Rocky Balboa
http://www.videosift.com/video/Obamas-Message-To-American-Indians
Edmonton, AB. September 5th, 2005
Vancouver, BC. April 3rd, 2008
Calgary,AB. August 8th, 2009
Veggies are very defensive of their titles...like they are in some elite club or something. Oh well.
she sounds like a jerk. dont worry about what anyone says. you made your choice for yourself, right? means you only have to answer to yourself.
i was thinking the same thing. she's overzealous about it. next time you see her, call her the vegetarian nazi!
You got to spend it all
awesome.
Now, Trujeeper, I know you're saying it's bc of a health/food allergy issue, but as noted by others, there are other options for you to get your protein that aren't meat or soy.
Really, I think you're just someone that doesn't eat land animals. Just because your top preference is veggies doesn't necessarily make you a vegetarian and I don't know that that should bother you.
That said, the person you spoke to is ridiculous.
(Shawn Smith's official website, but not Thee Shawn Smith)
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
I will rarely even mention it any more, with meat-eaters or with veggies. Of course some people are totally cool with it but it also seems there are waaaaay too many argumentative people who give you a hard time about your food choices and interrogate you about why you made your decision - it's so frustrating! I've never figured out why anyone cares so much about what I do or don't eat.
power to the peaceful
Seen it time and time again.
I only eat Chicken....(grudgingly)....and all seafood without any conscience whatsoever.
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
I'm veggie ... I eat what I eat and I don't care what anyone else eats. And yeah I'm sick of people noticing I've ordered the veggie option in a restaurant and then deciding they want to give me a hard time about it. Seriously what impact does it have on their life :rolleyes:
Aww that's not nice. I know some veggies give us all a bad rap by acting like they are better. But on the flip side, I've had non-veggies try to convince me to eat meat or pass judgement on me. I really don't care what other people eat. Eat what you want, but don't stereotype please.
Maybe meat triggers some sort of paranoia in the brain.
I don't think I've ever seen a vegetarian give a meat eater a hard time in a restaurant, but some meat eaters sure sound off when you ask if there's a veggie option!
I don't eat meat because I've been much healthier for it, and feel better and I don't give anyone a hard time about what they eat,,, ok, except for the ones who wanted my own secret recipe tempeh "spareribs" instead of their own meaty ribs at a barbeque.
They laughed when I was making them, but they cried when there weren't enough to go around!
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
__________________________________
seems like this other person was simply stating a fact, that by definition, you are not a vegetarian. I dont think it was anything personal. I am a vegetarian, I have never had any meat, poultry or seafood. you can call yourself whatever you want, but if you ask me, and tell me that you eat seafood, I would say the same. I have a friend who is in the exact same position as you, but she's not allergic to soy, she just loves seafood. that's fine, but you cant call yourself a vegetarian if you eat seafood.
nothing personal and not judging you in any way. take care.
"In your case, I'll check my brain at the door and we'll start even, okay?"
Have you thanked a taper today?
She sure did. I feel that people with those attitudes don't help the cause at all. It's a huge turn off for me.
But on the labeling thing there's some reason behind being so specific. Sometimes, it's damn hard to get people to understand what different types of veggies will or won't eat and we find ourselves explaining it to people all of the time.
Then, say mom wants to be nice and cook you dinner and she has a friend who has labeled themselves veggie, but mom has seen this person eating fish. So you show up for dinner and mom has fish on the table. She thinks she's done a good thing and you're caught in this dilemma of how to break it to her without hurting her feelings.
Sorry about your soy allergy. I don't know what I'd do w/o my soy and peanut butter - not together, but...
I guess as I try to move to more of a RAW diet I'll find out.
***********************
"We've laid the groundwork. It's like planting the seeds. And next year, it's spring." - Nader
***********************
Prepare for tending to your garden, America.
I prefer mermaid.
deficiency
you dont eat opossum or racoon? too bad... that's some tasty eating right there.
take a good look
this could be the day
hold my hand
lie beside me
i just need to say
You Rock!
If your customers haven't thanked you for being so conscientious, I'd like to for them.
***********************
"We've laid the groundwork. It's like planting the seeds. And next year, it's spring." - Nader
***********************
Prepare for tending to your garden, America.
How could I be labeling all when there's so many slants on it, and I was specifically referring to the hardcore vegetarians?
I think extreme anything is...well...extreme.
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")