Hi Steemit Vegans! Show of hands for anyone who has experienced this situation before…
You order your meal and then a meat eater orders the same thing “but normal”. Because apparently Vegan food isn’t “normal”.
First of all, what makes a meatless dish abnormal compared to one with meat? Is it inedible? Does it contain no nutritional value? No calories? Why is it not normal? It literally has the same base ingredients minus the animal and it contains everything you need to survive. Is it just not normal because it’s what you wouldn’t order for yourself?
Second of all, why do people think it’s okay to publicly say what someone is eating isn’t normal? I understand that most of the time this is unintentional and unconscious and not meant to be disrespectful but the truth of the matter is that it is. Stating that your meal is “normal” passively undermines the vegan/vegetarian friend that you’re eating with and who really needs negativity at the dinner table? I’m happy to speak for the majority of vegans in saying that we respect others decisions to continue to eat meat and rarely EVER say anything about their choices at the dinner table (unless directly asked about it) so why is there a nagging desire to speak up about ours?
Normal to one person can be abnormal to another, we should all know this by now. To me, a dish without meat is normal whereas one with meat would be abnormal. To someone else a dish with meat is normal, and one without is abnormal and I completely understand that. We teach our kids to be accepting and not to ridicule others and say they’re not normal yet adults have lost the very mannerisms they preach. When it comes to what goes on our plate suddenly these social norms go out the window and it’s okay to openly judge someone about their life decisions?
I’m not writing this post to tell you why you should be vegan - I’m writing this in hopes that it encourages you to think consciously, openly and compassionately the next time you find yourself in a situation like this. We live in a world with enough judgement and hate - spread love and acceptance instead.
