During the same discussion that inspired my recent real veal deal post, things went sideways not once, but twice. A group of about a dozen people were talking about the vegetarian lifestyle. Some were inclined that way, others not so much. It was all good until one participant starts quizzing me on what I eat. Do you eat cheese? Do you drink milk? Do you eat eggs? I answer no, no… and then wait for it… I had to admit that I do eat eggs once in a while. BAM! With my confession came swift judgement – AH HA; YOU’RE NOT A REAL VEGAN!
So sheepishly I was forced to state my case. My wife gets “special” eggs from a guy at work who has a hobby farm. The free roaming chickens are just out there frolicking in the yard and so I figure hey, they’re happy eggs… right? But I can tell that few are convinced.
Thankfully I had had a similar situation just a few months before. A young zealot had already proclaimed that I was not a real vegan for the same transgretion so this time I was willing to let it go and admit that no I’m not a real vegan, just an extreme vegetarian perhaps .
Food for thought. Faro, Portugal.
One needs to be generous though. I have reacted similarly in the past to those judged to be less vegetarian than I. We’ve all likely been involved in a conversation where someone says “Oh you’re a vegetarian? I am too, but I still eat (fill in blank) sometimes.” as I roll my eyes.
Having been called out twice now over the egg thing has made me stop and think about what it means to identify as a vegetarian, a vegan or something in the middle. Even if I didn’t eat the odd egg, I still have a couple of pairs of leather boots that I am loath to throw out. I won’t buy more leather, but does that make me a less extreme vegetarian? I put a dollop of honey in my Thai peanut sauce and realize that there is a chance the sugar in my bread is refined in a non-veggie process. Basically I’m a poser, right?
The reality is that these are all just labels used to describe different diets and they don’t necessarily define you. I’ve come to believe that pescatarianism, vegetarianism and veganism are on a spectrum. We “isms” fall along that line somewhere and whether you identify with a certain label really doesn’t matter too much. We all do the best we can to reduce harm and help the environment, and frankly that is better than doing nothing at all. Even those that choose to abstain from eating meat once a week are part of the solution.
There will always be those who are looking for an excuse to knock you down a peg for whatever reason. I really believe that most sensitive people understand that eating a plant based diet is the right thing to do. Where each individual fits on the broader spectrum is a personal choice. Putting a label on that choice may not be that helpful. Do the best you can to cause no harm because in this case it’s true, actions really do speak louder than words.