frustration!

Does your boyfriend support your vegetarianism? Does he try/eat vegetarian/vegan food with you?
If both of these are no, I think you need a new boyfriend.
And as to why people are like that, well, they are afraid of the unknown. Everyone is brainwashed to think veg and vegan are like the antichrist, unless their eyes are opened.
There is also the fact that people like this just could be arseholes. lol

I think saying she needs a new boyfriend is a bit harsh =/
My boyfriend eats meat, and sometimes it annoys me- but that's his personal choice and I have no right to change him.. Sometimes he gets a bit annoyed at me if i discuss animal stuff with him- he agrees with me on all subjects, but he kinda gets annoyed with hearing it. so we've just taken the topic off the table. maybe to avoid this confrontation, you and your sister could talk about it when not around them? because us talking about how good vegetarian food is, is EXACTLY the same as them talking about how good meat is.. so your flaunting, and they're just doing the same thing.. you can't really get upset about it because you's are doing the same thing- in defence for you boyfriend..

you don't need a new boyfriend.

I'd sit him down and try to tell him how it makes you feel, Veg*ism isn't just a diet... you're probably not eating meat because killing the animal makes you sad... try to get this across to him somehow...

They might see you bringing it up constantly as a challenge to their omnivorous diets, so they get all reactionist and pissed off about it. Also, if you're talking about vegetarianism while they're actually eating meat, you could be turning them off their food, or potentially making them feel bad about their eating habits, which again, can be quite annoying.

In saying that, when you're eating or whatever, maybe just say, 'oh man, this food is great' rather than 'this vegetarian food'. The addition of 'vegetarian' and constantly saying, 'oh man, I'm so glad we're vegetarians, isn't this great?!' just seems morally self-righteous. It doesn't matter if you were only talking to your sister/friend or whatever, because if you overheard your boyfriend going, 'oh man, isn't this steak delicious, it's so rare it's still mooing, hahaha', you'd probably feel like defending your vegetarian perspective, just as they feel the need to defend their omnivorous perspective.

Lastly, if your boyfriend only gets like this when you make a big deal about your vegetarianism, fair enough, he's allowed an opinion. But if he brings it up for no reason and is otherwise a bit of dick about it, then yeah, maybe you'd be better off without a boyfriend.

GUILT  

yeah like the above post

our lifestyle is a walking talking protest that says "I think the way you live is wrong, so I'm doing different" even if you don't tell people that, defensiveness.

Nobody can really be completely secure with their choice when they haven't gone through a process of "this is how it happens, this is how it gets to my plate.. and I'm ok with that". Imagine what it's like to be challenged on something that you do... when you don't even know why you do it...

I see this a lot with the people closest to me. People get frustrated because they feel like they're being put onto the defensive. Veg*anism is something which takes a strong moral standing, and contradicts the values which most people were raised with. Try as they might, people cannot help but take it personally. When somebody else takes the moral high-ground, those surrounding them automatically feel guilty.
If they are unwilling or to ignorant to change their ways, they react with frustration and try to turn you into "the bad guy" to offset their guilty consciences.

Kind of like how as soon as I mention being vegan, I am hit with a volley of "I tried being vegetarian once", "I would go veg, but I can't give up [usually bacon/cheese]" and "LAWL You can't eat my meat then, can you ".

It is simultaneously highly amusing, and somewhat infuriating.


I think you need to sit your boyfriend down and tell him how this is making you feel. If he does not change the way he treats you afterwards, THEN you need to consider giving him the flick.

But that's just my opinion.

I think, personally, that that's not a good enough reason to not be with someone, no offence at all to those saying it. But she may have been with this guy for years and years. .You don't know, everyones situation is different. Whenever im having troubles with my boyfriend- people saying "break up with him" ... doesn't help AT ALL... because you know when you dont want to be with someone, or you shouldnt be with them.. it doesnt take someone saying not to be with them, to break up.. it's your own decision, no one elses.. if she chooses to split with him, thats her choice and should be on her own accord.. again, i dont see it as a reason to dump him.. cos him flaunting eating meat, is EXACTLY! the same as her flaunting how good veg food is... so silly... lol