Yes, I am a vegetarian. No, I was not telling you that so that you, too, will become a vegetarian. I just wanted you to know why I am not eating your pot roast.
This is something I, usually a bit more politely, have said countless times. And if you are like most carnivores in my life, you will probably follow this statement up with a question: “so, where do you get your protein then?” I will respond with a sigh and a forced smile and inform you that the average American diet actually gets enough of protein without meat—from beans, vegetables, nuts, and dairy products. And while this may seem like a valid question to you, you may not realize that this is probably the 10th time I’ve been questioned about my dietary choices this week. And I’m almost positive my protein intake is not what you are really concerned about. I have a good friend who comments on my choice at least once a week. While I love him and I know he is just kidding, like all jokes, it got old pretty fast. And a joke that questions my morals is not a funny joke to me.
The next question you’ll probably ask me is, “is it for your health or for the animals?” This is easier to answer and much less irksome, as this is a valid question. The answer is a little of both. Mostly, it’s for the animals and the environment. Most people are surprised when I mention the environment, as if they’ve never realized that cows need to eat and drink too. But it’s true, and in fact, animal agriculture produces about 51% of greenhouse gas emissions. Now at this point, you, my dinner host, are probably reminding me that I eat mostly plants, and doesn’t that contribute to global warming too? If it’s the environment I’m so concerned about, I might as well eat meat! What you don’t realize is that eating meat contributes more to global warming than everything else that contributes to global warming combined. That’s right—your cars, your electricity, your consumption of plants—everything.
On the other hand, however, I don’t eat meat because I like animals. My little sister, who has always had a better moral compass than the rest of us, went vegetarian well before I did. After years of seeing the good she was doing for the world and for her body, I decided to give it a try too. I had never liked the idea of eating something that was once alive, and it’s pretty much common knowledge now that animals are not treated well before they are slaughtered. And in my mind, they have no reason to be slaughtered in the first place. Animals have feelings too, you know.
“Wait, didn’t she say she wasn’t going to try to convince us to be vegetarians?” You’re probably thinking by now, as that is clearly my life’s goal (she said with much sarcasm). And that’s true—that’s really not what I was going for here. I simply wanted to tell you why I became a vegetarian. My hope is not that you will stop eating meat (unless you want to!), but that you will stop harassing me, and others like me, for not eating meat. Chances are you know someone who has made a choice about their diet. Whether it be for their health, for the environment, for animals, for religious reasons, or anything else, you can be sure that they feel passionately about it and that they thought long and hard before they made that choice. My vegetarianism is a part of me; it’s something I feel very passionate about, and it’s something I not only thought a lot about, but also on which I conducted a lot of research. I’m sure you feel passionately about something as well, so please, give me a break. We all have our fight; this one is mine, and if you let me eat my vegetables in peace, I promise I won't ask you why you're eating meat.
