No longer weird to be a vegan?

Second Summer

Second Summer

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That's the claim put forward by fashion journalist Harriet Walker:
Vegan used to be one of those insults thrown around with the same mainstream anti-beard incomprehension as "socks and sandals" or "Guardian reader". Unfortunately, since the latter two became cool – and beards did too – the former's prospects are also looking up. So it's time to revise our ideas of who's a weirdo and who isn't.

You can't swing a nut roast right now without hitting something to do with veganism – whether it's the arrival from Germany of the first all-vegan supermarket chain, Veganz, or the 22-day no meat, no dairy diet that Beyoncé and Jay-Z have just celebrated the end of (well you would, wouldn't you?).
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Full article: Relax, it's no longer weird to be a vegan (The Guardian, 4 January 2014)

Do you agree? Is veganism really no longer regarded as "weird"?
 
I think it's good it's becoming more common but where I live it's still weird.However,if you say you would like your meal to be dairy free in restaurants here no one bats an eye.Usually,that's what I say when ordering at one but if you say your vegan people look at you very strangely and ask"What's that?"Then you have to explain the whole thing.:rolleyes:

I just want my food and not have to teach a course.I know it's good to educate people about being vegan but when you haven't eaten in awhile and you are hungry and tired it's just easier to say can you make sure theres's no dairy in my food.People just assume you have an allergy and leave at that.If you mention the V word people get all frustrated and confused.
 
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Everleigh said:
I think it's good it's becoming more common but where I live it's still weird.However if you say you would like your meal to be dairy free in restaurants here no bats an eye.Usually,that's what I say when ordering at one but if you say your vegan people look at you very strangely and ask"What's that?"Then you have to explain the whole thing.:rolleyes:

I just want my food and not have to teach a course.I know it's good to educate people about being vegan but when you haven't eaten in awhile and you are hungry and tired it's just easier to say can you make sure theres's no dairy in my food.People just assume you have an allergy and leave at that.If you mention the V word people get all frustrated and confused.
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I'm just glad they usually know what "dairy" means. I often don't say "vegan" either at restaurants because it seems to fluster everyone.
 
I think it's still weird to some people. The woman from the rescue group where I got my cats from used the word weird regarding vegans just a few months ago...well, actually, what she said was that I wasn't weird like most vegans, lol. :p But she's only known me a short while.
 
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ledboots said:
I often don't say "vegan" either at restaurants because it seems to fluster everyone
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Same here. Although over the summer I was in an area that I assumed would be somewhat familiar with the word, so I mentioned it at two different restaurants. I was given a gluten free menus at both restaurants. When I tried explaining to them that I was vegan and not gluten free, and then went on explaining the definition of each one they were even more confused.:fp:
 
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ledboots said:
I often don't say "vegan" either at restaurants because it seems to fluster everyone.
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Yeah, I only use the word vegan in vegetarian places, or places that have "vegan" written on their menu/etc. It seems to me that most people don't know what it means, but they aren't willing to say so, so they make things up. I don't think people mean any harm, but I've been told all sorts of nonsense (that lamb dish is vegan! all the vegetarian options are vegan too! Our whole range is vegan!) presumably because people aren't willing to admit they don't know what I'm asking.

I usually pick something labelled vegetarian and ask whether it's free from eggs and dairy, and I usually specify that dairy = milk/butter/ghee/cream/etc to be double sure. Then people are always really helpful, and go check with the chef/etc if they're unsure.
 
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I get the impression that people think it's weird when they find out I'm vegan.

That's because I don't look or behave like a vegan 'should', I think, though.
 
SummerRain said:
It seems to me that most people don't know what it means, but they aren't willing to say so, so they make things up. I don't think people mean any harm, but I've been told all sorts of nonsense (that lamb dish is vegan!
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A caterer at a Christmas event declared 'oh yes I am very familiar with Vegans come with me and I will point out the Vegan dishes.' He took me to the counter serving a fish dish, then the one serving cheese and biscuits , and finally the one serving pastries. At a lost where to go next he shrugged his shoulders irritatedly and left me standing! :fp:
 
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Ann Chovie said:
A caterer at a Christmas event declared 'oh yes I am very familiar with Vegans come with me and I will point out the Vegan dishes.' He took me to the counter serving a fish dish, then the one serving cheese and biscuits , and finally the one serving pastries. At a lost where to go next he shrugged his shoulders irritatedly and left me standing! :fp:
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It still amazes me that people equate eating fish with veganism. Hellooooo, which plant does a fish come from? :facepalm:

My family would think I'm weird even if I wasn't vegan. :D That said, it's good to see it become a little bit more accepted or at least tolerated.
 
The acceptance of being vegan has changed so much since I first went vegan 20 years ago. It's really easy to eat out now... It used to be baked potatoes and beans, with a few iceberg lettuce leaves. There is a tonne of vegan products available in health food stores and super markets. I remember that vegan products often tasted pretty awful years ago, but I was pretty thankful none-the-less.

It seems that loads of people are actually going vegan around me - although I guess that might have something to do with living in Glastonbury and working in spiritual circles which are open to change and better ways.
 
I think if you want to be peaceful about your lifestyle its normal that Vegan is the best to live ,sometimes its hard depending where your living and at but, I am happy its becoming a more norm now.
 
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Everleigh said:
I think it's good it's becoming more common but where I live it's still weird.However,if you say you would like your meal to be dairy free in restaurants here no one bats an eye.Usually,that's what I say when ordering at one but if you say your vegan people look at you very strangely and ask"What's that?"Then you have to explain the whole thing.:rolleyes:

I just want my food and not have to teach a course.I know it's good to educate people about being vegan but when you haven't eaten in awhile and you are hungry and tired it's just easier to say can you make sure theres's no dairy in my food.People just assume you have an allergy and leave at that.If you mention the V word people get all frustrated and confused.
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Virgin? Vagina?
 
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Indian Summer said:
That's the claim put forward by fashion journalist Harriet Walker:

Full article: Relax, it's no longer weird to be a vegan (The Guardian, 4 January 2014)

Do you agree? Is veganism really no longer regarded as "weird"?
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I suppose it depends were a person lives some places are more vegan friendly than others. Most people I know remain ignorant of veganism others still see it as a joke have you read the comments in response to the article?
 
:yes:
veganchick said:
I suppose it depends were a person lives some places are more vegan friendly than others. Most people I know remain ignorant of veganism others still see it as a joke have you read the comments in response to the article?
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It is hard to be a vegan where I live.
 
veganchick said:
I suppose it depends were a person lives some places are more vegan friendly than others. Most people I know remain ignorant of veganism others still see it as a joke have you read the comments in response to the article?
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Yes, there are some areas that are generally more progressive regarding veganism. I wouldn't worry about the article comments, as newspaper articles always and predictably get a lot of ultra reactionary and backwards comments.
 
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