But wasn't Hitler a veggie? and other things not to say to a vegetarian
To mark World Vegetarian Day today, Lisa Jewell (a veggie) lists the questions that really 'get the goat' of the meat-free community
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Let's face it, vegetarians have long been the butt of jokes -- most involving jibes about being lentil-eating, sandal-wearing hippies. Veggies also suffer the scorn of people like chef Gordon Ramsay who's gone off at vegetarian diners, including Cheryl Cole, in his restaurants.
If you've been a vegetarian for a while, you've probably heard all kinds of comments about being a veggie -- from the ridiculous to the downright strange. Read on to see if any of our picks sound familiar. And meat eaters, take note!
Aren't you a vegetable killer, though?
Ah, this old chestnut -- vegetarians accused of being carrot murderers or broccoli killers. The serious response is that vegetables don't feel pain as they have no central nervous system.
So the notion that a parsnip is screaming as it's plucked from the ground just doesn't wash.
Probably the best response though is to ignore it as it's such a silly statement!
Do you eat chicken or fish?
This has to be the most common question asked of vegetarians. We can't really blame people for being confused about this -- the blame actually lies with those who don't eat red meat but eat chicken or fish and tell everyone they're vegetarians.
"I don't know if they're just not informed about what a vegetarian is -- but as a result, everyone starts to think that vegetarians eat chicken or fish," says Conor Hand, who has been a vegetarian for six years and a vegan for one year. "There is actually a word for someone who doesn't eat meat but does eat fish -- a pescetarian."
Póilín Ní Leathlobhair says that if she's attending a seminar, she'll ring ahead to let them know she's a vegetarian.
"I'll ask for the vegetarian option and they'll often say it's salmon or cod," she explains.
"If I query it, they'll say they had someone in last week who said they were a vegetarian but ate fish."
Just to clear it up once and for all, then: veggies don't eat meat, fish or fowl but do eat dairy products and eggs. Vegans don't eat any of these things.
Wouldn't you just love a big steak, though?
Meat eaters often think that veggies must terribly miss the smell of bacon in the morning or the taste of a big fat steak.
"When I first turned vegetarian, for a year afterwards the temptation was there to eat meat," says Conor.
"But since then, I can honestly say that I don't think about meat any more. I'm quite a food enthusiast and do a lot of cooking so I can come up with some tasty food and don't miss meat at all."
Wasn't Adolf Hitler a vegetarian?
Mm ... when people put this to vegetarians, the underlying argument is that if the world's worst mass killer was a vegetarian then this must taint what it means to be a vegetarian.
The truth is that it's unclear if Hitler was actually a committed vegetarian -- being partial to the odd sausage, piece of ham and bowl of turtle soup.
But even if he was a vegetarian, why is that the thing that people pick out about his character?
He was also Austrian, was baptised as a Catholic and was a man -- and we don't hold Hitler against Austrians, Catholics and half the population!
If God didn't want us to eat animals, why did he make them out of meat?
"That's a bit of a difficult one to answer because it brings in Christian morals," says Conor. "Vegetarianism has nothing to do with religion so if someone brings God into the argument, it's usually best to avoid getting into it. You can't logically disprove what is a belief."
Though some sharp-tongued vegetarians do point out that humans are also made of meat but we don't go around eating each other (unless, of course, we're stranded in a plane wreck at the top of the Andes).
Does it upset you to see people eating meat?
We can't speak for all vegetarians here but why would seeing someone eating meat be offensive to veggies? It's not like we have to eat it ourselves.
"I wouldn't find that an annoying thing to hear because it's actually nice of the person to be sensitive about it," says Conor. "I wouldn't mind someone eating meat in front of me because it's all up to the individual. They make a choice to eat meat and I make a choice to be a vegan."
You'll find that most vegetarians have a 'live and let live' attitude to people who eat meat -- we just also happen to have a 'live and let live' attitude to animals!
Wasn't Lady Gaga's meat dress really appetising?
You have to wonder whether meat eaters even thought Gaga's beefy outfit at the MTV Video Awards looked delicious enough to sample. The dress itself wasn't a statement about meat eating or vegetarianism -- Gaga said it was to highlight gay rights in the American military. No, we haven't worked out the logic either.
The dress has now been turned into beef jerky and stored somewhere for fashion posterity. And Gaga is probably still trying to shower off the smell of sweaty animal flesh -- which might come as some small comfort to the vegetarians amongst us.
The Vegetarian Society of Ireland is organising some events this weekend, including a potluck meal at Exchange Dublin in Temple Bar on Saturday, to celebrate World Vegetarian Day. visit www.vegetarian.ie
- Lisa Jewell
Irish Independent
