A plea to those of you who call yourselves vegetarian, yet still eat slaughtered-animal products: please stop calling yourselves a vegetarian!
It’s not that I have a problem with peoples’ eating habits because that’s their own personal choice, despite the fact that I think everyone should be a vegetarian. It’s true that there’s a certain level of respect I can’t have for most meat eaters, but in terms of judgement my view is that the choice to eat meat or not is theirs and not mine. I can give ideas, pointers, and proof that vegetarians quite probably eat a greater and more varied selection of foods, but I can’t make the decision.
That said, I really wish so-called vegetarians (the ones who eat gelatin, rennet, etc… knowingly) would quit calling themselves vegetarian. I realise it’s better than nothing, but if the product you’re eating is the result of an animal being slaughtered then I have news for you: it’s not vegetarian and neither are you. That’s your personal choice and that’s fine. What isn’t fine is that it leaves those of us who are vegetarian in a very uncomfortable and angry place.
Try arguing with someone that parmesan is actually not an acceptable food for a vegetarian, when the response is “but my daughter and her friends are vegetarian and THEY eat it.” Or that marshmallows, gummy sweets, certain food dyes, vitamin additives, and more are not always acceptable. I have actually gotten in arguments with both vegetarians and non-vegetarians that these products don’t contain any slaughtered-animal ingredients. I am not arguing their choice in food intake, but the fact that an animal had to be killed for them to eat it. In 95% of cases, I think it’s denial on their part because they feel guilty about it, yet don’t want to give up a food they love. I can appreciate that because I have been there myself, but the mixed interpretation of vegetarian has made it very difficult for true vegetarians to enjoy a meal out or even go to a friend’s or family member’s house for a meal.
I realise there is some ignorance here, especially in the US where the FDA doesn’t require dairy manufactorers to adequately label their products. I didn’t realise certain cheeses weren’t vegetarian until seven or 8 years ago, and I have been “vegetarian” for 16 years. And there are still foods I find out from time to time have changed their recipes or use a slaughtered-animal-based ingrediant of which I’d never even heard. The difference is, I think, that I actively look for these things in a food product. It’s when you are completely aware that the product you’re eating contains gelatin, rennet, etc… and you still eat them. That’s when you’re not actually a vegetarian.
- So you’re not a vegetarian if you eat
- marshmallows (it is possible to get vegan marshmallows in specialty stores, however)
- Gummy bears, worms, etc… (again, it is possible to find vegan ones)
- Cheeses with rennet.
- Products with cochineal (goodbye McDonalds strawberry milkshakes, smarties, etc…)
- Many wines, beers, liquors…
This list could be a million items longer, but I have work to do and I have a feeling I’m only preaching to the converted anyway. And for those of you who were honestly just not aware, and that’s a pretty reasonable claim, you will surprisingly find that a whole lot of the food you probably eat will no longer be suitable for vegetarian. But here’s the thing: the less you find you can eat, the more you seek out new and innovative things!
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