The peta2 Advice Blog! August 21, 2008
Posted by Marta at August 21, 2008 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 4 ) | TrackBackGot some friends who like to give you a hard time? Check this out!
My friends make fun of me ALL THE TIME for being a vegetarian. Usually I can deal with it just fine, but it really gets to me sometimes! What can I do to get them to back off (at least a little) without alienating myself? - Feeling Helpless
I used to have friends like this—that is, until they became vegetarians too. :) Anybody who would make fun of a friend for speaking out against cruelty to animals clearly doesn't understand what happens behind closed doors. Next time you go to your friend's house, pull Meat.org up on the computer screen. Even if they don't go vegetarian immediately (though, of course, that'd be swell), they will at least be more informed and begin to understand that vegetarianism is a statement against cruelty, and something you can be proud of! - Ryan
When I first went vegetarian, I had no idea how many people around me would feel offended. Before you knew it, I was badgering them all and making myself look crazy. It wasn't until I calmed down and just acted like my compassionate and calm self, that people around me started to open up. Slowly, every single one of my good friends went vegetarian, and are now mostly vegan—just because they knew I was, and started to ask questions. The sad fact is, most people never think about why they shouldn't eat corpses. Inform them, but make sure you stay positive and confident. You know you're doing the right thing but some people will want you to question your decision—don't! You don't have to do anything other than stay positive, and answer their questions politely, and you'll see a huge difference, I promise! - Rachel
I know exactly what you're going through—I dealt with this too, and still do! Tell them that if they want to harass you about it, then they should get their facts straight first—once you show them a video or a leaflet, then they might better understand where you're coming from. Sometimes, people come around later, even if they don't seem interested right away. That's why it's important to be patient with your friends and try to answer any questions they may have. Just remember not to force anyone to see things your way—you'll end up pushing them further away! Trust me, the older you get, the less other peoples' opinions will matter. If you're feeling alone, you can always join the peta2 boards and connect with other people that feel the same way you do! Don't forget that here at peta2, we're always here to help and support you; no matter how many times you get teased, we will always think you're rad for caring about animals! Love, Liz <3
Have a relationship question (that relates to animal rights, of course!) that you're dying for us to answer? E-mail peta2@peta2.com with the subject line "Help me peta2! I need advice!" and your question just may be answered by us in our next advice blog!
Comment with your own advice for Feeling Helpless! And to read past installments of the advice blog, click here.
The peta2 Advice Blog August 7, 2008
Posted by Marta at August 7, 2008 9:29 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBackHave a mom who's having trouble accepting your new eating habits? Read on.
My mom seems to be considering me going vegan as a personal attack on her because I don't eat a lot of the food she made me when I was younger. What should I do? - Wants to Reassure Mom
I would suggest cooking a vegan meal for your Mom. That way you can let her know that you still love and appreciate her and show her the deliciousness of vegan cooking! After the meal, tell her all of the reasons why you decided to go vegan, and make it clear that it’s nothing personal. - Lara
I think the best thing to do is explain all the health benefits of a vegan diet so your mom knows your choice helps keep her child healthy! And make it clear that you don't think her food tastes bad, it's just that there's so much cruelty involved in meat, eggs, and dairy. There's a simple solution and that's to help your family veganize some of their favorite meals. If you're especially inspired, you can even check out VegCooking.com for more recipes! - Pulin
Put yourself in your mom's shoes: You're not eating her homemade Sloppy Joes and Lasagna you used to devour as a kid. In her mind, she might feel like you're rejecting her because you're "rejecting" her cooking. I suggest you 1) Sit down with your mom and explain that your choice to go vegan isn't because you hate her or her cooking. Tell her you'd love to veganize her old family recipes with her, and 2) Actually make time to cook with your mom! For instance, with the lasagna recipe, use tofu instead of Ricotta cheese and burger crumble instead of ground beef. You'll get to educate your mom about veganism, spend some quality time bonding together, and hey—maybe you'll even stumble upon a new family favorite! - Marta
Have a relationship question (that relates to animal rights, of course!) that you're dying for us to answer? E-mail peta2@peta2.com with the subject line "Help me peta2! I need advice!" and your question just may be answered by us in our next advice blog!
Comment with your own advice for Wants to Reassure Mom!
The peta2 Advice Blog: Kissing Meat-Eaters July 24, 2008
Posted by Marta at July 24, 2008 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments ( 10 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
meat vegetarian kissing advice relationship
Feel uncomfortable kissing someone who has just eaten meat? This is for you!
I feel weird kissing my boyfriend knowing he just ate a cheeseburger. How should I handle that?
-Doesn't Like Burger Breath
So your boyfriend just ate a cheeseburger. First of all, ew. Believe it or not, I have dealt with this a few times in my years, and after shedding some light on factory farming for the boy, you'll be a master at turning boys vegetarian (seriously, I rule at this!). Sitting down together and watching something like "Earthlings" or "Meet Your Meat" is a good way to educate. Sometimes seeing a visual rather than simply hearing it has a lot more impact. If your boyfriend is anything like mine, he'll give up the meat in a second—even if it's simply out of respect for you! xoxo, Shan (the queen of turning boys veg)
I couldn't agree with you more and to be honest I think your boyfriend should have a little more respect for you than to try to kiss you after he has just eaten a cheeseburger. I would just let him know that you think it's gross and I think he will be more interested in kissing you than eating a burger in the future. - Martin
I have a whole list of rules on the conditions under which my boyfriend will get a kiss—if he's eaten vinegar, baked beans, brown sauce, ketchup (the list goes on and on) he's going to get the hand block right in the face! However, with a meat eating boyfriend, these boundaries are all the more important. There's nothing more repulsive that finding a rogue piece of hamburger caught up in that bit of fluff on his top lip (which he refers to as his "moustache")! If you lecture your lad about his meat eating, you'll just push him away so I would try the "softly softly" approach by taking your fella out to a veggie restaurant and treating him to a vegan chicken sandwich, or soy cheese Pizza, and then smothering him with kisses! He'll soon make the connection that when he eats cruelty free, he can have his (vegan) cake and eat it, without facing the hand block! - Violet
Have a relationship question (that relates to animal rights, of course!) that you're dying for us to answer? E-mail peta2@peta2.com with the subject line "Help me peta2! I need advice!" and your question just may be answered by us in our next advice blog!
Have advice for Doesn't Like Burger Breath? Comment away!
The peta2 Advice Blog! July 9, 2008
Posted by Marta at July 9, 2008 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 2 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
vegetarian parents advice boyfriend
Yes! Here's your 2nd installment of the peta2 advice blog! Without further ado...
I'm supposed to go to my boyfriend's house for dinner to meet his parents for the first time. The thing is, they're definitely not vegetarian. I really want to make a good first impression, but there's no way I'm going to eat meat. HELP!
-Don't Want to Offend the Omnivores
This has happened to me before. Don't stress—the solution is easy! All I had to do was ask my boyfriend to tell his parents that I was a vegetarian beforehand so that they could plan accordingly. It worked! They made me delicious bean burritos, and I didn't have to settle with just eating the vegetable side dish! -Lara
Ask ahead of time to see what's on the menu at the parents' house. If it's something that can easily be made vegetarian, like a pasta dish, have your boy toy recommend this option to his parents. If it's something unquestionably meat-heavy (steak, pot roast, guinea pig, etc.), offer to bring Gardenburger BBQ "riblets" for yourself (all you do is microwave them for 2 minutes). Each box has two riblets, so you'll even have extra to share! :) -Ryan
This isn't anything to fret about...yet. I mean it's not like they've made some horrible derogatory comment about their son's weirdo vegetarian girlfriend, right? (Right? Have they? If so you just let us know because I've got some, um, choice words for them!) Anyway, talk to your boy and find out if his parents would be cool adding a fleshless dish for you, or if they'd be cool with you bringing a yummy veg dish to share as Ryan suggests. Chances are they'd have no problem with your request and you just may score some extra points for wanting to make things easier on the chef by helping with the meal. Bon Appétit! xox Patricia
Have a relationship question (that relates to animal rights, of course!) that you're dying for us to answer? E-mail peta2@peta2.com with the subject line "Help me peta2! I need advice!" and your question just may be answered by us in our next advice blog!
If you have any advice for Don't Want to Offend the Omnivores, comment away!
Introducing the peta2 Advice Blog! June 26, 2008
Posted by Marta at June 26, 2008 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments ( 6 ) | TrackBack
TAGGED:
relationships advice
If you're anything like us, you're constantly looking for advice about the many different relationships you deal with in your life—boyfriends, girlfriends, best friends, parents, sisters, brothers, whatever! It can get tricky, though, when animal rights issues come into play with those relationships. That's where the peta2 advice blog comes in—we're here to answer your questions in a bi-weekly advice blog. Enjoy our very first installment, and keep an eye on the blog for future posts!
"I really like this guy but he refuses to listen to me about animal rights at all! What should I do?"
-Desperately Seeking Vegan Love
I feel ya. This can be a rough situation. Try sneaking animal rights into conversations. For example, say he says something like, "Cars are so bad for the environment! I wish people rode their bikes more." You can respond with, "I agree! And did you know that going vegetarian is better for the environment (and animals) than switching to a hybrid car? Really makes you think twice, doesn't it?" Or you can sit down and explain that you think it's unfair that he won't listen to you talk about something that's so important to you—find out why he feels uncomfortable. Maybe you just need to go easy on the brutal stuff at first and ease into it. Meet him halfway! - Marta
Animal rights issues seem to be a huge part of who you are. If this guy likes you then he should like everything about you—including your activism for animals! I agree with Marta—let him ease into animal rights. Let him get to know you, and your views, gradually. Don't forget that at one point you too were probably oblivious when it came to animals! If after a few months he shows absolutely no interest in learning about the plight of animals and seems to genuinely not care about animals or your views then I say ditch him and find someone who has a heart! - Ashleigh
What's there to like about someone who refuses to listen to you about animal rights? You think someone who supports cruelty to animals will be a fun date? Heck no. It's one thing if the person is too shy to go to a protest with you, but there's no excuse for total ignorance. Compassion = Hot. Ignorance = Not. - Pulin
Have a relationship question (that relates to animal rights, of course) that you're dying for us to answer? E-mail peta2@peta2.com with the subject line "Help me peta2! I need advice!" and your question just may be answered by us in our next advice blog!
And if you have any advice for Desperately Seeking Vegan Love, be sure to comment with it!
