I'm vegan, my fiance is a devout carnivore. Like any mature, reasonable adults, I respect his choices and he respects mine. Sure, we kid around about it sometimes, making faces at each others meals and whatnot, but there's never been any real problems over it. I can understand how some people who are vegan or vegetarian feel so strongly about it that they just don't want to be around that sort of thing, and how some meat eaters feel so strongly about it that they think being veg*n is wrong [or, in Anthony Bourdain's case, are a chef who understandably wants everything in nature at his disposal for his art, and resents anyone who wants to tell him otherwise] or that they just don't care about the environmental devastation, animal cruelty, and detriments to human health that result from the majority of factory farming practices.

While I appreciate the amount of attention TreeHugger duly gives us herbivores, I think it's necessary to put it in perspective. People are all different and some people have issues with this and some are more laid back. While I personally think it's immature to condone your significant other for ordering or preparing whatever they see fit in a meal, I also understand how after learning about all the reasons why NOT to partake in that sort of "food" one would be adverse to seeing someone they love do just that.

I've never met anyone who believed that weird "you are what you eat" thing, though, I think that's oversimplistic and doesn't really have anything to do with the real issues the majority of veg*ns might have with friends, family, or lovers who continue to consume animal products.

Just be a great veggie cook and your partner not miss the meat.

"I would not want to be intimate with someone whose body is literally made up from the bodies of others who have died for their sustenance."

I really do not understand this mentality at all. Are plants somehow less alive than animals? I can understand not wanting to eat meat for health or ethical reasons related to the way it's produced or even simple personal preference. I applaud people who choose food that has the least environmental impact possible as well. But turning it into a quasi-religious fanaticism like this is idiotic.

My wife and I met working in a prime-rib restaurant. She has been vegetarian since a fetus and I was a devout carnivore. She doesn't cook, but I went to cooking school and learning to make great food for her was alot of fun. I slowly weaned myself off meat just by eating together and not wanting to cook separate meals. I am now way healthier and feel much better about myself for not causing suffering. I think her attitude made it easier for me to stop eating meat, she never asked me or told me not to. If she had tried to force me to stop, I know I would have resisted ( I'm just argumentative like that). You catch more bees with honey

Vegan is just another terms for "Rich person in rich country struggling to find struggle". Idiots.

I read this article, yesterday, and thought it was interesting. I am gluten free, like the gal who's date preferred bread. it's because I have celiac disease, and the tiniest specs of bread can put me down for three days. I was diagnosed after being bed ridden for six weeks last August. I went from a size 14 down to my current six.

I am explaining all that so as to say this article made me really think about it. My husband is gluten free with me, but eats it outside of the house. He never asked, or questioned, he just decided to do it too. That's nice for me, because there is no accidental contamination in my own house. I don't eat out, because I am still convalescing, and don't want to risk getting sick again.

I don't think I could date someone that didn't take that seriously. If they didn't care if I got sick from their pita chips, or whatever, then I couldn't trust them. I have one friend that has cross contaminated my food twice now. The first time I didn't catch it, and was very sick within a half hour of eating my specially prepared GF brownies. The second time, everyone else caught it, and I find myself watching them like a hawk if they bring food to my house, and washing up everything they touch with their bread products. It's easier to be vigilant initially, than wish I had for days afterwards.

I liked this article, because it made me think about it, and I think if I had to date all over again, I would only date GF folks, or those that took it as seriously as I do.

Anyone who says, "I'm vegan" is lying to themselves. Our species is omnivorus, and some people just choose not to eat meat. If your ancestors ate meat (they did), then you are still literally made of pieces of former animals. The one thing that I really don't like about veganism is that it seperates humans from animals. We are animals, and I think we should see ourselves as part of a whole biotic community involving all life.

How strange you to quote someone calling vegans a "Hezbollah-like splinter faction". In my experience the hostility of meat eaters to those who don't eat meat is far greater than the other way around. Just look at the comments by meat eaters in this blog.

"I would not want to be intimate with someone whose body is literally made up from the bodies of others who have died for their sustenance."

I was not aware that plants continued to live after you ate them.

Is there any better advertisement for veganism than the picture at the top? She (vegan) is beautifully slender, has porcelain skin and is a very youthful forty-something. He (carnivore) is only ten years older but is bald, wrinkly and has a potbelly. He could easily pass as her grandfather.

As a borderline vegan, I DEEPLY resent when people are casually dismissive of my choice to eat non-animal food. For example, when they use the same utensils to serve meat dishes and vegetable dishes. Or restaurants who claim something is meat-free, but still slip in some meat just for flavor. And yes, eating out with me can be a bit of a nightmare since MOST restaurants still do not have vegan options. And I refuse to suffer in silence by just eating some flavorless steamed vegetable side dishes; contrary to popular opinion, vegans actually like food and like to eat! So conflict can arise if I insist on scoping out several restaurants before settling upon one that actually caters to me. At the end of the day, vegans and understanding carnivores can get along well... but I must admit it would be so much easier to be around others with similar dietary habits.

Andy: I don't want to eat/wear animal products, I don't need to, so I just don't. You are vegan if you follow that. How is that a lie?

Anonymous: I'm not rich, I'm not struggling. There are so many choices even in your favourite discounter, but you haven't nocticed so far.

heresyoftruth: My wife recovered from a total gluten intollerance after seven years of what you are into. I chose to eat GF, so contamination wasn't a problem. People can't even imagine what a pain that is for the ones suffereing from it. She added Plantago Ovata to her diet and recovered fully (!) in 6 month, we don't know if that did it. After seven years! I can only hope this stuff helps someone else, too.

[Vegan is just another terms for "Rich person in rich country struggling to find struggle". Idiots.]

[Anyone who says, "I'm vegan" is lying to themselves...The one thing that I really don't like about veganism is that it seperates humans from animals. We are animals, and I think we should see ourselves as part of a whole biotic community involving all life.]

Let's not get judgemental. Not all vegans are rich...I'm certainly not as a grad student. Nor did I "struggle" to realize how animals and humans are treated. I am also not "lying" to myself. To me it seems like Andy and I have two very different understandings of veganism because, as a vegan, I would agree with his sentiment of humans as animals. Veganism is about being conscious of ones impact on others and contributions to suffering. It is not necessarily as black/white as some seem to be portraying it. I would like to talk with Andy and "Anonymous" more about their sentiments and hopefully share some of mine. I'm saddened to see their reactions to one way of improving our society.

Interesting article. It's nice to see that SOME people are mature, and can accept other's differences. I personally don't care what people eat. I'm more concerned about how it got to your table.

"s there any better advertisement for veganism than the picture at the top? She (vegan) is beautifully slender, has porcelain skin and is a very youthful forty-something. He (carnivore) is only ten years older but is bald, wrinkly and has a potbelly. He could easily pass as her grandfather."

It's a good advertisement. As with all advertisements it's probably not very representative of reality.

A 10 year age difference and genetics are probably much more in play than their diets.

My 90-year old grandmother who is fully ambulatory, sharp as a tack, and healthy as can be smoked for about 50 years. She's a great advertisement for smoking. But I think genetics probably plays into that equation a bit more than tobacco.

I'm going to hope the meat-eating commenters here aren't representative of the entire carnivore population, or yes, I would choose to only date veggie.

Ragnar Roeck:

That's so sweet that you went along with her need to be gluten free. I am googling up Plantago Ovata, because it sounds interesting. Thanks for the tip.

Sorry I typed to quickly. My comment should have been:

Just be a great veggie cook and your partner WILL not miss the meat.

"Just be a great veggie cook and your partner not miss the meat."

... I have no problem with being vegetarian or vegan. I have done both for a while off and on, but no one cooks THAT good. Someone who wants to eat meat/dairy, will, behind your back or not. You can't force someone to be vegetarian or vegan...

"Is there any better advertisement for veganism than the picture at the top?"

... you don't know their medical history, baldness is genetic, he could be alcoholic or a smoker. I know a few fat vegans....

I am a meat eater, my Girlfriend of two years is a devout vegetarian. I do my thing she does hers. People do or do not eat meat for different reasons. We occasionally get into disagreements about the industries but they are just that... Disagreements. At the end of the day we still love each other for our passions in life and for the people that we individually are. These comments are a showcase of what is wrong with our country right now, we are name calling and backhanding each other. Why? The article is about the joining of two very different beliefs and how they can still get along, even love each other deeply. If we could just do this on a national level where we could move forward starting where we all agree...We want to make this world a better place for our children... Name calling will not solve any problems.

Being green becomes more difficult by the day for Africans. Now we have to drop meat to be green? And we get this feeling that people look down at us when we eat meat. They tolerate us. We find it an insult when people visit us and they don't eat meat. But we are willing to live with vegans. We will tolerate it... More on We eat meat - get used to it at my blog http://angryafrican.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/we-eat-meat-get-used-to-it/
Angry African
;)