# Is it really common not to have one's choices of not eating some kinds of food respected? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 9, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176 "2010-09-09T14:07:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/161 "2010-09-15T23:21:08Z")
The reason people find it more ok to do so is because skinny teasing is usually about envy, overweight is usually about contempt. So I wouldnt complain too much about how lucky overweight people are that they dont get it. Otara ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/162 "2010-09-15T23:54:02Z")
> [@Otara](#): > > The reason people find it more ok to do so is because skinny teasing is usually about envy, overweight is usually about contempt. > > So I wouldnt complain too much about how lucky overweight people are that they dont get it. > > Otara Maybe. The vibe I get is generally not jealousy but “I wonder if she has an eating disorder.” But perhaps I’m over-sensitive. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/163 "2010-09-16T01:12:42Z")
One thing I’ve noticed: Without exception, every. single. _Western_ Vegetarian/Vegan I’ve ever met has been female (I’ve met plenty of male vegetarians/vegans from India and various Muslim countries, though). Are there actually many male “Lifestyle” Vegetarians? (SDMB members don’t count, since everyone’s super-special and unique here, after all…) ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/164 "2010-09-16T01:43:26Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > One thing I’ve noticed: Without exception, every. single. _Western_ Vegetarian/Vegan I’ve ever met has been female (I’ve met plenty of male vegetarians/vegans from India and various Muslim countries, though). > > Are there actually many male “Lifestyle” Vegetarians? (SDMB members don’t count, since everyone’s super-special and unique here, after all…) Define “many.” My SO is male, and a number of his and my male friends are vegetarian (the “real” kind, not the “except for bacon and fish” kind) or vegan. He studies yoga and massage therapy, so that might skew that particular sample. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/165 "2010-09-16T01:50:01Z")
My SO was a strict vegetarian for 10 years, from 9-19. Very strict as well, though it doesn’t extend into a lifestyle or clothing or footwear. He eventually had to choose lots of protein shakes or meat when he began lifting weights regularly; he tried the shakes, failed, and decided to eat meat. But I’d say the split I encounter is more like 60/40 with the women leading, but nowhere near your elusive all women spread. Also, I don’t think people are vegetarians if they have all sorts of exceptions “I eat chicken but I’m a vegetarian!” Wrong, you’re a meat eater who only likes chicken, dumbass. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/166 "2010-09-16T02:08:10Z")
Of course it’s common. You will eat your veggies or you will not leave this table young man :D. Joke aside, I can be a picky eater myself (can’t eat cheese in most of its forms, really dislike fish that isn’t either raw or grilled, and I’ll treat spinach or brussel sprouts as attempted murder). If I know you’ve put a lot of yourself in the meal, I’ll probably nibble a few polite bites, otherwise I’ll just leave it/not order it. I’ve never gotten flak about it past childhood. Derision sometimes, light badgering some other times (“oh come on, at least try it ! Can’t know if you don’t like it if you haven’t tried !”) but no offended reactions, and I certainly have never had people try to shove things into my mouth or sneak shit into my food. What kind of arseholes do you people hang out with ?! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/167 "2010-09-16T02:23:44Z")
Before the guy moved out of state, my husband had a male coworker in the (US) post office who was a strict vegan **and** a marathon runner. He was in superb physical shape. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/168 "2010-09-16T02:33:59Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > One thing I’ve noticed: Without exception, every. single. _Western_ Vegetarian/Vegan I’ve ever met has been female (I’ve met plenty of male vegetarians/vegans from India and various Muslim countries, though). > > Are there actually many male “Lifestyle” Vegetarians? (SDMB members don’t count, since everyone’s super-special and unique here, after all…) Well, it’s easy for me to think of some male friends who are vegetarian or vegan. I think I know more women who are vegetarian or vegan, but it’s not wildly disproportionate. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/169 "2010-09-16T02:35:57Z")
Oh, **Ferret Herder** , I hope I didn’t imply being a vegetarian or vegan makes it hard to be athletic. It doesn’t, but you _do_ have to have a very strong appetite. My SO does not like to eat a whole shitload of food, and despite having a balanced diet, he simply could not choke down enough beans, dairy, tofu etc to meet his calorie & protein needs. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/170 "2010-09-16T02:40:01Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > Oh, **Ferret Herder** , I hope I didn’t imply being a vegetarian or vegan makes it hard to be athletic. It doesn’t, but you _do_ have to have a very strong appetite. My SO does not like to eat a whole shitload of food, and despite having a balanced diet, he simply could not choke down enough beans, dairy, tofu etc to meet his calorie & protein needs. Oh no, I was just exclaiming about his physical fitness. He was in such amazing shape. I’m an ovo-lacto vegetarian and know a lot about vegan cooking, but I’m not sure I could plan out and stick to a diet that would carry me through such a level of physical activity. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/171 "2010-09-16T11:02:49Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > One thing I’ve noticed: Without exception, every. single. _Western_ Vegetarian/Vegan I’ve ever met has been female (I’ve met plenty of male vegetarians/vegans from India and various Muslim countries, though). > > Are there actually many male “Lifestyle” Vegetarians? (SDMB members don’t count, since everyone’s super-special and unique here, after all…) I’m a vegetarian, and I have another male friend who’s in his twenties and has been a vegetarian his entire life. We’re both Westerners. That said, I have noticed that among my friends, the vegetarian group definitely skews female. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/172 "2010-09-16T11:46:47Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > There’s already a perfectly good word for someone who eats fish: pescetarian. That word is really not commonly known and for some reason, when I’ve been in the U.S. people seem to think it’s some kind of eastern religion. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/173 "2010-09-16T12:44:38Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > One thing I’ve noticed: Without exception, every. single. _Western_ Vegetarian/Vegan I’ve ever met has been female (I’ve met plenty of male vegetarians/vegans from India and various Muslim countries, though). > > Are there actually many male “Lifestyle” Vegetarians? (SDMB members don’t count, since everyone’s super-special and unique here, after all…) That vegetarian consultant who spent a month in Hell in my hometown was male and Mexican. My cousin was vegetarian-except-when-it’s-impossible (if you’re in the ass end of nowhere, it’s not the right time to pout at being offered meat) and male. ---
**Author:** ![RedWood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f08c70/32.png) [@RedWood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedWood)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/174 "2010-09-16T12:57:06Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > One thing I’ve noticed: Without exception, every. single. _Western_ Vegetarian/Vegan I’ve ever met has been female (I’ve met plenty of male vegetarians/vegans from India and various Muslim countries, though). > > Are there actually many male “Lifestyle” Vegetarians? (SDMB members don’t count, since everyone’s super-special and unique here, after all…) My friend who inspires me\* to create new vegetarian recipes is male. Most of the nasty preachy you’re-EVIL-for-eating-meat folks are female. \*He does it by happily enjoying all the foods I cook for him. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/175 "2010-09-16T13:04:19Z")
> [@Eats\_Crayons](#): > > > [@tumbleddown](#): > > > > There’s already a perfectly good word for someone who eats fish: pescetarian. > > That word is really not commonly known and for some reason, when I’ve been in the U.S. people seem to think it’s some kind of eastern religion. Wouldn’t that work in your favor? You preferences might be respected more readily. Compare: “I don’t like cucumbers.” “My religion forbids cucumber consumption. It is a ‘dark vegetable’ and would tarnish my soul.” ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/176 "2010-09-16T13:24:33Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > One thing I’ve noticed: Without exception, every. single. _Western_ Vegetarian/Vegan I’ve ever met has been female (I’ve met plenty of male vegetarians/vegans from India and various Muslim countries, though). > > Are there actually many male “Lifestyle” Vegetarians? (SDMB members don’t count, since everyone’s super-special and unique here, after all…) I had a male doctor once. Not only was he a Western vegan, he wanted me to read my Bible daily. Oh, and convert to veganism. Yeah, I got rid of him as soon as my insurance would let me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/177 "2010-09-16T16:47:53Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Are there actually many male “Lifestyle” Vegetarians? (SDMB members don’t count, since everyone’s super-special and unique here, after all…) I personally know a number of white male cheese-and-egg vegetarians, and more men who use “vegetarian” as code for “I don’t eat quadrupeds”. I live in the San Francisco bay area. ---
**Author:** ![apollonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@apollonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/apollonia)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/178 "2010-09-16T18:05:29Z")
I used to have a roommate who claimed to be vegetarian. I say “claimed to be” because while she would loudly proclaim that there was nothing she could eat at a dinner party or restaurant menu, she had several exceptions. But she was _totally_ a vegetarian, you guys! She just really really really loved ribs! Oh. And chicken wings–she couldn’t give up wings! But that was it. Well, fish. She loved fish. But that was all. Or, wait. And ground beef. But NO OTHER type of beef! Except steak on special occasions. But other than THAT–oh, no, wait. Also, chicken soup. And bacon. So, yeah. Worst vegetarian ever. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/179 "2010-09-16T19:11:31Z")
We all know the people who never order dessert because they are on a diet, or they don’t like sweets, or sugar is bad for you. Then they take just a bite of everyone else’s dessert. I’ve seen people do this at buffets. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176/180 "2010-09-16T19:14:37Z")
I love seafood and fish and dairy and all that good stuff. I don’t eat red meat and chicken and things like that, for my own, non-health related, non religious reasons. I would never use the word ‘vegetarian’ because 1. I’m not, and 2. boyyyyy, I know some vegetarians who take it PERSONALLY if anyone wrongfully uses their title. It’s like wearing a purple heart when you’ve never seen battle. So I just say “I don’t like chicken”. Simple as that. “Oh, HAVE some, girl! How you black and don’t like chicken?? Stop playing and eat!” to which I reply, “No thanks, just mash and gravy for me, I’m good.” Simple. My husband has an African friend that really gets ofFENDed if you don’t accept his food. Everytime we go over there, it is all kinds of exotic meats on a steak, meats in a stew, meat, meat, meat. My husband would kill me if I were to reject offers from this friend. And I really don’t see how it could kill me to eat a mouthfull of goat or whatever once in a while. We hardly ever even see the man. So yeah. I have definitely been pressured to eat that which I’d rather not eat, but it’s no biggie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-really-common-not-to-have-ones-choices-of-not-eating-some-kinds-of-food-respected/553176.md?page=10)