From the age of about nine i stopped eating meat and i didn't eat many eggs, only in baking and such (hate the taist!).
A few of the most hurtful comments came from the most ignorant people, unfortuantly, these people were often family friends and parents of my friends.
- I was once told by a man in his 60's who worked for St Johns Ambulance that i was going to die before i got to 50, that i was going to be so weak i would have to be in a wheelchair, that my brain would shrink and i would become mentally incompetant because my body would be so deficciant in nutrience.
(Whaaat a load of bull! and he apparantly learned this during nursing training??)
- Another one i was told was that i would go blind.
A woman told my mom this, so my mom became very reluctant to allow me from abstaining fish, cheese and eggs.
- At a friends house i was told i wasn't allowed to leave the table until i ate the meat they were served, even though i explained i didn't eat meat.
I guess i didn't have it too bad, my mum let me eat what i chose to, but always bought me veggies and nuts and quorn products, and there were a good number of vegetarian children at my school.
People are learning slowly, and now i'm an adult i can make my own choices, bring my own food to events and teach people what i know.
I hope that in another 10 years or so, people will be able to look past all the myths we somehow get sucked into about a vegan diet and a humane lifestyle.
