As I’ve mentioned before, I recently started working in a office where I am “the vegan.” Surprisingly, although almost everyone is very environmentally conscious and progressive, there are only a couple vegetarians and no vegans. Of course, I would be ecstatic if the office was filled with vegans…but considering that I have to go it along, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how positive and sympathetic everyone is.
My boss, a “foodie” and devout meat-eater (who also appreciates vegetarian food), is enthusiastic about finding vegan-friendly restaurants for lunch. I’ve shared cookies and other food, and everyone asks about the “surprisingly delicious” vegan food. And today, in a discussion about bacon, one coworker pointed out that I was probably offended by the topic. I’ve also had several conversations about vegetarian/vegan issues with people who seem sincerely interested in the topic.
I was thinking about this, and listened to the latest Vegetarian Food for Thought podcast this evening. Not that I ever doubted it, but I remembered again why I love Colleen so much! This week, she discussed some of the conversations she’s had with strangers about veganism and animal rights. Her general point was that, if its presented in the right way, most people are very interested in hearing about vegan/animal issues. She was very encouraging about just bringing up the subject casually and in a friendly way–just “planting the seeds” rather than trying to convert anyone.
Thinking about my own experiences in my non-vegan office, I think Colleen’s belief is true; people are generally receptive and curious about these topics. And even just presenting yourself as a polite, intelligent, reasonable vegan goes a long way towards undermining some of the stereotypes people have.
So my new goal is to try to engage more people in discussions about veganism–and, importantly, to assume that they are willing and eager to hear what I have to say.
“to assume that they are willing and eager to hear what I have to say.”
For me that’s the hardest part. While I don’t want to hide that I’ve vegan, I tend to give very short answers if someone asks me questions about it because I assume they won’t be receptive. But like you said, I really need to go into the conversation assuming that the person wants the information. After all, they wouldn’t ask if they didn’t want info, right?
I agree! It is hard to balance my passion for the reasons I’m vegan with tact sometimes. I also used to dismiss questions quick so as not to span the obvious disconnect with non-vegans even further. Choosing your battles is important, Ive learned… and cupcakes often help open minds!
I couldn’t agree more. I had a job like that, where my co-workers came to me with questions and before I knew it they had ordered me a vegan cake for my birthday. I never forced my beliefs on them, but I just made them known. I find that people always come to me when they realize that I am not going to attack them.
Who was the crazy vegan who gave us all such a bad rep? They must have been mighty crazy because that stigma has gone a looong way and I don’t know any crazy vegans.