Things meat eaters say and do

[scruffyhead]

Iozza its called Verbal harassment and you are in your right to report her to your boss, just warn her that you will and maybe she will think twice about what she says in future! Good luck and dont let this mindless bully get to you.

[feral]

Lozza each time she brings it up tell her you'd rather not discuss it and give her a cold hard stare... if she keeps going on in front of customers hold her gaze with a blank stare and without saying anything get back about your work she'll soon get so uncomfortable she'll stop.

[Sheila]

Iozza,
This is the worst! I don't know what your laws are where you live but in the US that is something that could be taken to court. I'm not much on suing people and can usually handle things my own way.

I'm somewhat a b*tch so if being nice and telling her that it's not funny and explaining myself to her didn't work, I'd most likely tell her if she said one more f*cking word about what I ate I would make her life a living f*cking hell.

But none the less I would go through all appropriate channels first. If you think reporting her will make a more hostile work environment, how much more hostile can it be then what it is now?

I feel for you and hope it turns out for you.

Hugs,
Sheila

[Haniska]

This girl at my work who says she is a vegetarian (but eats meat if it suits her) was saying today that she "would never force vegetarianism on her kids" because "it was their own decision to make, besides the fact of all of the important proteins....." She once told me that kids that are raised as vegetarian could not eat meat because their bodies could not metabolize protein. W T F ? I told her it was a load if S and she backpeddled and said it was an article she read and she didn't believe it, now this.

[madpogue]

Lozza, things may be different in the UK, but in the US, "I'm just joking" doesn't cut it. If a co-worker creates a hostile work environment, that constitutes harrassment. You may need to be reassigned, if this supervisor won't stick to working with you on a professional level.

As to trying to rise above it, you already ARE above it. Even if your perspective were debatable with hers on a co-equal basis, it's not just that she's wrong on the ethics, she's just not playing cricket. If anything, you should feel almost sorry for her, that she has to stoop to treating people like this. It's even sorrier that this is her way of "having a laugh". When she gets the sense that it's hurtful to you, she's validated, and unfortunately, encouraged to do it more. If, instead, you tell her how sorry it is that she can only "have a laugh" by demeaning others, the focus will be on her, not on you.

[wilson]

i HATE ignorant people. but most of, i cant stand people who try to prove me wrong & make me look stupid for fun. thats what she does to people. she singles people out because she finds it funny. and if i get annoyed/upset about it, she goes "why are you taking it so seriously? i'm only having a laugh" well i dont find it funny!
hi lozza,

sorry you're going through this. I had a similar situation at work recently. a new guy had started, who quickly took to takin gthe p*ss out of my veganism. it all started on staff meeting day, when the company lay on free pizza, and very kindly order one for me with no cheese. This guy finds out and says "is it for health reasons?" - the implication being that personal health reasons is the only justifiable reason for such dietary 'abnormalities'. I replied "I'm a vegan" so he said "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that".

he was new so I let it go whilst mentally making note that he was obviously a dick and there would be more of this. he got into it again at the staff Xmas do, but I turned his arguments round so that our whole table (all meat eaters) were laughing at him. I should point out that I've been working at this place for 6 years, have a pleasant friendly personality (so I'm told), so I have built up some goodwill, and on the odd occasion can be fairly witty, I suppose. whereas this guy has just started and is the dictionary definition of an unpleasant computer nerd.

Anyways, I thought after the Xmas thing, he would have learned to back off, but sure enough it comes up again at the next staff meeting/pizza thing. It's a series of bad jokes (my cheeseless pizza is 'like kissing your grandmother' - no, I don't understand either), my workmates are chipping in with supportive stuff like "well, he'll live til he's 105...", to the reply "yeah, but he'll have no fun".

At this point the red mist is descending, and all I can think to do is drop anchor on the little toerag, but that wouldn't look good on my CV, so I take it on the chin and go back to my desk.

Unfortunately, he has the desk next to me. I sit and fume for a few minutes, then get up to leave (it's home time). He starts up again, just blurting stuff out now like he's got vegan related tourette's or something, "Are you taking the rest of your pizza home? Cos I don't thnk there any other vegans here". So I stop getting my bag together and say "do you actually have a problem with me? cos everytime the subject of food comes up, you come out with this string of crappy jokes", he starts to protest but now I'm quite angry, I say "If I was Jewish would you have a go at me for not eating pork?", this line seems to have an effect, as he starts to protest with the old "I was only joking...", so I say "well, you're not funny - this is my lifestyle, and you have to understand you are being very ignorant, and you're really pissing me off!!!" I'm stood over my desk at him now, and I'm shaking with anger, my voice raised.

Then I got my stuff and left. The amusing image I have in my head from all that is throughout the last exchange he was holding a piece of pepperoni pizza, poised by the side of his head as if he's about to take a bite, but because of the exchange, he doesn't and instead it just to starts sag down limply, like a metaphor for his decreasing cockiness.

as a disclaimer, I want to say that I am in no way a hardman who enjoys that sort of thing, like I say I was shaking with anger, stomach turning over etc. I would much rather avoid that sort of stuff, but this was the third separate incident and I'd had enough. I was thinking as I walked home that I felt better than the other times when I'd took it and walked home angry at myself for trying to be the reasonable one.

Anyway, sorry for rambling on, it's just I feel for you lozza, and wanted you to know you're not alone in having experienced something like this. I think you're within your rights to say calmly to your workmate that she is being very ignorant, and that you're not prepared to put with it, and that maybe the two of you should go and discuss it with a superior. When she says "I'm only having a laugh", point out that it's at your expense, which is hardly fair. Or better still, bet her 1 pound she can't fit a whole haggis in her mouth. That should shut her up for a bit. ;)

cheers,
Wilson
:)

[madpogue]

(my cheeseless pizza is 'like kissing your grandmother' Good come-back to this: "And just how do you know this?...."


this line seems to have an effect, as he starts to protest with the old "I was only joking..." Not sure where you are (your "location" is, er, enigmatic), but again, here in the US, "only joking" isn't a defense. If he were "only joking" about a co-worker's religion, or sex, or disability, it would still be workplace harrassment, as it is with anything that creates a hostile work environment. So if it applies where you live, next time he pulls the "only joking" line out of whatever orifice he keeps it in, remind him that it's no defense in a harrassment action. Maybe he'll get the hint that there may consequences for his conduct.

[wilson]

Not sure where you are (your "location" is, er, enigmatic),
yeah, 'North of America' is the riddle to, er, end all riddles :D


If he were "only joking" about a co-worker's religion, or sex, or disability, it would still be workplace harrassment,
agreed, that's why I was asking him whether he'd say the same stuff if I was Jewish. I could have said muslim, given that we have a muslim in the office. Anyway, he seemed to get that point, at least, because that's when he started to back down.


remind him that it's no defense in a harrassment action. Maybe he'll get the hint that there may consequences for his conduct.
I'm sure it won't come to that - he hasn't spoken to me at all since the incident, apart from a few grumbled hellos etc. I assume he thinks I'm some hysterical tree-hugger with no sense of humour.

Thanks for the support though ;)

[Pilaf]

Some people just can't seem to understand the difference between wanting to be left alone in peace and being "haughty". I explained to a guy at my last job that he should stop teasing me about my pentagram necklace and things, and that I don't bother him about his lifestyle and I expect the same courtesy from him, to leave me alone to be who I am. And he's like "what's that, a devil worshipper?".... I know it's not the same situation, but it's similar and it's aggravating as hell.

[treehugga]

i havent had any comments in a long time off meat eaters.

but i started a new job 3 months ago.. (i hate starting new jobs & people having to find out i am vegan. i generally try & stay quiet about it).

anyway, my supervisor is a very typical scottish girl. she just LOVES sausage & bacon sandwhiches and actually laughs at me in front of everyone else at work including customers over the fact that i dont eat meat or dairy or eggs etc. oh yeah she also finds it hilarious that i wont use animal tested products. she actually laughed in my face and said "whats so wrong with testing on animals anyway?" and i nearly blew up.

i can kinda deal with all that but the thing that gets to me the most is when i am taking a break & making my lunch (we work in a sandwich shop so we get free lunch). they have a really nice humous, so i usually make a sandwich/roll with humous and various vegetables & salad. she stands there and watches me put it all on my roll & screws up her face & goes "euuuggh how can you eat that? you're disgusting. thats disgusting!" she said she hates humous although shes NEVER tried it. i told her to try it cos she would like it. and she was like "no thanks. yuck. i'll stick to turkey." (mmm so appealing?)

she always scrutinises everything i eat and says how i am so disgusting for eating it. she had no idea what tofu was. so i explained and she again called me disgusting & said "how can you eat that? yuck!" she calls me weird and says "how can you not like meat?" i told her i dont like the taste and also its morally wrong. and i said "i dont like the idea of eating flesh"

and she actually said "its not flesh. its meat" - as if she didnt know that meat was a dead animal. and that meat WAS flesh. i was like "do you not KNOW that meat is a dead animal?" she just kinda made a face.

i am sick to death of her always taking the piss out of me and making fun of me & trying to make me look stupid in front of everyone. i try to rise above it mostly and just think that she doesnt know what shes talking about. shes uneducated and ignorant. not to make myself sound like i am higher up than her. cos i dont like doing that. but she just thinks that the only food out there is animals.

she said to me "what do you eat?" but she said it in a way like "wow, there must be nothing that you can eat!!" not in a curious, wanting to know kind of way. i said "i eat everything you do. minus the animals products. thats not the only food in the world."

i HATE ignorant people. but most of, i cant stand people who try to prove me wrong & make me look stupid for fun. thats what she does to people. she singles people out because she finds it funny. and if i get annoyed/upset about it, she goes "why are you taking it so seriously? i'm only having a laugh" well i dont find it funny!

Lozza that is abusive behaviour towards you. You should ask her if you were religious would she make fun of your religion - I don't think so. She is acting really unprofessionally and bullying you in front of others. When she does this I would say "I don't find that funny' and walk away. That way she looks like the fool. I wouldn't snap back at her as this will probably reinforce her permission to behave badly towards you and also diminish your current good grace, in her eyes. If this ends up going further you don't want her being able to state that your behaviour ended up being as bad as hers. If this keeps up I would take it further as she should not be allowed to abuse others. Ring your union for advice just in case.

[Smoothie]

yeah, you should really do something about it - it is NOT okay that you have to go around feeling bad, cause she's a complete jerk. you have the right to choose whatever lifestyle you like, and she has NO RIGHT to harrass you.

[abrennan]

You probably have the right to a harrassment free workplace.

[DancingWillow]

Well, this is not really about a silly comments from omni's, but I wasn't sure where to post my little rant...

Since I quit my job (I'm leaving town), my co-workers threw me a farewell party on Monday. I offered to make a vegan dessert and made a key lime pie (which turned out very good, though quite tart) and decorated it very nicely with shredded coconut on top. I had a piece and one of my co-workers (who's also a vegan) had a piece. Nobody else would even try it just 'cause it was vegan! I was really annoyed that people are so closed minded :mad: I didn't put poison in it, so why not try it? Even if you try it and don't like it, at least you'll know. Then, after our get-together, we put it in the common break room where other people could eat it too. In a few hours it was almost gone since the other people didn't know that it was vegan.

[Tigerlily]

I just baked a whole batch of chocolate chip cookies but no one in my house wants to eat them because they are vegan and "gross".

[wilson]

jesus christ, that is so ignorant and shallow :mad:. DancingWillow & Tigerlily it sucks that you went through this effort and had ignorance for your reward.

I bet your stuff tasted great. I have made vegan cookies plenty of times (albeit with an, ahem, 'secret' ingredient that allows you to enjoy the cookie AND praise jah ;)) and my omni-gf and her omni-roommate both love em.

[DancingWillow]

thanks wilson! And Tigerlily, I'm sorry that your family won't eat your vegan cookies. At least my family is open-minded: my mom and sister loved my vegan truffles, and they love Tofutti ice-cream and vegan cake. My sister called me the "vegan chef" yesterday when I told her about the key lime pie... :)

[Tigerlily]

:( I know, I even cried. They taste just like regular homemade cookies! My brothers are just so hooked on commercial cookies, I don't think they had a real homemade cookie in years.

[DancingWillow]

:( aww, poor Tigerlily! *Hugs*

[Tigerlily]

Yeah. I have them in a plastic container in my room now. How long do they last?

[DancingWillow]

They should last at least 4 days I think. If they taste good, I'd even eat them after a week. If you've made a lot, you can probably freeze them and they'll last even longer.

[Tigerlily]

I have about a dozen left. :D I think I can eat them in 4 days.

[fiamma]

Nobody else would even try it just 'cause it was vegan!

They don't know what they missed :) Hope you find some better co-workers in your next job!

[sandra]

I just baked a whole batch of chocolate chip cookies but no one in my house wants to eat them because they are vegan and "gross".
Hi Tigerlily, That sort of thing happens to me too, I made a vegan stew the other day and my husband refused to eat it, it really upset me as I thought it was lovely!
I wish I could try some of your cookies, would you send me the recipe?

[Tigerlily]

Here's the recipe:
http://www.bobbymcr.com/main/food/recipes/VeganChocolateChipCookies.xml

I would use more chocolate chips next time. And also increase the cooking time by a few more minutes too.

[moochbabe]

the other day this guy was asking me where i get pretty much everything. i was already getting annoyed when he asked about my calcium intake so I responded: I get it from the same place as the cows. he looked at me with the funny look and goes: you eat grass? :eek: