Ok so clearly my decision to quit smoking on a Monday and during TOM was not my best idea... I'm a little edgy as it is today.
I'll admit maybe I'm a little more sensitive than I would normally be because of this. That said, I'm still ticked.
I was at work putting together some veggies in a bowl and cilantro dressing for a dip and as I'm carrying out my afternoon snack another co-worker says "Oh rabbit food. Where are the rabbits?" I didn't say anything and just kept walking. Then a group all starts chiming in about how I don't eat meat and having a full conversation about it and I'm sure rolling their eyes. I didn't even bother to look back at them and just got right back to work.
Why is it when they eat the veggies that I have EVERY SINGLE DAY it's yummy and they all thank me. When they bring in their own it's a vegetable tray. Suddenly out of the blue I have veggies and it's "rabbit food."
(warning, graphic stuff coming up next)
First, I'll explain that I'm a traffic reporter to set up what happened next. There was a horrible accident on a freeway. A dog was running on the freeway and someone got out of their car to catch it. They got hit at least once and the result was an 8 car pile up and a motorcycle going down. I was telling the person with the camera to pan out and nix the zoom as there was A LOT of blood on the freeway and chunks of... uh... meat in lanes. I had just been explaining to someone maybe an hour before about being over a similar scene a couple of years ago and how if you'd ever considered giving up meat before, that would do it for good.
I really hate Mondays. Still working on the quitting smoking thing and at least tonight when I eat my "rabbit food" I have no problems with picturing where it came from.
Not that you would want to start trouble but don't you have an H.R. department at you job? I would consider it harrasment for people to make fun of me because of what I was eating. It's rude an unprofessional.
that's awful! those people are so rude and they sound really stupid...cause horses eat carrots too lol so it's not just rabbits even the animals know that!
I've never encountered people as interested in what I do and do not eat as my co-workers. They've loved everything I've cooked and shared, but they still have a hard time grasping my food choices. And they want to talk about it, every day.
I found ignoring it didn't help. Now, when they make references to my lunch, I say yep, I have veggies for lunch. I had veggies for breakfast. All I ever eat is carrots and broccoli, wanna come over for dinner? They've pretty much shut up now. I did have to remind my boss last weekend though, as he made faces at my nori, that he loves sushi, and what exactly did he think sushi was wrapped in? I guess he never knew it was seaweed ...
I'm lucky. My coworkers don't talk about it too much. They asked questions about it like, the first week or so after they knew. I don't really make a big deal out of it or talk about it. Every so often they'll forget and ask if I want something from somewhere then be like, "Oh wait, I forgot, sorry!" But it doesn't really bother me.
Just let it roll off your back. You know what you're doing is right for you and that's all that counts.
Last edited by FreeSpirit; 08-25-2009 at 11:19 AM.
Thanks for letting me vent. It's not worth getting HR involved it was just weird and I was already irritable. Normally people comment that I always have such healthy food so I don't know what was up their rumps yesterday. I notice people tend to give others who eat healthy a hard time out of guilt for their own choices and trying to justify them.
Today is another day and today I won't share my rabbit food with anyone.
I had trouble with coworkers when I first went veg. Now it's no big deal, those that ask are actually interested in what I may have that's different from the SAD. Granted it took many many months to get to that point. I found I had to have different approaches with different people. Some I politely told I thought it was rude to comment on my food when I didn't feel the need to comment on theirs. Others were a bit more over the top so a less then polite - "can it" seemed to work .
damn
I hate people who think like that with vegetarians
I am a pescetarian and I understand what you're goign through,
a lot of people tease me for my eating habits but I just deal with it
or I ginore it..
Honestly this brings in the "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all" which I was mention next time along the lines of "I understand that you might not "get" my eating habits but I've made my decision and if you don't support me I'd rather not hear about it"...because to be honest it sounds like they are threatened by you, so, maybe just being blunt is the way to go.
Comments on what other people eat is just plain rude! I would tell them that.
I ran into a bad situation yesterday at a board meeting where a Christmas party was being planned. I'm not a vegetarian but when the group chose a catered roast beef dinner, I was shocked when they pooh-poohed my suggestion of at least one dish that our vegetarian members would enjoy. It's ended up that I will talk to the caterer or else make a dish myself! They looked at me as if I were insane to suggest such a thing.
I'm fortunate to live in S. California where most catered events offer a vegetarian dish.
Some people get a little defensive around me about how much they love eating meat. I've never tried to turn a single person into a vegetarian. If asked, I tell them why I've chosen this diet and some of it includes some brutal facts about factory farming. If people want to mock, they can do it all they want. I know what I put into my body and I feel pretty happy and secure with my choices. People have this idea of Vegetarians/Vegans being gaunt and sickly because they are malnourished. I don't fit that description at all.
I hate when people say "rabbit food". It's like you have to be meek, weak, small, skittish to be veg*n. You can't be strong and eat plant-based food? Tell that to elephants, rhinocerous, moose, gorillas...those are some pretty strong vegetarians if you ask me...
I hate when people say "rabbit food". It's like you have to be meek, weak, small, skittish to be veg*n. You can't be strong and eat plant-based food? Tell that to elephants, rhinocerous, moose, gorillas...those are some pretty strong vegetarians if you ask me...
Fortunately there are several of my co-workers who are vegetarian and pescatarian and no-one makes rude comments to any of us about our lunches.
We are also fortunate that whenever we do a group event involving potluck a few people always bring some vegetarian, gluten-free and nut-free treats in since quite a few of my co-workers have different dietary needs.
Rabbit food? Really?!?
and today I won't share my rabbit food with anyone.
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