Vegan Forum

I thought that subject title would grab your attention!
My name is Debbie and I'm new to this forum.
I've been a vegetarian now for 17 years, and I would never go back. I am looking into becoming a vegan. It wasnt untill this week (ignorance springs to mind) that I found out veal was a bi-product of milk. I'm quite horrified. The reaction I've had has been quite negative..How are you going to cope blahh de blahhh but I'm still contemplating the idea on how far to take it. I'm quite confused about many things.
Anyway...back to the subject topic my boyfriend is a butcher. Most people I tell find this very strange. My views are quite simple. We are all different and have different morrals, so who am I to tell someone else what they can and cannot do if their ethics are different to mine. What are your thoughts on this matter.
Thanks for reading! Looking foward to reading some replies!

Would you date someone who was a human murderer, a convicted paedophile, etc? If not why would you date an animal murderer?

The answer is No. Butchery is not illegal where as the above mentioned is. Interesting point tho. As much as I dont like what he does for a living that doesnt change the person he is. He is very paticular about what he eats as he has seen the process and is not happy with how some animals are treated. He wont touch chicken or eggs as an example

Just because it's not illegal doesn't make it moral. If he truly cared for animal welfare, he wouldn't be a butcher.

I agree. It doesnt make it moral, and for many of the people reading this also, but he has his own morals and thoughts on this too which I respect, and he respects me. You refered earlier saying would I date a human murderer, a convicted paedophile, etc? I'm assuming you ahve family members and friends who eat meat, do you class them the same as the above??

I don't have a problem with your boyfriend ;-p I think it is more constructive to show meat-eaters the way forward than to call them murderers or refuse to date them?

My boyfriend is a meat-eater, and he's from a family of farmers and fishermen. He has remarkably similar ideas to me on some aspects of animal welfare and cruelty, and is opposed to the current overfishing of certain fish stocks. He is respectful of how I choose to eat and is careful to cook his meat separately, and sometimes we will eat a vegetarian meal together. I don't think he will become vegetarian, but his meat consumption and carbon footprint are now much lower than they were.

My boyfriend is a meat-eater and I would by lying if I said it didn't bother me or cause a bit of stress on your relationship from time to time but I am also very much aware that somebody who is raised eating meat and who has grown up in a society where eating meat is not only the norm but encouraged if not rammed down our throats is going to be pretty conditioned to an omnivore's lifestyle and desensitized to the reality of the situation.

Murder? Yes. But society is conditioned to believe that it is acceptable.
Is that an excuse to keep doing it?
No. But it's the reason why enlightening people is a process and why calling meat eaters names and alienating them will do more harm than good.

I try to educate my boyfriend the best I can without being too judgmental. The more I teach him, the more steps he takes towards a vegetarian lifestyle and the more conscientious choices he makes.

Dating a butcher? I don't think I could handle that but I admire your perspective.

First off hi! This is my first visit to this forum and this was the first thread I clicked on. A little background on me is that I was a vegetarian for a while and after watching Earthlings became a vegan.

As for the topic at hand, of course a vegetarian dating a butcher is going to seem weird. You are going to get shit from vegetarians and vegans about him and he will probably get shit from his meat eater friends about you. Does it make it wrong? Not in my opinion. Throughout history there have been some who tried to promote animal rights, but in reality the movement is quite young. It is okay for you to date a butcher as long as you don't let your values be compromised. I wouldn't cook a meat meal for him. As in any movement the hardest part is educating people. Just tell him your views, don't relent in your values. Will he adopt your values? Maybe or maybe not but hey, I'm sure you would rather be with someone who eats meat on occasion that you love instead of some vegan that you can't stand. As long as you stay true to yourself you can't help who you fall for.

JMHO

Well, I know that being a butcher is not vegan for it involves not only hurting animals but killing them. If you really like the person you are dating, you should talk to him and ask him that he might be seeking for another job. That would be great if he do so. Don't be afraid, you should open up to him because a good relationship starts with good communication. Hope this will help you somehow:D