Veganism and School

[wilycutie]

I'm currently in college, and I'm working towards a degree in physical anthropology, which is basically studying human remains. I eventually want to do research with ancient remains and nutrition.

At any rate, because I chose this major, I often have to do very gross things in biology class. Like today, when I had to dissect a beef liver and then crush a piece of it to examine the reactivity and other such things. This kind of bothers me, but I understand that it comes with the territory, and I'm going to have to do worse, like when I take gross anatomy.

But when I tell people in my class that I'm vegan, it freaks them all out. Like, they stare at me as if I'm a mental patient. Does anyone else have any similar issues? I'm really just tired of the looks.

[jenn0118]

Don't worry honey the only important opinion is yours. You know what you are doing is right. Besides, could it be possible that they may just be curious and not expressing it correctly? You may be the first live vegan they have ever been around, and if they have had any exposure it would only be to a skewed media opinion. Be patient with those around you. Maybe one day (that you are not disecting something) you could bring some vegan cupcakes or something to class, or maybe try to invite someone for lunch and show them that you really eat normal kind of stuff. It may be a chance for you to, by expamle, help other into veganism. And if not don't worry about them, you may never see them again after you have finished school, unless of course you take the opportunity to make them freinds thereby breeding understanding.

[Bios]

Some people don't get the concept of shades of gray. They don't get that what might be tolerable if done for one reason might be judged wrong to do for other reasons. A vegan's got to get that concept and make those judgements, since living an entirely animal-product-free life is impossible in an industrialized society.

So don't worry about them. Odds are they've never devoted much consideration to these ideas, whereas you have and decided where you stand.

I get similar reactions a lot, since any physiologist (which I am) must at least read and use data from animal experiments.

[Doktormartini]

I'm currently in college, and I'm working towards a degree in physical anthropology, which is basically studying human remains. I eventually want to do research with ancient remains and nutrition.

At any rate, because I chose this major, I often have to do very gross things in biology class. Like today, when I had to dissect a beef liver and then crush a piece of it to examine the reactivity and other such things. This kind of bothers me, but I understand that it comes with the territory, and I'm going to have to do worse, like when I take gross anatomy.

But when I tell people in my class that I'm vegan, it freaks them all out. Like, they stare at me as if I'm a mental patient. Does anyone else have any similar issues? I'm really just tired of the looks.
In my animal science class we had to disect a pig but the teacher offered a paper as an alternative. It doens't really freak people out when I tell them, they just think it's weird. Luckly my friends I have in my bio class are cool with me being vegan and understand it :)

[violet rose]

In biology my teacher gives an option for everyone to opt out of the dissections and do an alternative assignment.

In my environment class is where I have problems. People always ask questions (the really annoying ones that all of us get) and assume because of my diet, my taking the environment course, and loving animals that I'm an extreme animal rights person like PETA. Someone actually told the teacher I'd kill him if I didn't get an A because I "hate" people and love animals. Its annoying that they're so stupid, but I guess at the same time its amusing.

[entre_mundos]

what's a beef liver? do you mean cow liver?

don't worry about their looks or what they're thinking. you know why you're doing what you're doing, so what else matters? maybe they're just interested in you because you have put your mind to something and actually done it. you're living your beliefs, and not all people can claim that over their life.

feel comfortable in your own skin. (because you know you aren't eating any)