After reading several threads of people referring to their omni BF, GF, husband, or wife, I began to wonder if that is a source of friction in the relationship. I know I couldn't date a non-veg*n, and I am curious how other people feel.

For those of you in relationships with an omni, could you tell us if you were a vegetarian before meeting them, or did you become one after. If you met them after, would you still date them if you met them now?

I haven't found there to be any friction regarding our respective diets with my omni bf and I. I was a vegetarian for 10 years before I met him, and he barely ate vegetables. Since he doesn't cook, but is willing to eat anything (providing it doesn't contain eggplant, summer squash or mushrooms, or tomatoes not in a ketchup or sauce form), so I do the cooking and he eats. He's happy to go to vegetarian restaurants, and I'm willing to go out wherever even if it means I won't really eat til I get home just cause I enjoy his company. He's very respectful of my beliefs and has even defended vegetarianism to other people when I'm not around. He knows I won't kiss him if he's just eaten something gross, and is ok with that. Short of a massive corinary (which I think we can avoid if he continues to eat the amount of veg food he does when I'm around), I can't see him ever turning vegetarian. But he's a nice guy, is good to my cats, takes good care of me, etc.. etc.. I'd rather have a really nice omni for a bf than a bastard of a vegan.

This topic always opens a can of worms.

Short answer:

I didn't turn veg until after I married my husband. He's respectful of my choice, and he eats more veggies/less meat now than ever before, but I doubt he'll ever go full-fledged veg. One day he may become pesce-tarian.

Would I marry him again? In a heartbeat.

He feels a true compassion for animals--in fact, pets tend to love him more than me--but I think he still eats meat because of the taste, the social "ostracization," and the "convenience."

We all have our things that we don't work hard enough at, don't try enough to do, don't give our 100% best. He's kind, caring, thoughtful, generous, sensitive, loving.... all the best traits. I can't fault him for being a bit lazy and selfish when it comes to his food.

I was omni when I married him. I would marry him again in a heartbeat. He is my guy.

The reality is I don't know any male vegetarians or vegans, and as such I take Vegan-Omni relationship conflicts as an inevitable part of dating. The point at which it becomes a deal breaker for me, is when my partner either won't respect my choice to be vegan, or suggests it is stupid (grrrrr).

Dareme,

I suspect veg*n men in Australia are more rare than here. I went to a vegetarian group dinner and there was one woman and seven men. I can't seem to meet any veg*n women here. LOL

I was already a vegetarian when I met my boyfriend, who is from a cow farming family, and still works on his parent's farm frequently so that has been an issue for me.
When I found out what his parents did I really did almost break up with him (that was a good 3 years ago).

We don't ever fight about it, I do most of the cooking and even when he cooks for me it is vegan. The only time I can think of recently that he has added meat to his meal is when his mom gave it to him. When I went vegan a year or so after we started dating that put him off a bit because he enjoys taking me out to nice restaurants but hes adapted and we still have all of our same favorite places so its good.

When we get our own place he has agreed to a vegetarian home, though he'll still probably eat meat out like he does now.

It has been a source of friction with regard to his family (his dads family have been raising cows on that land for going on 6 generations, his mom's family has something similar going on with her dad's land) but we've finally worked through most of it and they seem to be getting used to me.

I wasn't a veggie when I meet my husband but I would still date him regardless. My husband is the closest thing to 'love at first sight' I've ever experienced. It doesn't really bother me that he eats meat occasionally now so I can't see how it would make a difference if I was vegetarian before I met him or became one after.
Relationships are ALL about compromise. If you're looking for someone who thinks like you, believes what you do, likes and dislikes what you do, etc. not only will you be bored but probably lonely.
There's much more to life than whether or not someone eats steak.
Mary

I was in a relationship with an omni when I turned veg. It did turn into a point of contention, because he felt as though I was now judging his dietary choices just by not eating meat. He also refused to believe that it was a healthy lifestyle because some of his cousins were veg*n and were sickly.
Needless to say, he was not very supportive and our relationship ended about 4 months later.

Now I'm in a relationship with a omni, and it's no big deal, beacause it's part of who I am and what I was when he met me. He has asked me to cook meat for him, but when I explained that would compromise my ethics, he apologized and has never asked again. When we go to restaurants, he is always trying to make sure there is something I can eat before we go in. The funny part, is that even in omni restaurants, I tend to find more satisfying meals than he does (he's the picky one).

Friction? no my husband has made a choice that is differant from mine.
Why should I be jugmental about it.
He works like I do to help animals in need and we are both careful about waht we buy and how what we do effects the enviroment.
The fact he eats meat is only a small aspect of his life but it does not define who he is.
He is respectful of my choices and I of his, our children we have allowed to choose thier own path one takes after me and the other after him.

It's not a source of friction for us. I was a vegetarian before we met/married and he's cut a lot of meat out of his diet for me. I'm the one that does most of the cooking anyway, so he eats what I make without complaint. He mostly eats meat when he's out and he'll occasionally cook himself a steak or some spam.

What is most interesting is that all of you who responded are women. I wonder if there are any men who have dated women omnis? That is one of my personal "deal breakers".

Not everyone with a boyfriend is a woman. :)

Not everyone with a boyfriend is a woman. :)

True. My bad. No offense intended.:elf:

My boyfriend is omni. I was omni when I met him, and when I went veg, he was upset at first because we bond and reconnect by cooking. He was worried we wouldn't find anything we can cook together. We still cook, though. He's even agreed to eat veggie burger instead of real burgers, because, in his words, they taste cleaner. He wants to try my Yves ground 'turkey' next time we make tacos. Very understanding, but still elbows me in the side occasionally when I get something so incredibly veg it's almost painful.

Would I date him again? In a heartbeat. He's my soulmate.

What is most interesting is that all of you who responded are women. I wonder if there are any men who have dated women omnis? That is one of my personal "deal breakers".

i told myself i would never do it. then oops, all my conventions went out the window when i met this omni girl....

fast forward...6 mo later, things were wonderful, but i told her i wasn't sure i could date someone who ate meat. voila, she became lacto ovo for me. now, 6 months after that, she says she resented me, for a month or so, for manipulating her into it (which i am guilty of. but there was no other way..!..)

BUT she says even if we break up she'd still continue to be a vegetarian whole heartedly. which ironically was the greatest thing i could've asked to hear. the whole time, even when she was omni, she supported me and made sure i could eat stuff if we went out, and didn't eat meat in front of me. but now that's not an issue :vebo:

of course, visions of her holding a bone of fried chicken and eating it still haunt me and nauseate me. i will never get that image out of my head. but it's all good now.

That's a toughie. I would think how people would handle this would have a lot to do with what drew them into veg*nism. For me personally, it was the respect of life and animal rights, which I am incredibly passionate about... knowing this makes me feel that I would have a hard time dating an omni...
course' I haven't found anyone who makes me want to test my theories as of yet. :worried:

I do however, give a big nod to all of you who do- it shows a remarkable level of tolerance and acceptance on your part- which is a great representation of us veg heads!

bless!

I do not find no friction, just more jokes about it. :D Yep, I was a veg when I met my omni husband. I never really thought about it that much, because all I know is omni's.:stinkeye:

i told myself i would never do it. then oops, all my conventions went out the window when i met this omni girl....

That's why I try not to make blanket statements. I think the words "always" and "never" are challenges that make the universe go, "Oh reeeeeally? Let's see about that."

That's why I try not to make blanket statements. I think the words "always" and "never" are challenges that make the universe go, "Oh reeeeeally? Let's see about that."

I will never win the lottery and I will always be broke. :nigel:

Nice!

our differences in diet do not cause any friction in our relationship. i was omni when i met him, but i had strong inclinations to vegetarianism then--as i was in between 'tries' at vegetarianism. if i had met him as a vegetarian, i still would have dated him.

I was lacto ovo when I met him and married him. As I have become more passionate about it, and made an attempt at veganism, there has been some friction. I am an idealist and I want him to be perfect. I encourage him to eat more veg foods but he says he doesn't like them. He is at least willing to try the food I cook but he tends to dislike anything new. Then I get frustrated. I just try to concentrate on what a good man he is and try to get over the carcasses in the fridge.

Wow well I just got in a problem with my business partner.. she is not vegan and sells non vegan stuff but I am vegan and I am the main vegan alternatives person in my business.. so that makes me happy but I wish it was all vegan.... but my boyfriend is not vegan.. he actually eats meat. I have dated all types. He does however cook me all vegan meals. He is a chef and we just operate that way. I wish he was vegan but there is nothing I can do about it.. he eats vegan a lot though. I have friends that are all vegan and vegetarian that I would date and ones that I wouldnt.

My guy is as organic as possible though so it makes me feel good that he atleast makes an effort and he does accomodate me as much as he can with restaurants and such. I have more of a problem though with my business. Orignally it was all vegan but than she wanted to sell her stuff that she sold before.. so I was really sad about that.. but thats another deal altogether.

Mixed relationships are possible but sometimes they can be really really hard