[jakeya16]

Excuse my poor English in my title. I've been living a plant based lifestyle for a little over a month now. I have carnivore friends, and as much as I love them, it seems we don't have as much in common anymore.

For example a friend and I were walking to the gym and we saw a Yorkie pup. She said nothing in the world is cuter than Yorkie puppies and I said I don't know, baby piggies are pretty darn cute. Her response: "but that's food'.The rest of our walk and even time at the gym was pretty quiet. I only spoke when she asked me questions and I kept it short and sweet.

Anyway I guess my point is, how do you make vegan friends? I live in Alabama the state most resistant to change so I know it'll be hard to find many near me but is there a place online where you can maybe meet a pen pal or just a like minded person you can turn to when you just want to be yourself and not feel judged by people who consume animals? :crying:

 

[Kiwibird08]

Welcome to the forum! Lots of vegans on here who understand your position. I haven't eaten flesh in 16+ years and STILL have yet to meet a fellow vegetarian or vegan friend outside the internet, despite now living in Portland, one of the most vegan-friendly places in the US (though, I am not much of a social butterfly who's put myself out there). Honestly though, with any luck your friends will quickly get tired of teasing you, learn to accept it and you won't have to "deal" with the deliberately insensitive comments as much. In general though, I've found it best to keep my opinions on consuming/exploiting animals to myself unless someone asks (in a way that would lead to a constructive conversation), otherwise I keep mum or say "my body, my choice, lets not discuss this any further". Though I do enjoy talking online with other vegans who actually have a similar opinion to mine!

 

[jakeya16]

I would welcome internet vegan friends with open arms! I consider myself a social person so not being able to connect with someone could be tough. I just want to feel the vegan love! lol The only person who's been really supportive is my boyfriend.I'd be going crazy without him!

 

[Linky]

Beats me. I live in NYC where every kind of person from every walk of life should be but....I've yet to actually meet a fellow compassionate comrade. Perhaps I should rock some Vegan T-shirts when going to my local Whole foods.

Have you checked online? Maybe there is some kind of Vegan meet up on Facebook or some other social site.

 

[jakeya16]

There was a vegan meetup near me but they haven't been active in quite some time.

 

[Naturebound]

Hi Jakeya16!

Funny story here. I went vegan in early 2011 and didn't know a soul who was vegan or even vegetarian. I joined an international online forum attached to the Christian Vegetarian Association (long story). One particular person on there was posting and something about her intrigued me. I got in touch with her offlist by private email, and the more we shared the more she seemed really familiar. Suddenly I KNEW who she was! I used to work with her years ago cleaning downtown offices. I asked her if she remembered me and she was stunned but knew exactly who I was too after that! And here she lives two blocks from me, a full vegan for over twenty five years. I never knew she was vegan way back in 1998 when we worked together downtown. I remember her being "different" and she didn't own a car or drive. So anyway, I met someone online who turned out to live two blocks from me lol.

I have tried getting meetup groups going in my town to no avail. However, I got involved in some animal rights activism that involved leafleting (Farm Animal Sanctuary and Vegan Outreach) and I met other vegans that way, though we have not kept in touch much. I have connections should I need them, but making friends is a harder deal I think, whether someone is vegan or not. Two people have to click too, you know? Sometimes you can meet someone by going to vegan or vegetarian festivals if you live near one. I sometimes keep a watch on forums (including VB) that have subforums with all the states and countries and see if anyone from my area is posting. Lots of online forum friends arrange to meet in person. I tried it twice with online people. Once it worked ok and I still keep in touch with that person. The other person turned out to be completely different in person than online and we just didn't hit it off.

I love that we have access to forums like this and the internet. Veggieboards is a great place for conversation and camaraderie! I always wonder, what did people do long before the internet when they went vegan? How did they learn and get involved etc.