veganism: Outside of this forum or others like it, of course. Once a month? A few times a week? How does the subject usually get brought up? It is usually brought up by you, or by others? Omnivores, feel free to answer the question in reverse also. As in, how and how often do you REALLY discuss or debate or defend your omnivorism with vegetarians/vegans outside of forums like this?|||Actually I rarely find that people (outside of this forum), really care about what I eat. I had a friend try and argue about my diet once, but I quickly put a stop to it. When they tried to "convince" me that what I was doing was wrong, I told them that it was not something that I cared to discuss. The conversation ended there, and has never repeated since. Some people do ask about my vegetarianism, but it is mostly because they are curious. Some people ask when they see me eating, others just bring it up. Except for that one time, I have never had anyone try and argue or be rude. I suppose it is all about the people you spend time with. As an adult, and being the kind of person that prefers to spend time with other mature adults, I don't have arguments with the people I am with(not about vegetarianism or other issues).|||In front of my best friends it can be fairly often. When shopping I can be looking at foods and just say something like "Oh no I can't eat this candy :(" or they would say something like "Do you want a skittle or do they gelatine in them?". So in that way, my vegginess can be bought up about twice a week around my best friends - we never really discuss reasons or debate it or anything though. Other people do question me about my vegetarianism and it is usually bought up by them. I never try to tell people what to eat so I never bring it up. However, if they are telling me to eat meat again then I usually do defend myself. But mainly I just get questions about what I eat and when I turned veggie and stuff. This can happen about once a month, so not that often.|||Honestly, I usually don't say much to "defend" myself to my omnivorous companions. I find it a lost cause and often just answer their attacks with a shrug, telling them simply that I am the way I am, per preference, just as they are the way they are, per their own preference. I keep it simple now, because I grew very weary very quickly of "screaming at a wall", so to speak!|||I dont. They dont mention it. Except for a certain idiot in my family that think eggs are animals. I dont tell them about how the meat got on their plates. ,(it would be realy inconsiderate.) and they dont tell me about god putting animals on this earth to be eaten. I understand that point. I hear it all the time. But eating anything with a heartbeat is disgusting to me.|||well depends who im with, my ommnivore friends are usually the ones who bring it up and its usually only gets brought up when eating out or talking about foods. and i happily discuss it because im proud of the fact i dont eat animals i would say a few times a month|||I tried discussing it with my friend once and it ended in disaster. Or perhaps it was a good thing in the end, because the resulting argument made me realise my so-called friend really is an arrogant douchebag. Still, once bitten twice shy, and now I am reluctant to bring the topic up to anyone.|||Not very often. I have a couple friends who used to have a lot to say about me being a vegetarian constantly made fun of me for it but now they couldn't give a damn what I eat. Aside from them I really don't encounter many people who care that I'm a vegetarian.|||I defend it when people knock it. Other than that I just listen to what they have to say. I have studied nutrition extensively enough to be confident in my choice to be vegan.|||By my mom, just putting me down for it: like once every 1-2 weeks By others, who are actually questioning me: like once every 1-2 months|||once a year at a large bbq party.|||Who cares what other people think if you feel better and like it that is all that counts :)|||Pretty rarely. My mom's boyfriend used to get on my case about it constantly. He's finally shut up about it. I have felt that my vegetarianism has been questioned aggressively a few times this summer. While some people would say that I brought it up (I mentioned that I was a vegetarian), I wasn't the one who started "debating." The first time was at a barbecue. I said that I was a vegetarian and a few people started asking me about it. They asked me why, I told them (not using any graphic descriptions, just saying, "Mostly ethical reasons, but also environmental") and someone started telling me that I was wrong. The second time, I was at a bonfire and had brought s'mores. I had both regular and vegan marshmallows. Some random person who wasn't even part of our group came over and started going on and on about how he'd grown up on a farm and they killed their own animals and blah blah blah. He was obviously drunk or on drugs or something, but it still ticked me off that me simply saying, "I also have some vegan marshmallows" had someone come over and go off on me about meat. I recently got into a little argument with a friend of mine over it. I don't remember how it came up. In general, though, it doesn't come up with my friends. They know I'm a vegetarian. I know they're not. No point in discussing it, just like there's not much point in discussing religion with someone who is very religious (or who is extremely NOT religious), or politics with someone who's got strong feelings. I usually only have to deal with it from strangers.|||Great question. Outside of this forum I hardly ever talk about veg*nism anymore. Most of my friends know and all my family know I'm vegetarian but I'm hardly ever discussing it, on any level. (Was vegetarian for years, then gave veganism a try for a while, then went vegetarian again). I haven't felt the need to be defensive in a while. Relatives and friends in the past have told me I ''shouldn't be vegetarian'' but I don't hear it so much anymore, and until now hadn't stopped to think about why. Nowadays I'm more likely to have inquisitive omni friends asking what my fave recipe is, or about why I went veg - the dialogue is a lot more positive. When I was younger, I think maybe certain people (especially family members), worried if vegetarianism would be good for me. But years on they realise it's not a fad, and trying to convert each other would be futile. So in answer to your question, very rarely these days.