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Thursday, December 1, 2011

Placing Judgement Is Just Wrong...

I have to get something off my chest. I'm warning you now, if you don't want to hear a rant, you are welcome to come back next time for my usual chipper self. As for now, this is the new me that has to speak her mind...

So, the other day, someone posted a picture of Nigela Lawson and Gillian McKeith on facebook with a caption asking which one you would rather look like. Along with this was a description stating that they were both 50, one eats whatever she wants (voluptuous) while the other is a vegetarian (let's just say not voluptuous). Obviously, most people said they wanted to look like Nigela and blasted Gillian for her looks. What I haven't mentioned yet is that Nigella was glammed up for an event while Gillian was doing some reality show in the jungle and not made up at all. I have a few gripes about this "picture"...

First off, shame on them for comparing peoples' looks like that. If you flipped who was fixed up, you would probably have a different opinion, but above and beyond anything... how can you be so rude as to make a judgement based on someone's looks? Did your mom not teach you anything?

Next, you are comparing apples to oranges or as Tony put it apples to melons. Really, these are two completely different people and you know nothing about their health. You are assuming that Nigella is healthier because she is fuller while Gillian is sickly because she is smaller. Did you look at their parents? This could be genetic!

As far as the blasts on vegetarians go, I'm just tired of it. 

Does it really matter if vegetarians choose to not eat meat? NO

Are they hurting omnivores by not eating meat? NO! In fact they're leaving more for omnivores to eat. 

Are they hurting themselves by not eating meat? NO! 

For those interested, a well rounded diet with the essential macronutrients along with vitamins and minerals is what we need...NOT MEAT! 

I should also add that my family eats meat. I buy and prepare meat for them. I am a classically trained chef and am not afraid of cooking or serving meat, I just choose to not eat it for my own PERSONAL reasons. 

I'm thankful that we can all eat the way we want to. I understand there is a flow to life and I do believe that we were meant to eat protein, but for some of us, that doesn't mean meat. I love having this conversation with Tony. He is always the first one to defend my food choices even though they aren't exactly like his... and we're both healthy!

One last thing for the record, I hate broad generalizations on people. It's wrong and rude. Try to understand someone else before you place judgement and leave your opinions to yourself. Besides, judging someone for their looks is just beyond wrong.

End rant... regular blogging will resume shortly! Thanks for listening. 

24 comments:

  1. This bothers me too. I eat fish, but people often assume that I'm a vegetarian and will always get sort of offended by it which makes absolutely no sense. (Do you remember my post a year or so ago when I talked about my co-workers that were saying that I was a bad wife because I don't cook meat for Jason? Umm yeah.)

    Jason says that he thinks it's because they feel guilty for eating meat. I don't think it's that, but I think that people who react this was are on the defensive. I think that they think (and I could be wrong because I'm obviously generalizing) that vegetarians look down on them and they have to justify eating meat.

    Anyway, I totally agree with you.

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  2. Like Lee, I think it's general defensiveness. The same way people get about any difference in parenting. My mom gets partially offended any time I do something differently than she did with me; I'll say why I choose to do the co-sleeping thing and she gets all defensive, which (I believe) is her feeling that by my doing that I'm wishing she'd done that with me, and maybe implying she did a bad job. (NO!)
    Same way with meat and non-meat eaters. While there are vegetarians out there who will try to give meat-eaters a guilt trip, you are definitely NOT one of them.
    Thank you for pointing out the backstory on that picture, I didn't even put together that she was vegetarian, or camping in the jungle. That explains a lot.
    Cat S.

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  3. I've seen this exact picture you're talking about and it's been pretty heavily "dubunked" with pictures of Nigella without makeup and wearing less glamorous clothing. In that picture she looks her age and frankly is a bit overweight rather than voluptuous (which is not to say that she can't still be a beautiful woman at a heavier weight but does serve to demonstrate that she's not necessarily healthier for being fuller-figured.) The whole thing rubbed me the wrong way too and the only truth it succeeded in demonstrating was not that meat-eaters are healthier but that society associates beauty with health and is easily fooled by a lot of makeup, Spanx, and airbrushing.

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  4. I have quite a few days that don't include meat, and it always bugs me when people give me a hard time about being a vegetarian. First of all, I'm not. Secondly, so what? Lay off my eats, man!

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  5. SO MUCH LOVE to you for typing this up...my thoughts exactly, although I couldn't write it as eloquently as this. Bravo, & thank you.

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  6. Perfectly stated!!! And I could not agree more! :)

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  7. Woohoo - you tell 'em my friend. Love this post for sooo many different reasons. High 5's to you - now can you just post this to the comments on that stupid comparison photo? I saw it too by the way.

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  8. Gah, yeah. I saw this and it bothered me, too. I think its demeaning in that it implies the way we (women) choose to live is based solely upon the way we look. So, if we can eat meat and look attractive to (pig-headed) men then why be a vegetarian? Um, perhaps because it is a lifestyle choice? Not something we do to look attractive? Oof.

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  9. i always like your rants. People's views on vegetarianism can be so skewed. Its so personal. Lets just eat whats best of us. Well said!

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  10. Just here to say, Happy Holidays sweetie! Been really busy with life and our trip. Leaving tonite. Will have more blog reading time from there!

    xoxo

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  11. In solidarity

    http://blisstree.com/look/nigella-lawson-karan-diwan-gillian-mckeith-health-nutrition-and-beauty-633/

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  12. On one hand, I agree. On the other hand, I think it can be useful to see stuff like that - people always seem to think skinnier is healthier/prettier and feel guilty for enjoying desserts, full-fat stuff, etc. when that guilt is rubbish!

    I'm a little ticked off that they tried to make it like veg*n = health-obsessed, since you can enjoy full-fat, sugar-loaded desserts and fried foods as a veg*n, too. So that part I agree with you on.

    But I do think it has some merit (if it weren't framed so poorly) in showing that orthorexia isn't even desirable on any level.

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  13. well said girl! I do agree that it is wrong to compare people and that eating meat or not is a personal decision. we do not eat meat for personal and health reasons, but do enjoy fish. I think you can eat a plant based diet and get all the vitamins to live a healthy life as well :)

    HUGS!
    ~Lori, pure2raw twin

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  14. Rant away, my friend! it was an awesome one. I agree 100% with what you say! And macronutrients are completely the key to our health. I just wish that there were certain people in my own life that I convince of this life-changing fact. Thanks for sharing with us.

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  15. Never ever "judge a book by it's cover" goes for people too!! It is truly all about what is on the inside! When people judge like this it makes me crazy too!

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  16. Having changed my diet to a more vegetable based orientation recently, I have found that the Mr. is just as concerned as ever that I "get" plenty of "protien!"

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  17. agree. I personally eat meat but I enjoy many days & weeks without meat. and the judgement thing is just wrong.

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  18. Here's a funny response that I saw on facebook:

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=326453187379828&set=o.111938648826249&type=1&theater

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  19. Thank-you! 'Shoot from the hip' & perfectly said.

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  20. Your not leaving meat for omnivores your leaving meat for normal human beings. We were made to eat meat. Deal with it. Your missing out on nutrients and doing nothing to help animals. They were already dead and they wont come back to life because you wont eat them. Just because you dont eat meat doesnt mean that people wont stop killing it.

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