NEWS: The Mischievous Vegan: Vegansexuality

This is why I don't date vegans.. they don't tend to travel well. When I was walking across Spain I saw some vegans / vegetarians reject the most heartfelt hospitality because it didn't fit with their lifestyle. That didn't sit well with me.

Otherwise though, I have no problems and think it's disrespectful to try to trick people into or try to convince them otherwise. The more vegans there are the more bacon there is for me and my future bacon-loving dates.

I don't have issues with dating vegans in principle, but you know that there's going to be some food-based conflict farther down the line. Mal's recipes are pretty tasty though.

*bunkers down for shitstorm*

But it's not ignorant or judgmental to say that non-vegans smell and taste bad? This whole article made tons of personal judgments (and there's nothing wrong with that--these vegan articles have been better than most of the Newswire posts).

Lemonkid is just saying he doesn't want to date a vegan because his lifestyle would come into too much conflict with a vegan's lifestyle. I don't see the problem with that.

I also don't think that many vegetable are "more delicately flavored" than, say, a queso fresco. Or that eating just vegetables means your palate is better. That is just silly. The vast majority of the most refined palates in the world belong to chefs who eat animal products.

Amended. Everything in this article is subjective, from the preferred taste of bodily secretions to acceptable table manners. I'm sure there are vegans who can appreciate a good "try my steak" joke (not saying that it's always appropriate to offer your vegan date a bit of meat, but some people may find themselves unable to resist the urge to crack a joke about it).

Also, in the same article where you pled for carnivores to be respectful of vegans, you consistently insinuated that meat-eaters are rude, stinky people with filthy secretions. Sticking the argument that some people take their diet extremely seriously, to the point where they will reject potential partners because of their diets (regardless of any other redeeming qualities), in the middle of that doesn't help.

And if people are at the point where they're treating their diet like a religion, they may have larger problems than meat mouth.

@Salome

I'm not giving anyone shit about what they eat. I'm not sure what the problem with the world lifestyle is - eating meat is as much of a lifestyle as being vegan is. It's the way you're setting up your life, there's no judgment attached there.

There's certain experiences I want to share with people I date, and that includes food. I prefer to be able to share these culinary experiences whether in be Berthillon ice cream in Paris or a cheese and honey dish in Spain.. I'd want someone I was dating to share in those experiences with me.

If a vegan doesn't want to date me because I might make eggs benedict at home from time to time, that's fine. If a rock climber doesn't want to date me because they really want to be with someone who can share the experience of rock climbing with them, that's fine too. Unless you're eating vegan due to pre-existing allergies / health problems, you've made a choice to eat vegan. That's cool.

That said if you're equally against the concept of "vegansexuality" and people who eat meat only dating other people who eat meat because you think choosing a partner based on culinary preferences is whack, that makes more sense.

For the record I don't like ethnic specialties vomited all over me at quaint Catalan restaurants, or anywhere else for that matter.

I know so many veggie/vegan straight women who date or have married omnivores. I imagine that finding a decent vegan guy is actually pretty freaking tough simply because, anecdotally, it's more common for women than men to be vegetarian or vegan.

For the record I think Malloreigh is great and I don't think anything she wrote was offensive in the slightest.

I've heard enough anecdotal evidence of different tasting semen based on diet (I've yet to participate in any double blind scientific semen samping studies) that I believe it's true, although whether the taste is 'better' is entirely subjective.

As for the palate, well that doesn't really make much sense to me at all, and is something I'd question. I don't think your tastebuds increase in sensitivity by removing meat/dairy from your diet.

In terms of cuisine, a sophisticated palate, born of experience, trumps a sensitive palate (inborn). A sophisticated palate comes from experience and tasting a wide variety of foods. One could argue that someone raised as a vegan from birth would have a less sophisticated palate than a non-vegan by simple virtue that they've eaten a smaller variety of foods, are familiar with a smaller variety of tastes. This isn't to say that their level of taste might not be excellent with the foods they're familiar with.

Some quotes from an article in the Wine Spectator, re: palate sensitivity:

The article can be found here.

I will agree with you that she's great, and I'll agree with PointBlank that this article is still better than what's commonly posted via the Newswire. That doesn't mean that I have to agree with her on every single point.

But it's still only that: anecdotal. There is no scientific consensus that vegan diets ameliorate the taste of bodily fluids. If there is, it should have been included. One cannot say that "vegans do generally taste better" without sharing actual evidence without earning some criticism. Likewise, someone cannot argue that people that consume meat have more stamina without facing scrutiny.

Speaking of which, this article completely ignores the degree of meat consumption. Either you're a meat eater or you're a vegan. What about vegetarians, people who only eat fish or poultry, or people who subsist solely on fast food and TV dinners (Preservatarians)?

I've also found that the taste of people's secretions vary independently of diet. Some people just taste better than others.

Because I am usually very, very wrong.

There was this one time I was out to a friendly dinner in San Francisco with an out-of-town SG that I didn't know very well and a couple of other friends. We all met at a thai restaurant, and the aforementioned SG (who was an entirely pleasant and friendly person overall) made more than one judgmental comment about being reluctant to sit on the same side of the table as me because I'd ordered a dish that contained chicken.

Well somebody's bodily secretions taste like resentment.

Heh. Maybe so. Certainly possible.

Since we're all just anecdotally provin' everything around here, In my experience meat eaters tend to make cutting jokes or remarks about vegans/vegetarians when they eat together because they feel threatened or they feel like they're being judged. That doesn't excuse that behavior, mind you. I'm just saying that tends to be at the root of why I'd imagine most meat eaters would lash out at someone for their dietary choices that don't affect them personally at all.

Indeed. Another note of experience to consider: meat smells *bad* to many of us after we've been veggie for long enough... I can't count how many times I've felt honestly nauseated by smell of someone else's meaty meal and had a hard time eating next to them because of it, but kept it to myself because I didn't want to get labeled as the Problematic/Snotty Vegan.

I don't know her personally so I can't say one way or the other about her, but it *just might* have been an honest discomfort and not personally judgmental (Unless, of course, she did something like turned to you and said "You're a filthy meat eater and I don't want to be near you, yourself", which again not knowing her I admit is a possibility).

It seems like maybe it's mutual insecurity. On the couple of occasions I've dined with non-omnivores, what I was reminded of most was dealing with churchgoers back when I was still dealing with rejecting the religion I'd grown up in. Several times for each case, I don't think I was imagining the disapproving judgment coming from the other party. Little clues, like when they say "that's disgusting". But as Malloreigh related, I'm sure that most non-omnivores have had to deal with us meat-eaters shoving our diets in their faces. So there's ample reason for both 'sides' to be wary of being mocked or judged by the other. People often go on the offensive when they feel threatened.

So, personally, I don't tend to hang out with non-omnivores, whether they're just vegetarians or vegans or whatever. I don't, y'know, run away screaming when someone mentions they don't eat meat, but it does put a mark in the "Not For Me" column. It just seems easier for everyone (potentially) involved.

Interesting point s5.

I know you were refering to anecdotally finding guys who are veggie and vegan but...

I know about an equal amount in both genders. My boyfriend is veggie. My old boss who is also a straight male is veggie. My new boss is veggie- he's gay and taken by another male veggie.. For me I have never seen a huge difference between gender and diet. But it could be a number of factors in me finding it common and you imagining it not as common. Location, education, ethics, even how much money they have to buy food. I dunno. It's interesting though.
For me veganism isn't limited to gender as much, I find it harder to find vegan guys who are also into cooking healthy vegan options, I know too many junk food fanatics

(I feel like i wish i could insert that 'more you know" graphic)

On the other end of the spectrum, some meat-eaters are so for dietary reasons. Myself, for example, have a very high metabolism and an allergy to soy. I'm pretty much carnivore because that's the practical option for me.

That said, I don't go for evangelical much of anything. I respect others' decision to do or not do something. I may ask why, but it's just curiosity about which of a plethora of reasons you chose: not prodding. This isn't limited just to dietary choice.

I feel ashamed that those dating a vegan tips need to be written down.