I was, and am, so lucky that my parents (while not vegetarian) have been so supportive of what, for me, has become a lifetime passion. However, trust me, I have had my share of unsupportive people, including classmates, teachers, friends and boyfriends (now ex-boyfriends). And you know, even though I haven’t eaten meat in 20 YEARS, the little digs and negative comments still bother me. The sad thing is, sometimes you just have to let this go. I have made it a huge point not to argue about animal rights with people who are never, ever going to see it from my side. It’s just not worth the anger and frustration. And I made a decision not to ever use the line “do you know what you’re eating???” By showing people that you are choosing to live a compassionate life for YOURSELF and not to get a rise out of others or being obnoxious or a martyr or stand on a soapbox, you will eventually win supporters.

Really, the best thing you can do is be the best vegan you can be. It sounds cheesy, but if you stay healthy and present yourself in a style that is true to yourself people will eventually have nothing to bug you about. And even better, buy yourself a couple of cool cookbooks and learn to make a few dishes that will HAVE to impress your family. You don’t even have to tell them they’re vegan (I list a few books on this site that are my favorite, especially Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World – and it’s only like $8 on Amazon). And of course, snagging some really hot vegan boots doesn’t hurt either

Just remember that you are not alone and there are so many others who have gone through the exact same thing. Are you a member of Peta2? It’s a cool way to meet kids who are interested in animal rights and probably going through some of the same experiences as you. In fact, have you thought of starting your own blog? You obviously have a good frame of reference and sometimes it is easier to work through things when you share them.

Thanks again for writing. Hang in there, and keep in touch.