We all make different food choices. Some of them are good, some are bad, some are based on nothing other than our stomachs and taste buds and others motivated by our conscience or commitment to the planet.
This woman has been a vegan for a while and though her boyfriend’s (of three years) family kind of rolls her eyes about it, he’s super supportive and they’ve made it work.
I (23 f) am with my boyfriend (24 m) for over 3 years now. His parents (mom and stepdad) and I have had our issues in the beginning but after about two years, they seemed to accept me and, even though I won’t forget certain things they have said about or towards me, I felt like it went uphill. Five months ago, I decided to go vegan. My bf has been very supportive all the time (he even eats a lot vegan food now, too) and when we visited his parents, his mom would also prepare something for me to eat. I told her thank you and how much I appreciate that.
I’ve never commented their food or started a discussion about being vegan because I know it’s neither the time nor the place to do that. I realize they are not interested in it and I’m just glad that we get along tbh.
Recently they all had a meal together. OP, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s mom prepared vegan and regular food, but when they sat down, her boyfriend’s stepdad started making rude comments about her vegan alternatives.
A couple weeks ago, my bf turned 24 and we had a bday-brunch at his parents house (with his sister and BIL). My bf provided the food and his mom, him and I prepared it together at their house. My bf wanted to have everything on the table available in vegan, too. He wanted it not just for me but also for his family to try some if they wanted to.
Now, this happened:
My bf also put bacon and “vegan bacon” on the table. At this moment, it’s his stepdad, his sister and me at the table when his stepdad loudly comments something about how stupid the idea of “vegan bacon” is and who even needed that nonsense.
She said back that the vegan bacon was a “good alternative for people who like the taste of bacon but don’t want to eat body parts.”
Things threatened to get out of hand for a bit but eventually settled down. Afterward, though, her boyfriend let her know that his stepdad was upset about the “body parts” comment and wanted an apology.
Now he’s furious complaining he hasn’t ever heard such nonsense as meat being called body parts and how stupid that was. Bf’s sister asked if he was fine and why he was so angry.
When we finally ate, I asked bf’s BIL for the egg salad (which was vegan too). So step dad asked me if I’m now going to eat dead baby animals. I respond that technically there’s no baby unless the egg was fertilized but it wasn’t real eggs anyway.
This is when his mom steps in and says everyone should just eat their own food now and leave others alone.
OP doesn’t see an issue with the truthful turn of phrase, and also doesn’t think she should be the one to apologize.
A few days after this, his parents talked to my bf about it. Stepdad says he’s not happy with how things went and that I was being disrespectful towards him by: calling meat “body parts”. He argues that, if anything, it’s a cadaver not a body (because it’s an animal and not human).
Honestly, I think this is ridiculous. I admit I could’ve just ignored him maybe, but I don’t really see why I would sit there and let him talk like that (which in my opinion was disrespectful in the first place).
My bf wants me to “fix” the situation. I am ready to do that for his sake, but I honestly don’t think I am the one who owes an apology and I don’t want his parents to think it’s fine.
All I think about this and especially his stepdad rn is like… play stupid games, win stupid prizes… but maybe there’s different opinions on this.
So, Reddit, AITA?
That said, she’s willing to entertain opinions on the matter.
The top comment says anyone who has an issue with the way she put it is just in denial about what they’re eating.
This person agrees the stepdad needs to own his choices.
This comment suggests it’s more psychological.
The reality is what it is.
This comment says preachy vegans aren’t the problem.
I don’t think OP did anything wrong.
I also don’t think her boyfriend’s family is going to be changing their minds anytime soon.