Vegetarianism: What's Your Problem?

This morning, Twitter informed me that today is #WorldMeatFreeDay, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to share some thoughts I've been having for a little while. Namely, offended meat-eaters.

I stopped eating meat just over a year ago - a decision that I've never looked back on - and since then I have noticed something very interesting: some (not all but some) meat-eaters seems to take this decision very personally, and I don't understand why.

The "angry vegan" is a stereotype that's banded about a lot online and it is true that some (again, not all) vegans/veggies can be self-righteous, passionate and aggressive when it comes to their views one meat, but what I didn't realise until fairly recently was that it also works the other way - meat eaters can be angry too. I am not angry, or at least I hope I don't come across that way. Obviously I don't feel comfortable eating meat and I don't think it's cool to do but I won't take it personally if you do. To each their own, etc. etc.

What I find weird is people that are offended that I choose not to eat meat, and I've come across a lot of them in the last year. Tell me this: why does it matter to you what I am and am not putting in my body? Seriously?

I get that people don't get it, especially (and I don't want to stereotype here) older people. I come from a very traditional family on one side: my grandparents were from a farming background, my grandad worked on a farm for 40 years and my uncle still does. To them, eating meat is natural - it's how they have always lived and what they have lived off, financially speaking. While I don't agree with it, I get it. (My granny offering me a slice of quiche and saying "the ham's chopped really small - you won't even notice it" will always be a classic).

What I don't get is why people feel the need to question my choices and then accuse me of preaching when I answer honestly. Heaven forbid you tell them you don't eat fish either, but that's a whole other discussion. (Why, though, should we save the cow but punish the fish just because he knows how to swim?) Plenty of people, the vast majority in fact, are respectful and understanding and I want to stress that, but why can't we all just respect of other people's decisions? It's not that hard.

I don't know how well my points are coming across here, but it's something I've been thinking about. I'm all for debate and discussion, I just don't know how or why my decision to eat meat should affect someone else so greatly.

Please, I just want to eat my vegetables in peace.