Somehow I missed this thread, which is very interesting reading. I've been vegetarian since 1983, when I tried it as an experiment and within a week had people commenting on the change in my appearance, how clear my skin looked, etc. This diet works for me.
I sometimes think that mentioning one's diet preferences is almost as bad as starting a political discussion, or discussing religion -- it can be very divisive. When meat-eaters find out I'm vegetarian, for example, it's almost like they feel like they should apologize to me, or justify eating meat. Hey -- we're all different, we all thrive on different diets. It's one of the wonders of the world.
I have encountered obnoxious vegetarians -- right in my own dance troupe! (No, not you, Damiena!) One of my most senior dancers is vegan, works with animal rescue, etc, but she is very laid-back about it, and says that she will quietly choke down a meat dish, or push it around on her plate, rather than be impolite and make a scene. Then dancer B became vegan, and she would interrogate us about exactly what all the ingredients were in various dishes. She made a scene and refused to eat her birthday cake, because the woman who baked it honestly thought the ingredients were OK but was mistaken. I do NOT like that type of vegetarian. One's dietary preferences should not be used as a weapon to make other people feel bad.
Hey, where's the smiley for climbing down from a soapbox??
