Relationships always pose the possibility of conflict and differences in personalities, ideals, and interests. But what happens when a vegetarian, like myself, ends up dating a meat-eater? Well, I'm still trying to figure that out.It's not secret that I intend to raise any future children in a meat-free lifestyle and would prefer to make my life with someone that is, at the very least, open to the vegetarian lifestyle. The other night, while hanging out with friends, I was asked about dating and marriage in how in translates to vegetarianism and what I want out of life. I know that it would be much easier to marry or settle down with a vegetarian, but it makes me wonder how realistic that actually is. The last guys I was seeing (as in not the current) was always very aware and respectful about the whole vegetarian thing. Even though I know he ate meat and he worked in a deli in which he was often around cooked chicken and other things he amde sure, without my asking, to keep it away from me. He always showered after work to make sure that I wouldn't have to smell the meat on him and when we were out someplace he would order meat-free options for himself so that I wouldn't have to taste it or smell it on him. We may have had other issues, but the vegetarianism thing was not always respected, but proven with actions.
That brings us to my current relationship. We socialize and are part of various groups that it is no secret that I am a vegetarian. He respects it, accepts it, and tries to me aware of it. He's faced questions from those close to him about how such a meat-loving individual can be dating someone like me... and this time we're talking about my diet and lifestyle and not my often sarcastic and border-line obscene sense of humor. It makes me wonder how many other people face vegetarian dating questions.Dating and relationships are hard enough, but how does one look to the future when most of the people around them are meat-eaters?
"A man of my spiritual intensity does not eat corpses." ~George Bernard Shaw
