Strictly Vegan!
I'm sure there have many, many posts on this subject on here, but since it is probably the biggest issue with vegan dating I wanted to bring it up again. Do you guys think that vegan should only date other vegans and vegetarians?
I am not going to say that it is wrong for other vegans to date meat eaters, that's a personal decision. Yet I feel for me dating a herbivore is much more fulfilling. I feel like there is a greater connection there, from my experience anyway. That is not to say that there are not idiots and jerks who are vegan, being vegan or vegetarian does not effect one's personality, except there might be a tiny chance that the person may be more compassionate. There is also the conversion argument. This for me has not panned out. Every veggie I have ever dated has gone back to eating meat, many of the friends I have known who went veggie have sold out too. This causes an even bigger problem for me. For my friends I don't really mind, because one is always more accepting for friends. For my girlfriends on the other hand it bothers me, because while I support people constantly reexamining their ideals, I feel that most people leave veganism because of simple lack of commitment or laziness. What narrows the field even more for me is that I'm straight edge and I don't mind someone who drinks occasionally, but I do not like people who get drunk a lot or smoke. Okay this thing is pretty long, so tell me what you guys think.
Who I am now isn't who I was a year ago, or 5, or 10... I'm a rowdy pagan & my hub's a missionary baptist... there are things that just make it work, sometimes, ways that things can resonate because you are (or WILL be) alike in important ways, even if your overlap isn't 100%... I would have cheated myself out of something grand if I'd drawn hard lines about who I would & wouldn't date based on firm categorization! To quote my favorite modern american poet:
I search your profile
for translation
I study the conversation
like a map
'cause I know there is strength
in the differences between us
and I know there is comfort where we overlap
(-- ani difranco)
Generally... do I like to hang out with veg*n types? you betcha! Would I rule OUT friendship or etc based solely on this characteristic... no; or at least, not wisely.
(PS-- after 13 years, previously carnie-hub now 90% vegan, at home & otherwise, and has come to it on his own/ without pressure or browbeating or anything like that from me... change occurs, sometimes, when the resonance is there!)
I think you will only be happy with a vegan. There's nothing wrong with that. Follow your heart and that should be your number 1 goal.
But also if you meet up with a girl who is not a vegan and you find that she makes you very happy do not bypass her because she is not one.
I have plenty of omni friends and love them dearly, but for me to make a serious commitment to someone I'd want them to be at least vegetarian or a very occasional meat-eater. It's way too important a part of me to compromise on past a certain point, really.
I don't think all vegans should necessarily exclude everyone who is non-veg - after all, most of us were omni at some point - but I do think we should all feel comfortable with who we choose to spend our lives with, and not feel pressured to date someone omni just because it's more common and we'd be considered 'exclusive' for only choosing people who share this view. You know? Don't feel like you should have to date someone who doesn't share your views just because they aren't the 'norm', or you're somehow picky or silly for not allowing in those types on a closer level.