What are the great vegetarian/vegan myths?

Protein deficient, pale, anemic, self-righteous, gay/lesbian, "plants feel pain", "fish don't feel pain", "God made animals for us to eat", "vegetarianism isn't natural so therefore we shouldn't be vegetarians", left wing/liberal/hippies, mock meat made of soy is the same thing as eating meat, don't support charities that benefit people, too weak to hold a job, we live with our parents, we all belong to PETA, we all like the same kind of music, wear the same clothes, read all the same books, Hitler was a vegetarian, you can eat fish/chicken/meat and still be a vegetarian, if you are vegetarian you will never get sick, if you are vegetarian you will always be sick, if you are vegetarian you will live longer, if you are vegetarian you will live shorter, if you are vegetarian you will be skinny, if you are vegetarian you will be fat, if a vegetarian has any kind of health problem it's because he or she is a vegetarian, vegetarians really hate their food and crave steak, or they are vegetarian because it's "trendy."

I think it is often a case of protesting too much. People who are completely comfortable about their own diet don't care whether or not somebody else may NOT be eating part of that diet, or how that might effect health. It's the people who are not quite comfortable with their diet, who on some level feel guilty, who feel the need to shout about why NOT eating part of what they eat is bad. For instance by claiming that not eating a certain food (in this case meat) would make you miss out on essential nutrients and make you ill. Apparently they feel like they need that escuse to eat meat. And then they run into a healthy vegetarian. Quite an inconvenient truth. So they shout some more, about how the vegetarian might not be anemic, but still lacks iron. Or that the vegetarian will start noticing the lack of B12 sooner or later. Or how the vegetarian will get sick from eating soy all the time, never mind that the dangers of soy are a myth and the vegetarian doesn't really eat that much soy anyway. The lady does protest too much. Shouting and screaming about other people's diets, in hopes of drowning out that little voice that says there might be something not quite right about her own.

Vegetarians and vegans never get enough protein.

Vegetarians and vegans are pale and sickly looking.

Vegetarians and vegans are all extremists looking for attention.

The list goes on and on...

1) That vegetarians/vegans are poor dirty hippies and week! -

I have great a education, and a wonderful salary to match. Plus I am healthier and fitter than most of the people at my work place.

2) Real men are not vegetarian/vegan

Actually I think not eating meat is very sexy and attractive

3) We can only eat salads

I actually hate salad, and I have been vegatarin all my life, now vegan.

- That eating soy is bad for guys

- That vegans can't be body builders

- That all vegetarians are animal rights fanatics

I think it's pretty funny when omnivores think they have to defend their meat eating ways to me.

A myth about vegetarians/vegans that I find funny is the fact that people think we hurt plants. I'm sorry but mowing your lawn is not like skinning a cat.

It's a myth that

1) that they don't thumb down pro omnivore answers regardless of what is said

2) that they don't report pro omnivore questions and answers regardless of what asked or said

3) that they are automatically healthy

4) that they save 100 animals a year

5) that they have never met a preachy vegetarian

6) that they have never met an overweight vegetarian

7) that they don't cae what other people eat

8) that they respect other people's opinions (see number 1 and 2)

9) that they don't think this section of YA is exclusively theirs

10) they have never met or seen a malnourished vegetarian or vegan

11) they don't tell underage/minors to defy their parents and become vegetarians

etc etc etc..

Before the end of this day, fanatic vegetarians will have proven at least 5 or 6 of what I've said...

don't worry Lo, it's only "if the shoe fits..."

The protein myth that WILL NOT DIE.

The "what about the plants" question.

That we're pale, sickly, skinny, have thinning hair.

That we're hippies.

That we don't enjoy food (yes, we do. If there ever is a job opening for vegan foodie, sign me up!).

And some of the other ones mentioned here.

vegetarians taste better

why do people start eating vegetarians and see if we taste better than meat eaters?

The worst vegetarian stereotypes are:

That we somehow are protein deficient and lacking in iron

That we all have thin, brittle hair

That we are all sandal wearing hippies tying ourselves to trees. LOL

Also some people think vegetarians eat fish. Wrong! ;)