Many vegetarian teens abstain from meat out of compassion for animals. By withdrawing our support for the meat industry, we lessen the demand for animals to be killed. I don’t think that this is the most important way we help, though. The way we change the world isn’t by eating tofu; it’s by spreading the word. If we are going to stop the cruelty millions of animals face every day, more people must care about their plight. We can all help to achieve this – simply by explaining why we don’t eat meat.
Certainly we don’t have to turn into single-minded activists whose goal in life is to convert others to vegetarianism. But talking to friends and family about why you have chosen this lifestyle is important. By telling them a little about your decision, you may help them to make the connection between cows and burgers, between pigs and bacon. I was astonished at the response I received when I wrote a speech about vegetarianism for English class. Most people had never thought of meat as dead animals before, and they were horrified at the conditions on factory farms. They thought about the idea of animal rights, even if they kept eating meat – and that’s what matters.
Tolerance of other people’s choices is essential to communicating our message to others. Even if it makes you cringe to know that your best friend is supporting the meat industry, it won’t help to wave graphic images of slaughterhouses at her until she “gives in”. A decision that isn’t hers isn’t meaningful. Whether to eat meat is her decision, even if you don’t think it should be. Also, remember that most people do not make a conscious decision to eat meat, much as they do not really choose a religion. Don’t assume that all omnivores are against you, because vegetarianism is probably a new idea for them.
People often form their opinions on a first impression, so presenting vegetarians in a positive light is worthwhile. We’ve probably all heard some variation of, “I knew a vegetarian once. She was crazy!” intended to invalidate our position. Whether we like it or not, we’re all ambassadors. If you’re pushy or make it seem difficult to be a vegetarian by emphasizing that animal products are everywhere, you could turn people away from your message. Likewise, a considerate, easy to talk to vegetarian can make the idea seem a little less abstract and “weird”. Just being friendly is a form of activism.
As teenagers, we have an especially exciting opportunity: to reach other youth. Young people are usually more willing to think about new ideas than adults are. In addition, they will soon be the ones leading the world. For these reasons, they are one of the most important groups to reach out to if we want vegetarianism to gain widespread support.
Being a vegetarian teen in the new millennium means having the opportunity to make an amazing difference in the way people think about meat and animals. By speaking out for those who cannot speak themselves, we help relieve the animals’ suffering.
