Can a vegetarian date a meat eater? A quick survey of the (vegetarian) Boinkology staff says yes, but apparently, it’s not that simple for a lot of people (remember the vegansexuals?).
Interestingly enough, it’s not just vegetarians who find their diet influencing their dating: anyone with a restrictive diet, be it kosher, low-carb, or gluten-free, may find themselves with a little explaining to do when they sit down for that very first dinner date. Can’t figure out why someone would care what their partner eats? Here’s one explanation:
Food has a strong subconscious link to love, said Kathryn Zerbe, a psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorders at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. That is why refusing a partner’s food “can feel like rejection,” she said.
And we thought it was just about sharing leftovers.
[Photo by johnandketurah]
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Ive worked on a specialized eating disorder ward myself and i believe Its the other way around, for more serious cases (vegetarianism isnt exactly an eating disorder), your “love-food subconciuos conection”is so messed up that having someone eat normally in front of you reminds you exactly that which you are unsuccesfully trying to overcome through that specific symptom.
More “normal” people with restrictive diets tend to place a lot of “narccisistic credits” on their behaviour, so having someone not respect whatever they are putting in those credits is once again quite untolerable.
February 14th, 2008 at 3:07 pmHuh, I tried dating a vegetarian once but for some reason it just didn’t work out. Maybe he got tired of me ruthlessly mocking him and his quaint little plates of bunny lettuce or legume paste or whatever whenever we ate near each other?
February 14th, 2008 at 5:19 pmvegetarianism and veganism aren’t “restrictive” diets. Only people who take the “woe is me, I can’t eat this or that” approach feel restricted. Most veg folks eat a more varied diet than the omnivores we know. And comparing it to an eating disorder? Please. Some people with body-image issues may “try” veg diets in order to lose weight. But a hell of a lot more omnivores (proportionally) suffer from eating disorders.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:04 pmRyan:
Choosing not to eat meat or animal products limits, or restricts, what you can eat. That doesn’t mean that you’re suffering: but when you go to a restaurant, you have to face that fact that many things listed are many things you can’t eat. That’s pretty much the definition of restrictive.
I say this as someone who’s been happily vegetarian for seventeen and a half years, btw. Oh, and Blakeley hates meat too.
February 15th, 2008 at 12:36 pmI find that it’s much easier dating someone who doesn’t eat meat, it’s almost like they get offended that I don’t eat the same things as they do. I never really understood it, you’d think I’d be the one who would care when it always seems to be the other person.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:15 pmLeave a reply :