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Anti-vegan cashier......what would you do?


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Today, while at a local chain grocery store that i visit weekly, I was wearing Dr. Fuhrman's "Kale is the new beef" t-shirt, as I was checking out the cashier said to me "i have to disagree with your shirt sir" i replied oh really and she stated "yeah, i love me some cow". I was surprised and shocked she would make a statement about any customers shirt so my only response was ....well that is you choice. She then told me to have a beautiful day and otherwise seemed like a nice young person.

 

I considered talking to the manager before i left the store but didn't really want to get her in trouble. I chalked it up to her being very young and not knowing what not to say to a customer.

 

But I am still thinking about the situation and wondering if talking to the manager would be a good idea, not so much to complain about the employee, but as a suggestion that they offer better training to their staff. I am sure if she said any thing similar about other customers shirts, most would get upset and cause a problem for her.

 

So my reason for posting this here is seeking advice, has this ever happened to you, if so how did you handle it? Or how would you suggest I handle it, should i go back and talk to the manager or just let it go?

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Idk.. Just doesn't seam like that big of a deal to me. If it had been a remark intended to insult you or your beliefs then that would be something to complain about. Based off the way I read it though seams more like she was just joking with you. She may not have thought that you were vegan. Maybe she just thought it a random tshirt.

 

I wouldn't put anything in this. I would brush it off.

 

I once had a cashier make an anti gay comment to me about a gay couple in another line. She just assumed I was straight and that I would agree with her. I simply told her she should be embarrassed by her ignorance and left. I try not to shop there anymore though.

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Thanks for the response and advice Kora. I am leaning towards doing as you suggest and just let it go.

 

Although, I do not think she meant it as a joke at all, if so she has a weird way of joking, because she did not crack a smile, her body language didn't appear to be in a joking manner and she said it very bluntly and matter of fact.

 

I probably had some what of a stunned look on my face after she made the remark about loving her some cow. Maybe after that is why she decided to wish me a beautiful day.

 

I believe if she keeps this up, commenting on someones attire, she will eventually run into someone who isn't quite so laid back as myself. But then again, maybe that shouldn't be of my concern and let her learn the hard way.

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Thanks for the response and advice Kora. I am leaning towards doing as you suggest and just let it go.

 

Although, I do not think she meant it as a joke at all, if so she has a weird way of joking, because she did not crack a smile, her body language didn't appear to be in a joking manner and she said it very bluntly and matter of fact.

 

I probably had some what of a stunned look on my face after she made the remark about loving her some cow. Maybe after that is why she decided to wish me a beautiful day.

 

I believe if she keeps this up, commenting on someones attire, she will eventually run into someone who isn't quite so laid back as myself. But then again, maybe that shouldn't be of my concern and let her learn the hard way.

 

If you think she really intended to insult you and it's something that really upset or even just made you uncomfortable then you may want to go back and complain.

 

I'm a bit thick skinned so I tend to let things roll off of me. But that's because I live in Oklahoma and I'm a mom, never married, don't believe in marriage or God, or that a women's place is in the kitchen, I'm a liberal, I'm bisexual and I'm trying to vegan. LOL I get comments and attitude all the time. I read signs that say I hate vegans, or Gays are going to hell... I really have to pick my battles and just let the rest go. So I guess what I'm saying is this something you feel a need to defend your self against? It's really about how you feel. If you really feel you need to don't let it go. Even if you have to go back a week or two later.

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  • 1 month later...

well, people have different points of views

your shirt is making a bit of a statement, andd you should expect to get some comments on it, and face it, the vast majority of people do like meat, some people love meat and meat culture, i wouldn't exactly judge them to be bad people for it, and i certainly wouldnt make trouble for them over some playful comment

 

i agree, maybe they should have held their tongue on this issue, but it's part of their job to make meaningless smalltalk all day long lol

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Hm, well, whether you go back to address it with the cashier or not, there are probably some strategies/responses you can come up with to both communicate your opinions without turning the person off to what you have to say.

 

As vegans, we're challenging people's comfort levels on a very, very fundamental level. They're going to have all sorts of defense mechanisms, which can sometimes come off as offensive. There will also be some people who choose to be aggressive/offensive because that's their predominating energy! The common denominator in all of these situations? YOU. YOU are the one who has the chance to be the role model, the influencer, the one who takes the high road. I wonder how thrown-off she'd be if your response was brimming with empathy for her, and something like, "I'm so sorry to hear you love to eat cows. You seem like a nice person and are so young, and are doing so much damage to your health and our shared environment." I'm not great at verbal tai chi/passive resistance/other such tactics, but you get the idea.

 

I think going to the manager would probably leave a bad taste in her mouth, so to speak, of veganism.

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