Is Veganism the New OCD?

So, I was chatty-chatting with a pretty well-known and respected psycotherapist in town the other day. (Never mind the how and why of the story. I have to keep some skeletons in my closet to keep the dusty jackets company. All we need to know is that the person was a therapist. A person who is supposedly well-educated and, oh, I guess fair-minded, maybe?)

Anywho, talking to the therapist (is it just me or does anyone have a hard time saying the word therapist without thinking of Sean Connery). Somehow the subject of veganism comes up and she mentions that so-and-so professional journal or group is talking about revising the heading of OCD related diseases to include veganism because it so closely mimics an eating disorder and those fall under OCD. Asphictersayswhat??

I played dumb and tilted my head like my pups do when they hear the ice-cream truck and was all like, "What do you mean?"

And she was all, "They're so rigid in their dietary restrictions. . .blah blah blah. . .and how can they actually go out to eat? . .blah and blah and gosh, they won't even eat honey because they feel bad for the bees. . . ."

The look on my face must have been similar to the look I would have if I was trying to figure out how I got dog poop in between the car seat and the center console. I nodded my head slowly and said, "I think a lot of folks go vegan out of moral reasons, too. And some folks just have a lot of good allergies and find it the best path." Jeez, I am so polite and sweet when I want to be.

She backed off a bit like most people do when they realize they may have just said something stunningly idiotic and came back with "Oh, I think vegetarians are fine. I couldn't do it, I just love steak too much, but vegans just aren't normal." And she even, get this and hold on to your granny panties, shuddered.

Rrrrrrright. So. I'm not a vegan. I'm not a vegetarian. I do eat meat and I do enjoy it.

I am, however, so saddened about the deplorable conditions in which many animals are raised for slaughter in the United States. I do my best to find grass-fed, free range meats, chicken, eggs, etc. I even try to throw in a vegetarian if not vegan meal once a day just because I feel like I am doing my part to cut back animal consumption.

But, for fuck's sake, who in their right mind is going to label veganism as a disfunction? Really? No, I mean REALLY?

Okay, I just don't have much more to say on this without getting all serious and soapbox-y. I just wanted to rant because I'm a jewish woman and that is just. what. we. do.

There certainly are some backwards people in this world and they do live beyond the swamplands of Georgia (No offense, of course, to people who live in Georgia or near swamps in Georgia. I am sure your cousin plays a lovely banjo).

That is all.