To be sick of people thinking vegetarian eat fish

@Greyish2025 it's not stemming from vegetarians. At all. It's from the non vegetarians incorrectly using the label when they are in fact pescatarian or just making choices about what meat they eat.

It's frustrating, but at least the people who ask are finding out rather than making an assumption and risking getting it wrong.

I would just make the assumption that someone was a genuine vegetarian.

Since vegan diets have become more mainstream, I do find irritating the amount of people who assume I’m vegan and the amount of menus that now give a vegan option rather than a veggie option.

I’m asked all the time if I eat cheese.

The thing is, because lots of people describe themselves as vegetarian, but do eat fish, then other people will have to ask because the label has lost its usefulness through misuse.

It's frustrating, but at least the people who ask are finding out rather than making an assumption and risking getting it wrong.

And the solution is that people should learn the (simple) definition of vegetarian and then use pescatarian if it applies to them.

I agree.

It's depressingly obvious on this thread that there needs to be more educating.

I am an omnivore BTW, but know the difference between vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, omnivore and carnivore.

My point is that the post seems to be accusatory towards non vegetarians and their ignorance, when the problem seems to stem from vegetarians / pescatarians themselves and their use of incorrect title

Same here, the fish confusion was rife 15 years ago but much less common now. I'm surprised at the number of people on this thread claiming to know multiple fish-eaters who call themselves vegetarian.

No. The definition of a vegetarian doesn't include someone who eats fish.
Just because someone says it is so, doesn't make it true.

Until the dictionary definition changes I will stand by this point.

Been a vegetarian my entire 43 years and can’t remember the last time I was asked if I eat fish.

@Greyish2025 yes of course, that's what this whole thread is about! The Op described it in her opening post. That's what people are discussing is the problem. And the solution is that people should learn the (simple) definition of vegetarian and then use pescatarian if it applies to them.

Exactly, but can you not see where the confusion arises from ( with some people) when there are people out there that are using the title ‘vegetarian’ but then actually eat fish!

Just because some people are wrong doesn't change the meaning of the words in the dictionary

Vegetarians don't eat meat

Meat is the tissue of any animal

Fish and crustratians are a type of animal

Vegetarians dont eat fish

For those who are confused "pescatarian " is a word for people who eat fish but not other animals

While they're not actually vegetarian, because they eat fish, it's not a protected title or anything so anyone can call themselves vegetarian or vegan or pescetarian but not stick to the definition.
If more and more people are doing that, the lines get blurred, and confuse other people. Getting annoyed with those who seek clarification isn't going to change anything.

Don’t be so fussy then?

So many people have so many dietary/lifestyle choices these days, it's just best to ask specifically. I don't get why you're annoyed about people trying their best to cater for your choices?

They are not vegetarians though

they are just claiming to be

I used to work customer facing in a cafe that also did catering. The kitchen staff would call through to me often asking 'is egg vegan? is butter vegan? is tuna okay for vegetarians?' Etc, I was veggie with a vegan BF. I dread to think what they fed to people when I left.

@Greyish2025 there are clearly people who claim to be vegetarian whilst also eating fish. They are wrong in their claim, and they are not, in actuality, vegetarian.

Yes there are!!

But as other commenter have mentioned there are vegetarians who eat fish!

No, there aren't.

It's logical problem - world wants small number of simple categories. Life is more complex, many people eat some meat, but not all meat - no red meat, religious meat, no fish, no poultry, no mince, reduced overall meat consumption.

If the choice is "do you want meet or vegetarian option?" without further specification, they all will choose the vegetarian option, because it wouldn't contain the meat they don't want.

Part of the confusion is, that choosing the vegetarian option doesn't mean one is vegetarian, it just means that vegetarian dish will work ok for them without a need to explain their preferences in more details.

Which is a good thing for proper vegetarians, because this extra numbers can help them survive as a separate category and not get swept under vegans.

But as other commenter have mentioned there are vegetarians who eat fish!
So vegetarians seem to have caused this problem for themselves.

Vegetarians haven’t caused the problem because vegetarians do not eat fish. People who claim to be vegetarian but who eat fish and who are therefore are not actual vegetarians, have caused the problem.

He would be a pollo-vegetarian.

But as other commenter have mentioned there are vegetarians who eat fish!
So vegetarians seem to have caused this problem for themselves.
Is there a lack of understanding in the world of vegetarianism of what it actually means?