to be annoyed when "vegetarians" eat fish?

[purpleandpink]

It cannot just be me who finds this irritating?

Someone who eats no meat, but does eat fish is a pescetarian. As a fully fledged vegetarian it bugs the HELL out of me when people say "I'm a veggie, but I eat fish" Or even worse "but I eat fish AND CHICKEN".....

The problem is there are now so many of these "fish eating vegetarians" that people seem to assume all veggies eat fish, and when I eat out and ask what veggie choices there are, I get offered fish and the "true" veggie options are limited to perhaps 1 or 2 dishes.

I have no problem with people eating just fish but PLEASE do not call yourself a veggie when you clearly aren't one! I don't know why people do it, whether they think it's trendy or they are just lazy or confused about what they are.

I know this is a BIG rant but it really really annoys me. If I am a veggie and someone ask me "do you eat fish?" I practically rip their heads off (which I know is unreasonable but there you go )

But AIBU to ask that people only call themselves vegetarians if they actually are one???

It is all so grim.

How's the view from your pedestal?

It's much the same as yours I expect

I am moving increasingly towards vegan for the reasons mutznutz describes, e.g. I buy non-dairy products like soya milk to use at home, but it can be a difficult diet to follow strictly with some lifestyles, e.g. if you have to travel or otherwise eat out a lot. So I don't judge people for doing what they can, it seems to me that any reduction in your animal/animal-product intake all counts towards reducing the numbers of animal that suffer.

Also it's almost impossible to eat at all without some harm being caused to some other creature, e.g. farming processes for soy and grains etc harm wildlife indirectly. We all have to decide for ourselves IMO how to set the balance between our needs/convenience and the harm caused to others.

My mad mother decided a few weeks ago that she will no longer eat lamb as it's not fair to eat baby animals
She's gone one step further now and decided to be a vegetarian, but will still eat chicken as birds aren't really animals and she's not too bothered about their welfare. She may also still have the occasional bacon sandwich, as she couldn't possibly be expected to give those up all together.

So mother is now a vegetarian who eats fish, chicken and pork

I am one of those people you might hit over the head with fury.

I call myself a veggie of sorts but I do eat fish. I always add the 'of sorts' bit though. The biggest reason is that when you give people the correct term they don't understand - it is tiresome having to explain. I also find people get enormously aggressive - trying to trip you up about leather etc. I find that very strange. It's a personal and private choice - like the way you vote or sexual preference.

Truly I don't bang a drum - but I do feel strongly and will give my opinion on animal welfare if asked.

I tried to be a vegan but I became so ill that I was at risk. I didn't know then that I also had lymphoma - I have always been sickly. It was a case of not functioning, or eating fish.

I do understand why people get irritated but please don't hit me!

I am a good girl really.

I never knew vegetarians were so cross. However do you find the energy?

I don't really mind how people label themselves. Saying 'I'm vegetarian except for fish' is descriptive. It's easier than listing the things you don't eat or intoning 'I eat fish' which just sounds menacing. They're not claiming or stealing a badge from you, they're being clear about what they eat. I think there are swathes of people who have fark all clue what a pescatarian is and if confronted with it would run away incase you're admitting you're in a cult.

Which comedian said 'I'm a non smoker except for cigarettes'?

I don't eat meat but I do eat fish.

I am not a vegetarian. However, I do sometimes tick the box for vegetarian as there is rarely a a non meat or a pescetarian option to select.

TBH, I think you are overreacting if you "practically rip their heads off" over a simple question. Surely it is easier to just say no?

oh get over it. most people dont call themselves pecaserians or whatever its called. vegetarian is good enough.

What kind of loon would offer fish or chicken as a vegetarian option

Oh stop being so reasonable

YANBU I'm trying to work out how murder fits in with my 'no harm' life view

Mutz - I'm sorry but I have to disagree with you on this one, on two points. Firstly the difference between a vegetarian and a non vegetarian is a hell of a lot more than the meat eater eating the dead calf. Secondly, I think being vegetarian is dong 'half the job' - which is a whole lot better than doing nothing!! Yes Vegan would be even better, but being Vegetarian is also great.

Sorry, that was to Show

I eat fish

the thing is though, I say, I don't eat meat - people seem to hear vegetarian, even though I don't actually say I am

No food with a face.

I guess it doesn't bother me either way what people call themselves as I chose not to eat meat for other reasons. It is not the fact that it is meat, as I am happy to cook meat all the time for Dh and DD, and deal with meat daily with no problems.

Sorry hully. I will stop being reasonable immediately.

Vegetarians are all weird hippies.

NB: I am a weird hippy.

I knew a "vegetarian" who ate rare steak.. but as it was for breakfast (yes really) "it didn't count".

FFS

I eat fish, so I'm a pescetarian but for meal choices (weddings etc.) I'll always just say I'm veggie as I'm sure people don't really need a list of the foods I will or won't eat - just using the veggie label is easier. But really does it matter?

I have to admit to gritting my teeth at my holier then thou supposedly veggie SIL, with her carping about being a 'proper' veggie but sitting there in her lovely leather boots and suede coat

ROFl @ vegetarian steak breakfasts

I call myself a vegetarian despite being a pescatarian, simply because if I say that I end up having to explain it as 'vegetarian except for fish' anyway. So it saves time.

I was veggie for 23 years. Then ds2 was born. He had a dairy allergy. DS1 already had allergies to eggs, nuts and all beans and pulses. This made family cooking virtually impossible, so now I'm a pesatarian who doesn't eat any dairy or eggs . When I first started eating fish again I did still call myself vegetarian, but this was more out of habit than anything. Now I just say I don't eat meat, dairy or eggs, but do eat fish.

Indeed chipping and I'm not criticising anyone doing 'half the job' but from an animal cruelty point of view, it still makes them no different to non veggies in my eyes.

Cruelty is cruelty, you either accept it and tuck in or don't accept it and become Vegan.

Not as easy as it sounds I'm sure but if the cruelty upsets people enough to put them off meat, then I don't understand why it doesn't upset them enough to put them off dairy products too.

YANBu BUT many people have no idea what a pescetarian is so they may say I am a pescetarian and they get blank looks so after a while they make it I am a vegetarian that eats fish.

Personally my favourite is a Im a vegetarian but I do not like vegetables.. So you mean you eat only cheese baked beans and bread? Sorry but for me that = your fussy..

I agree but I do not uderstand veggies because to me eating plants and veggies is still eating a living thing.. But each to thier own