to think that if you eat fish or chicken you are not a vegetarian?

[knowitallstrikesagain]

So vegetarian seems to mean different things to different people. But the common definition is flesh from an animan, including fish and birds, used as food.

If you don't eat meat, you are a vegetarian. If you eat meat, you are not a vegetarian. If poultry and fish are types of meat and you eat them, then you do eat meat and are therefore not a vegetarian.

Didn't the powers that be come up with a new word to describe people who eat fish but no other type of meat? (I know what it is but can't spell it )

I understand saying you are veggie to make life easier, eg when RSVPing a wedding for food, or a staff meal out, but if you are having dinner with a friend, surely you could specify that you like some meats more than others?

AIBU to think that if you eat ANY animals, you are not a vegetarian?

You are quite correct, knowitall - a vegetarian doesn't eat anything from an animal - that includes fish, bacon, rennet and gelatine.

The amount of times people ask me if I eat fish, chicken or...(recently by my elderly aunt who seems to be getting a little confused now :( ).. ham!

kungfu, you are so right and we all have to stand by the things within it we believe. lobsters are my particular thing, I could go on all day. I also buy and release a ridiculous amount.

YANBU.

I am sick of being compared with people's apparently more reasonable 'vegetarian friends' who eat fish and chicken. I don't take much of an interest in other people's diets, and generally don't care what folk eat, but I do find it confusing when they choose to call themselves vegetarian when they patently aren't.

People who call themselves veggie but eat fish have never been able to explain this bit very well.

I don't call myself veggie (as mentioned upthread) but I don't eat 'meat' and do eat fish and seafood, but I thought I could try and explain this paradox from my own POV.

My original reasons (20 years ago) for not eating meat were based on my views regarding intensive farming practices. I don't believe in not eating eat per se and had I not lost my appetite for meat, I would now happily consume the locally, ethically produced meat from our village butchers along with my DP.

Over the years - particularly when I lived at home and didn't buy my own food - it has been easier to source ethically and sustainably sourced fish and seafood than meat so I have retained fish and seafood in my diet and not lost my appetite for it.

eating meat* not eating eat

YANBU.

And this is why I have no respect for vegetarians who abstain from meat for cruelty reasons, but FULL respect for vegans. Either you have your principles or you don't.

wow.
i look older than you! :(
(you beat me by one year on each side - 13 and 36 for me)

I can't call myself a vegetarian, I don't eat meat or fish, never drink dairy milk etc. I do however have leather handbags, drink wine and presumably support many companies who are not only meat providers but also are not ethical producers. Agree that vegans deserve respect for actually standing up for what they believe in.

I was a pescatarian for 22 years until earlier this year. it was usually easier to say i was a vegetarian as it took less explaining.

I now eat meat - but only free range and British, so it is still limiting and even more difficult when out or eating what other people have cooked.

People can eat what they like, I don't get the need to call yourself something and bore others with it.

Personally I find the anti veggie people far more boring and offensive than the vegans and veggies and I am not exactly a floofy lentil weaver type.

nickelbarapasaurus Sat 09-Jun-12 11:21:03
wow.
i look older than you!

You haven't seen me since DS2 came along. I swear I could get away with paying OAP rates on public transport!

i think the same must have happened to me with DD !
We were looking in the mirror this morning and oh! the wrinkles! :(

NurseBernard - I think that ignorance plays a part in that too (meat = obvious dead animal on plate, dairy = no dead animal on plate).

It's also an image perpetuated by the farmers - pictures of happy free range egg-laying hens and dairy cows roaming the fields on packaging and claims of good treatment, special but meaningless Red Tractor logos...

Also I'd argue if you ate eggs from your own hens/ducks that doesn't inflict cruelty on animals and this is increasingly common (a friend at work sells her rescued battery hens' eggs for example). Milk is a bit trickier but there are a few farms where the calves aren't killed etc now.