why do ignorant people call themselves vegan when they use dairy and animal products?

Question

it's driving me insane when someone asks a food question and they start talkin about cheese!

Answer 1

Because they're ignorant!

Answer 2

So true... I'm a peske(sp) ovo vegetarian. I eat fish and eggs but NO dairy or meat. I would never call myself a vegan unless I gave those other two up. When I can afford all organic and the beans and grains I need (and the time to cook it) I would go all the way.
They're just ignorant. Same as when people call themeselves embarrassed about the President and they know nothing about politics or what he really does or has done. They base their opinion on his appearance and what the media says. They don't realize that the media is a money making business who profits off of controversy. That's what drives me crazy.

Answer 3

The whole separation of vegan and vegetarian is relatively new to mainstream people. I'm older, so I know that most people think of vegetarian as either cutting way back on eating meat, especially red meat, or not eating any meat. However, some people who eat vegetarian 9 times out of 10 will occasionally eat meat or fish, usually out of dietary lack or to please a host. This is really normal to alot of people because meat is so ingrained in our way of eating. So we used to call the others who didn't eat any meat strict vegetarians. Most of us didn't have any other term for people who didn't use ANY meat products. We differentiated between them by calling some vegetarian, some lacto-ovo vegetarians, some strict vegetarians. Now we have this new and wonderful word vegans. The problem is, the younger vegans (Like my kids) are very political and get really irate when the old fashioned health concious semi-vegetarians (like me) eat cheese or the occasional piece of salmon. Try not to judge too harshly. Education is an ongoing thing and being kind will open alot more ears.

Answer 4

it's so silly. who told you dairy and animal products are restricted when anyone is a vegan, as Milk itself is considered a wholesome food for anyone. Animal products, do you mean to say anything made out harming animals or direct consumption of animals. definitely, all milk products are being consumed by one and all as the question of ignorance doesn't arise at all.

Answer 5

i'm vegan and when someone asks for a vegetarian recipe, i'll happily share a recipe with dairy that i used to use before going vegan. that doesn't mean i eat dairy now, i just don't give vegetarians a hard time for eating cheese.

Answer 6

Exactly true, it is because we are brought up in such a way that we can't differenciate intelligently. An experiment was conducted some time back in a school where most of children were shocked (to their disbelief) to find out the source of beef was an animal ( cow).

Answer 7

Because they dont know what it means. Sort of like when someone calls themselves a vegetarian and says they eat chicken or fish LOL

A vegetarian does not eat animal flesh and last time I checked, chicken and fish were animals. No one that eats either of those can call themselves any type of vegetarian!

Answer 8

People just aren't completely clear about the terms, I guess. I always laugh when I say I'm a vegetarian and people ask me whether I eat fish or chicken. Nope.

Answer 9

I wish I knew! A strict "vegetarian" I know, who puts down meat eaters, will wolf down pork rinds when she gets in my house.

Answer 10

They either want attention or don't know what a vegan is.