Should Vegetarians wear leather or are they being hypocritical?

Answer 1

according to the formally accepted definition of a vegetarian they are ok to wear leather. the term vegetarian is about diet.

Definition:
A vegetarian is someone living on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with or without the use of dairy products and eggs (preferably free-range).
A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or slaughter by-products such as gelatine or animal fats.

Not saying i agree with it, thats just the facts.

However i see it as hypocritical and would not were any leather products. I think many veggies are similar.

If you are looking for non-leather great formal shoes try "vegetarian shoes" in brighton. I have no connection to this shop other than being a customer, so its a recommendation, not an advert.

does ANYONE understand this:
Leather is a bi-product. So the animals aren't being killed for it. Fur is different, but leather is OK.

Come on Emily, i appaud you for being veggie but please think before engaging keyboard ! This type of statement gives the vegge-haters so much ammunition.

I don't think i've ever seen laether harvested from a cow that is then set loose in a field. Leather contributes to the cost model of the dairy cow, as does milk. remember tht 50% of dairy cows are killed at a few days old. Veggies can't really condone that, can we ?

Without leather, meat would be prohibitively expensive and so people wouldn't eat it.

Answer 2

It's a personal choice, and I suppose it depends on why they're vegetarian. We hear about the animal activist thing as a major reason, and if this is the case, then I suppose wearing things like leather would be hypocritical. Some people are veggies for the health benefits, and although the cows don't wanna be made into jackets and shoes, wearing them isn't going to harm your overall health. Just depends.

Answer 3

Animal clothing lasts years, hamburgers don't. Some vegetarians are veg for health reasons. That has nothing whatever to do with animal rights. They aren't hypocritical. I think the best thing for you to do is take a look at yourself before you go calling names. For example, I am guessing you haven't gutted many pigs but have still eaten bacon. Is having a hitman dress your meat hypocritical? (I don't know, you could be a hunter...so this may not apply to you). The world isn't black and white. Let the vegetarians do the best that they can. Compassion doesn't have to be all or nothing. Intention is a big part of it.

Answer 4

I feel that they are. I have a friend who is always preaching on about the virtues of being vegetarian and how she does not want to eat something which is killed for her consumption. After hearing this over and over again I went online and sent her a catalogue of vegetarian friendly shoes as she wears leather ones.. she soon shut the **** up and tried to explain away how she could not afford to wear those shoes as they were too expensive.... btw she is a Barrister so hardly on the poverty line!!

Vegetarians who also eat fish are hypocrites in my opinion. How is it justifiable to not eat an animal but to eat another living creature..?

Answer 5

Difficult one, but tried and tested by myself over the last 30 something years.

I'm a vegan, by the way.

My answer is this.

If I was living in a natural environment, in the forest for example, and came across a dead animal, whose skin was still intact, I might take that skin and use it to cover myself or for bedding or any other useful purpose. I would not consume any part of it though. The animal is dead, it was not killed for its skin and I did not, would not nor encourage anyone else to kill it.

But if it was killed by some heartless savage or other carnivorous beast, not connected to me, it's been done. Use it now. The same can be applied to certain leathers which come from the meat industry as a by-product of mass slaughter. Nothing hypocritical about that, just common sense.

One can not apply this philosophy or logic to animals that are bred or slaughtered mainly for their skin/fur/leather. eg Baby seals, crocodile skin or any other such species. I'm only talking about leather that comes from cows that have been slaughtered for the meat industry and the leather is a by product that would otherwise be disposed of.

It's a starting point, be conscious of it and in time you will find new, non animal products to replace it with. But no belief is worth following if it makes your life unbearable, slowly, slowly.

Answer 6

A lot of people who ARENT vegetarians wont wear leather. I'd have to say that at least MOST vegetarians don't... like someone else said... why wear the skin if you wont eat the meat?

I just went veggie a little over a year ago, but I haven't worn leather in years. I never liked the smell of it... I like the look... but pleather looks just as good to me... and IT doesn't smell like a wet dog (or I guess it'd be a wet cow) when it rains. :)

Answer 7

I'm a vegetarian and I don't wear leather or suede. I also don't use beauty products that are tested on animals.

Answer 8

Yeah, if you are vegetarian for the sake of the animals.
If you find meat gross to eat, but not to wear, it would be a little strange, but in that case, not hypocritical.
Am I making sense?

Answer 9

Leather is a bi-product. So the animals aren't being killed for it. Fur is different, but leather is OK. Although, I am a veggie and won't wear leather except for shoes. It's preference.

Answer 10

I don't wear leather or have leather purses or shoes. I try to be consistent in my actions to back up my beliefs.