Why do people that eat white meat (chicken/fish etc) think they are vegetarian?

Question

My thoughts on the matter are that you are either pregnant or you are not!!

Answer 1

because they're stupid!

Answer 2

I don't know but it is something that really really annoys me! (And from reading the answers here, many other vegetarians.)

Maybe it's laziness: either being too lazy to stick to vegetarianism, too lazy to explain to people their true eating habits, or too lazy to find out the real meaning of "vegetarian".

Because of these people who have misunderstood the definition or misused the term, you can ask for a vegetarian meal and be served fish. Or something cooked in chicken stock. Or something with gelatin in.

Wouldn't it be easier to say "I don't eat any meat except fish" than calling yourself vegetarian. It confuses people otherwise and they end up thinking vegetarians eat fish, or eat anything which isn't pieces of land-living animals.

Avoiding the word vegetarian if you're not actually vegetarian would really help those who are.

Answer 3

i do no longer comprehend the two. It isn't clever such as you reported. in case you end eating pork yet shop eating white, you're nonetheless going to kill a similar style of animals. i hit upon it VERY stressful while people consume fish or poultry and nonetheless say that they are vegetarian. I have not got any thought what's inaccurate with those people.

Answer 4

The official term for someone who eats no meat, but they do eat fish and shellfish - are called Pescatarians and is a branch of vegetarianism. I don't see why status is so important, the more people who don't eat meat the better - I don't eat meat, fish, or diary but a lot of vegetarians have diary - the diary industry causes more than often the male calf to be sent to slaughter, this is even the case in the organic diary industry - so it could be argued that people who don't eat meat or fish but have diary aren't doing enough - that's not my view because I think whatever any indivdual can do to make a difference is a positive difference.

Answer 5

Maybe they're retarded. Really.

For those who eat only fish from the animal kingdom, they are called pescatarians. This word is derived from the Latin "piscis" meaning "fish."

A few people have actually asked me, "You're vegetarian, but you eat chicken, right?" I couldn't believe what a stuuuupid question they were asking!!!

Ask youself, is this food an animal, vegetable, or mineral. If it's from the animal kingdom, it's an animal. If it's born, it's an animal. If it has a mother and father, it's an animal. If it grows from the ground, it's a vegetable.

Answer 6

I had a friend who also claimed to be Vegetarian but she ate chicken. I asked her one day and she got really upset with me. I think if you want to ONLY eat chicken and fish than all you should be able to clasify yourself as someone who does not eat RED MEAT and that is it.

Answer 7

A great question.

No clue.

I used to hope it was because they knew no different.

but after constantly correcting them every bloody day on this site i think they do it on purpose.

deluded, dishonest, lieing to themselves and others ? Take your pick.

A vegetarian eats no meat, fish, poultry or slaughter by-products.....

i think i've written this 10 times today

Its the internationally accepted definition. used by all major veggie organisations.

how much more evidence do they need ?

It is so insulting and disrespectiful to vegetarians and causes so much confusion to those wanting to learn about vegetarianism

I've asked this question many times. what you find is none of those fishy/chicken people come on here and explain. They just ignore the question because they know they have no defence. But in 10 minutes time they will answers another veggie question with their "i'm a chicken-veggie" crap.

hannah ( below ) YES IT ABSOLUTELY DOES MATTER. have you people any sense of credibility ? just because you have difficulty explaining your diet to people does not mean you should mis-use the word vegetarian.

fishy/chicken people. Look at the vegetarians answers here and to other similar questions. Why on earth do you put yourself in such a postion when you know that vegetarians hate it ?

YOU ARE NOT VEGETARIAN. Get it yet ?

Be honest with yourselves.

koxinga: It does do harm. It degrades the term vegetarian, it lowers vegetarians credability because people lump us with these wannabees. It confuses meateaters and we end up being asked "so, you eat fish them ?" in restaurants......

For most vegetarians its a moral choice, just like a religion is a moral choice or faith.

Would it be ok if i went to Catholic Church every sunday and then randomly said i was Jewish ? Eh? No, it makes no sense to make up your own definition of words.

and please don't tag on somethng like semi, demi, flexi....just call your self a meateater and be done with it.

Thanks for the link to http://www.vegetarian-central.com. I've written to them to tell them they are talking rubbish by talking about demi/semi/flexi veggies.

i also note thier very first statement is "A vegetarian can be defined as someone who doesn't eat meat, poultry or fish." so pointing to that site as a source of fishy/chicken veggies is a bit daft.

Answer 8

Honestly, sometimes because it's just easier to say that if you are with someone you don't know well in a restaurant, rather than explaining exactly what you wil eat or not. I wouldn't actually call myself vegetarian, but some of my friends automatically label me a veggie.

I'm one of those annoying people - I actually don't eat meat but do eat fish. I'm happier eating fish because (in my head at least!) they've had a much nicer life than most of the livestock in the UK. Also, I'm a very fussy eater.

I've heard the term demi-vegitarian used, but how official this is I don't know.

If someone wants to label themselves vegetarian or not, does it really matter? Some people should lighten up. Maybe if they start off making small changes, like cutting out red meat or being socially aware of where their food comes from (such as making the effort to find soil association eggs) then maybe they'll turn full veggie in the future. At least they are trying!

Answer 9

They are not vegetarians, but as for the reason for thinking they are, it's a mystery. Some people regard fish as the 'vegetables of the sea', but vegetarians would not eat them. Maybe the people who do are not strict vegetarians, but still like to call themselves vegetarians.
But if these people want to eat white meat and do enjoy it while believing that they are vegetarians, why spoil their fun? Unless they are vegetarians for religious reasons, eating white meat and calling themselves vegetarian will not do any one any harm.

Answer 10

I am strictly non-vegetarian, but am married to a vegetarian, and I respect my spouse's choice of food.
I have absolutely no respect, however, for those semi-vegetarians - or for the self obssessed who burden everybody else around with doubts about the content of what they eat.
There is nothing more tedious than that.

Answer 11

i don't know but it's soooooo annoying. when i say i'm a vegetarian people think i still eat fish, and when i tell them i don't they say that makes me a vegan! Look it up people, vegetarians don't eat anything WITH A FACE.

(By the way, just because they aren't cute and cuddly like other animals, fish still have nervous systems, and can feel it when they suffocate to death. .)