Why do so many people think that they're a vegetarian if they eat fish?

Can someone please help me? What's the difference between eating something that lives on land or something that lives in the water?





Meat is the flesh of an animal. When you eat fish, aren't you eating their flesh?





It drives me crazy! Even though I'm vegan, I get people telling me all the time, "Oh, you're allowed to eat fish though!"





When are people going to learn that eating flesh isn't vegetarian, no matter which animal it comes from? And how do I deal with these people who are so convinced that I should be eating fish?|||I think people honestly wake up and say "YOU KNOW, BEING A VEGETARIAN WOULD MAKE ME REALLY DIFFERENT, AND COOL!" It's not a trend, or style, it is a lifestlye choice.


People who eat fish and call themselves vegetarians bugs the hell out of me, beyond explanation.


What I love? Is when people tell me to "chill out about it." How the heck can I? Come on... that's seriously disrespecting MY lifestyle. Making lies about what is exceptable. Someone had a post today about how 33% of vegetarians on a certain poll said they ate fish. Come on.... it's meat! It's an animal. The fact that it swims makes it another species?





It makes me even crazier that when people find out what a vegan is, they still assume they'll eat cheese, and fish. It's almost like "DIDN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THE DEFINITION FIRST?"





It bugs me completely.





Whomever made up the word "Pescetarian" obviously wasn't too smart. "A vegetarian that consumes fish." Kind of... an oxymoron.





Crap... now I'm all heated.|||I don't know. It's really dumb, as there is a word to describe people who don't eat meat but eat fish: pescetarian. I had a friend who was vegan, and she explained it to people that she just didn't eat or use anything that came from something with a heartbeat.|||Aaaaaaarrrgh! I'm vegan %26amp; am not anemic or lacking in protein, or any vitamins or minerals for that matter. People who say they are veg*n yet "have to eat meat" have poor diets (whether they eat flesh or not), not to mention an obviously lacking mental capacity.





I think people think less of eating fish/seafood because a) they aren't cute, fluffy animals and b) they don't believe they suffer as much at slaughter.





If anything, fish suffer more than other animals when they are killed - not only are their throats cut but they are also deprived of oxygen first. That's torture THEN death.





Ugh - I could go on forever about the stupidity of so called 'vegetarians' but I won't, just know that you are doing the right, ethical thing being vegan and just like regular omnis, these people are ignorant of the facts.|||IKNOW IT IS SOOO ANOOYING. My sister eats shrip and says its bugs!!! i mean come on.there is no diffrence people just dont care about water animals. yes u are eating their flease!! its soo mean. well bye|||Some vegetarians eat fish from time to time, which i think is okay. Tell your friends that you know vegetarianism better than they do.





If they disagree, tell them that you see no difference between human animals and other animals and then ask them to pass the salt.|||It's just because it's cool to be vegetarian or vegan but they don't want to put out too much effort





I used to hang out with this girl in one of my classes who said she was vegan and we went to lunch together one day, where she ate this organic cheese pasta thing and said it was vegan since it was organic.|||good qs peolpe tell me thats it ok to eat fish and chicken and i mean chicken wtf? ppl r stupid|||People are idiots. Don't worry about it. Most people can't really relate to fish as they can to mammals. I'm not sticking up for them or anything, but, ya know....|||Some people are just ignorant as to what vegetarianism actually is. I can't believe how many people I know who still think fish don't feel pain! IMO eating fish is just as bad as eating any other animal. And as for those who claim to want to be vegetarian but can't because of anemia: Unless you don't have a balanced diet you can usually get enough iron from vegetables, but if you happen to have an iron defficiency you can get pure iron juice at the chemist. It's a great supplement.|||THANK YOU!!! It really bothers me when I see someone eating meat when they claim to be a vegetarian or a vegan. I think to truly be veg, you need to NOT EAT MEAT. Who cares if the animal can walk or not, IT CAN SUFFER, which is why people like us don't torture them for unnecessary food. Meat is cruel, whether it comes from the land or sea. Also, fishing boats pollute and kill rare animals, such as sea turtles or dolphins. It bothers me when others try to push chicken or fish on me, saying that most vegetarians eat THAT kind of meat. I'm a vegetarian so I can save innocent animals, whether the animal is a fish, chicken, cow, pig, or anything else.


If people who claim to be veg but eat meat really wanted to save animals, they would have the self control to eat things other than carcasses of innocent creatures.


Good luck with the saving of innocent animals ^-^|||vegitarians can eat cookies,chips,ice cream,pancakes,watermelons,cheese sandwiches,tater tots,french fries,cheese pizza,guacamole,cereals like cocoa pebbles,and trix,sodas,all candies,popcorn,bean burritos,and alot more|||the meanning of vegetarian is not to eat or harm any animal if any persoan eats fish they are non as non-vegetarian


Lacto Ovo Vegetarian


A lacto ovo vegetarian does not eat meat, fish or poultry, but eats eggs and milk. They eat eggs and products made with eggs in them, yogurt, cheese, milk and ice creams.





Lacto Vegetarian


A lacto vegetarian does not eat meat, fish, poultry or eggs, but includes dairy products in their diet. They will eat milk, ice cream (that does not include eggs), yogurt and cheese. They would avoid ice creams, baked goods, pancakes and veggie burgers that contain eggs.





Vegan


A vegan does not eat any fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products or foods that contain any of these products. They also do not use any non-food items that contain products from animals, including wool from sheep, leather and silk. Vegans often do not eat honey, because bees may be killed while harvesting it.|||Yeah, alot of the time, when people find out that I am a vegan... they always ask, "so you eat fish?"


I'm like, "no, I don't eat fish... I don't eat any animals" and then I smile at them...





LOL


Really though, Alot of people grew up thinking that fish is not meat... that is just the way they were raised... It could have partly to do with how catholics are not allowed to eat meat during lent(on fridays, and holy days) but they are allowed to eat fish... the reason behind such a thing?... I have no Idea... %26gt;%26gt;Well I do have an idea why the church made it OK to eat fish(but I won't get into that here :] )%26lt;%26lt;





Anyways... thats just how people were brought up... they don't know any better (not all people, but alot of people)


So even though it is really annoying, all you can do really is to Politely correct them.





And then there are the people that know fish is meat, and still call themselves "pesca- vegetarians" (gOD I hate that word!)


They are just annoying hypocrites...


Just try your best to spread the correct information around everytime someone asks whether vegetarians eat fish... or you can always just ignore it :] I do a little bit of both.|||I know what you mean people are all the time like l am a vegetarian but they eat fish! this is what l tell them you are not a vegetarian you are a Pescetarianism A person who the only animal they consumes is fish or other seafood and some are like no l am a vegetarian!!! some people just get on my nerves!!! lol|||there are some "fish a tarians" and some people dont think of fish as meat becuase it's cold blooded.. not fuzzy and cute.. *I dont eat either* I'm 110% veggie... I'm almost vegan.. I'm alergic to a lot of dairy... so yeah..that's a little inside on that one... I hate it when you say your veggie and they say, oh ok you have fish then.. I'm like NO.. that's meat......they say no, fish ok... NO IT'S NOT... so frustrating... ger...|||it is basicly because they call themselves what they want. it's not anything prestigious to be vegetarian..... it is just an eating style.... open to interpretation.


see. watch this..... I am a vegetarian.....


I think that I'll have a steak tomorrow.


not important, no one cares......


it is no different than a true vegetarian that calls themselves an omnivore.... no one cares about that either....


it's not a club, it is a word.|||bugs the %$%26amp;@ out of me, too.





i don't understand how someone cannot comprehend that a fish is an animal! it's crazy! it goes back to that grade-school question: is it an animal, vegetable, or mineral?





i despise that word pesco vegetarian... it causes so much confusion, and just because some websites actually advocate that term, people think "okay, i'll be a fish-eating vegetarian!"





there's already a pesco vegetarian and a pollo vegetarian (absurd!)... what's next?


oh, i know! a CARNE VEGETARIAN!





yes, we should all be carne-pesco-pollo-vegetarians... ::rolls eyes::|||There are lots of different types of vegetarians. Different things matter to different people. While YOU may disagree, eating fish and nothing else is referred to as PESCAVEGETARIANISM. That is their choice. Get over it. I'm a vegetarian, and it's not a big deal. I don't eat fish, but whensomeone asks me or implies that I do, I simply politely respond that, no, I don't eat fish. Problem solved. Get off your high horse and quit acting so superior and as if other people's vaulues, ideas, beliefs, or way of being is wrong. No one cares. YOU being a vewgan makes you no better than a pescavegetarian. Yes. It's a real thing. And I would much rather be around a fish-eater (*gasp* God forbid!) than a self-absorbed, judgemental vegan.|||I think the big problem is everyone wants to belong.. And so many want to be specific... Who cares as long as you are eating a balanced diet.|||mmm beef. i think i'm gonna make a hamburger, thanks for the suggestion.|||i was vegetarian for like 2 years, but i HAD to eat meat at least once a month because i was ANEMIC %26amp;%26amp; i didn't have enough iron/red blood cells in my system %26amp;%26amp; vitamins weren't enough.





so maybe they actually have a condition where they don't have a frickin' choice. don't be so judgmental.|||so ur a vegetarian y would eat only veggies u is missing out on so much fun like wearing fur|||Well some people don't want to cut out all that protein completely from their lives. Most of them turn anemic and loose a lot of energy. It's not because they want to but they have to...so Chill =)





BTW: Extremists get no where in life..so relax...it's not like you need a lot of information to be a vegetarian...telling me to Get my information straight...This is a fact..because it happened to my sister...so don't think because you are a vegetarian you are "educated" far from it...you are only talking with your emotions nothing else