I'm a little tired of this question about being vegetarian. Recently it was girl who, when she found out I wasn't going to the Christmas dinner with the rest of my colleagues and when I explained that there wouldn't be much for me to eat at that dinner said
- Ah yes, that's right you're vegetarian, now I remember. But, there should be lots for you to eat then, there will be lots of fish. You eat fish, don't you?
- Can't say I do, actually.
- What, are you vegan (said almost in disgust) or something (possibly terrorist)?
- Well, actually I am but being vegetarian is enough not to eat fish you know.
- What are you saying? I have a friend who is vegetarian but she eats fish (said with the tone of "she ain't crazy like you").
- Well, maybe your firend and I should have a talk about the meaning of those words one day, I said with a smile.

Now, this was not a hostile conversation. She's a good friend, funny and ok to work with. But just like so many people she has no clue what all those words mean.

It's a sad state of affairs. We ought to start a public awareness campaign or something!

Someone told me the other day "vegetarians are so hypocritical. They all eat fish anyway" No. Those aren't vegetarians.

Say it with me now: "pescatarian"

Yeah, I tend to tell people that according to the Vegetarian Society, vegetarians do not eat fish or other sea animals so it seems to have more credibility rather than my word against theirs.



Also, what is up with people freaking out over the word vegan? Why does a compassionate lifestyle have so much stigma? I've seen vegan cooking shows that never use the word and instead say 'plant-based'.

I've also heard about someone that didn't want to go vegetarian because they hate eating fish...
Anyway, my dad's friend said he was a vegetarian for 5 years and said he ate fish but not eggs because eggs aren't vegetarian. o.o

Someone at Trader Joe's said she was a vegan (a real one) and that she was a vegetarian for about 15 years, but kept getting sick from fish and dairy. How could you be a "vegetarian" for so long without someone pointing out the truth? She was sweet though and a vegan now, so that's awesome.

When someone says something like that, all you can do is wait for the summer, when they start to wear shorts, making their knees more vulnerable for a sudden cutlery attack.

So sorry about this conversation. I'm at the point where I just get irritated anymore about the garbage that comes out of people's mouths. As soon as someone finds out I'm vegan (and I don't spread it around) they start telling me about what they eat. Like I am interested in hearing this. Lately I'm pretty short with people on this subject. I don't say anything mean but I'm very curt and put the conversation to a halt. I know I offended a co-worker recently by stating "I don't like to be offered food of any kind" But frankly I don't care. And on the plus side, she's never going to offer me anything again.

yawwwwn

*hands you coffee*

You do look sleepy*. Everything ok?




*and pouty

Alicia Silverstone can expect a strongly worded letter in the mail

Sooo... you guys eat fish, right?

I refuse to promote the word "pescatarian". To me it's just an omnivore with a few foods he dislikes.

I'm sure that is true in some cases, but certainly not all.

What's the difference?

Not everybody who cuts out land meat does it because they dislike meat, but like fish and want to replace the land meat they've been eating with fish.

The thing about this topic that gets me, every time it's brought up, is this: If they feel the need to ask "but you still eat fish right?" they must know that fish isn't vegetarian in the first place, or WHY WOULD THEY BRING IT UP????

Exactly!

I disagree that pescatarian is just an omnivoure. I have been a pescatarian for a while before I learned all the good resons to stop earing fish as well. And I see it as a step up from omnis before vegetarians. People who don't recongnize that are just as annoying as vegans who are putting the vegetarians down

Don't be sorry over this particular conversation. She's a funny person with a big heart, just a bit ignorant from time to time.

As for people offering you food... it is a little bit of a problem and I try to politely tell them that it's better if I just take care of my own stuff. I can see what you mean though. I'm nearly at that point myself. If I can't trust that the person knows what vegan means I just try to avoid being offered something.

However, it is equally important to show those who do know what the word means that you appreciate it when they inform you. Like if you're at a party and the hosts tell you "oh, by the way, that cake is not for you, there's some butter in it, sorry", it's important those times to say "thanks for letting me know" instead of "why did you have to put butter in it?".

+1

Why did she put butter
because she hates you for actually being a vegan and not eating fish and she wants you not to eat anything ever again
so next time you can offer her some food with some healthy stuff in it and watch her being tortured by her cholesterol levels dropping.(and who eats butter ?!regardless of being omnis, pescetarian, vegetarian..why would you eat that?!)
just joking sorry

I agree with the last couple of posts. I think it is important to correct people when they say things like but you still eat fish or it's okay if the dairy isn't from milk right?, but we need to do so politely. When people are constantly confrontational, it promotes the negative view of vegans.

What she said.

Some random stupid person: "Do you eat fish?!" Me: "I don't eat any animals. The only thing I'll eat from the sea is seaweed." Most people think I'm trying to be funny at this point, but some seaweed is tasty!!!

I was just thinking about it, and I honestly can't remember a single time in nearly 4 years of being vegetarian that I've told someone I'm vegetarian without them asking if I eat fish. Seriously. Every single time. No exceptions.

And I'm not just talking omnis who think all vegetarians eat fish, and I'm an extremist (or vegan! ) because I don't. Even vegetarians and vegans that I meet for the first time ask me this, to find out if I'm really veg*n or just a poser.

It's almost like a Pavlovian response. People hear a sneeze and instinctively say "Bless you". People hear "Thank you" and instinctively say "You're welcome". People hear "I'm a vegetarian" and instinctively say "Do you eat fish?"

Although, oddly enough, I actually met a pescatarian who correctly identified herself using the word pescatarian for the first time last week. That was odd. I don't think I've ever seen/heard the word pescatarian anywhere other than VB before, despite knowing a couple of them. Of course, once I told her I'm vegetarian, she asked if I eat fish.

--Fromper