Definition of Meat

Seriously. As a veg and now a vegan it made me so mad when people would ask, "but you eat fish, right?" Or even better when they'd ask if I ate chicken,.

GAH!

But really, it's not their fault. It's the fault of all the people that call themselves vegetarian yet still eat fish (pescatarian) or chicken (OMNIVORE).

My argument EXACTLY!

People are just confused by what vegetarian means, they certainly don't mean to offend you (although it is very annoying), it's just ignorance and it gives you a great opportunity to educate them. I don't think "logic" has anything to do with it. It is hard to lump anyone into one category, as it is such a broad spectrum. My husband is a pescatarian but would never refer to himself as such, as he doesn't want to be labeled or get 1000 questions about his diet. He gave up red meat for health reasons 10+ years ago and then gave up poultry just recently for ethical reasons.

I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian who will someday be vegan

I have to admit that I am a bad guy in this discussion. I have been vegetarian for 8 years and it has just been so normal for me to say that I am vegetarian. I started eating fish less than a year ago, and still tell people to try to offer meat to me that I am vegetarian. The people I work with in a little reservation are blown away by the fact that I dont eat meat, even though I eat fish, that they still call me a vegetarian, because that is how they see it.

I never consider myself any better than anyone else, so really it doesnt make a big deal to me whether I carry the title or not. I know that fish is the same as any other animal and I dont understand it myself why I am suddenly ok with eating fish. I could never imagine eating any other animal, but for some reason this is alright.

I never mean to offend anyone, I just eat what I eat and let everyone else be. I claim to be vegetarian, but usually explain right away that I do eat fish just to try not to fool anyone or have anyone get offended. I dont know why titles are so important on everything and we should just be able to make our own decisions without offending someone out there.

Good job to anyone who is successful at veg eating and especially those who are vegan!!

I just can't fathom eating meat. I do eat eggs. Need some form of natural protein.

So here's a story. My mother grew up a Hindu vegetarian, which basically meant she'd go nowhere near meat of any kind or even eggs. She moved to the UK to study (much before I was born) and took a trip around Europe. It was tough for her to eat anything but cheese and vegetables. She went on a cruise and asked for a vegetarian meal. And what came to her on the plate made her run to the restroom. There was a lot of vegetables alright. But there was also a whole fish with it's eyes in place staring at her. Poor thing.

I agree with the original post though. Fish are meat. Period.

Simple answer: Because sushi is just so darn delicious. Also, no one knows what a pescatarian is. Lots of people barely understand vegetarianism. When I was a vegetarian, I always went through the same discussion time after time. I was very strict and very diligent. I did eat eggs, but that was because my parents raised chickens and I knew that the eggs were organic and cage free. But people just assumed I ate fish and chicken (I would often hear "But it is tuna, and that is vegetarian").
I think another reason is Catholics are taught that fish isn't meat. Every lent Catholics are supposed to give up meat, but they are allowed to eat fish. Therefore, it has been hammered into their belief system that fish is not considered a meat.

I would like to know if there's any logical reasoning for people not counting fish as meat. I cannot fathom it. Here's the definition of "meat":

From Wikipedia:
"Meat is animal flesh that is used as food.[1] Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs, livers, skin, brains, bone marrow, kidneys, or lungs."

So let's see: Do we eat the skeletal muscle of fish? Yes. Other edible tissues (such as skin)? Yes.
Fish are animals. Animals of any kind are meat. They are a source of complete protein. So when you're eating fish, what do you think you're eating? Plants?

It makes no sense to me! If anyone can clarify, please do.

This is me...I would mostly define myself as someone "who doesn't eat meat but will occassionally eat fish" person. When I use the vegetarian label it is for ease of explaining for the 1000th time to ding a lings who don't listen that I do not plan on consuming that hamburger. Hot dog, grilled chicken etc. I am already tired of people's snarky moronic views on my relatively healthy diet and conscious choices to fuel my body that I just can't handle teaching ignorameouses the differences between lacto/ovo vegetarian...which I am minus one or two days a month, vegan, pescatarian etc.

I am not a vegetarian, but I am married to one and I publish a vegetarian cooking blog and this drives me bonkers!!!! People who call themselves a vegetarian but eat fish or chicken. Fish is meat and chicken is meat.

I don't make my food choices for anyone but myself anyway...

To all those who eat fish, but call themselves vegetarian to make it easier for yourselves, you're in turn making it harder for the real vegetarians to explain that they are vegetarian, and plus, they also don't eat fish either.

It doesn't make much a difference to me because my diet is more complicated than simply being a vegetarian. So I get the loads of questions anyway. I'm somewhat of an orthorexic as well. For example I don't eat chocolate, pizza, french fries, or any condiments. I buy lots of things unsalted and never add salt to anything. I don't drink cow milk (and yes I call almond/soy milk, "milk" even though it technically isn't milk, so you can yell at me for that), but I will eat things that were cooked with milk in it. I do eat eggs from a carton, and when I'm older I plan on having my own pet hens to be my friends and provide me with some eggs.

I absolutely do not think I am better than anyone because of my diet. I do have a little bit more respect for those who research different lifestyles/diets and stick to one that they learned is good for them, even if it means giving something that they love the taste of. And I'm sorry, but I also lose respect for those who give me the comment, "I could never be vegetarian because bacon/tacos/etc. taste so good. To me, that just sounds like, "I don't care about the consequences of my actions as long as I receive a temporary satisfaction from them." I do however, completely respect people's religious beliefs, and those who eat local meat (like salmon in Alaska) because it is more "green" than importing fruit from half a world away.

Again, I do not think I am better than others. I did not give up meat to become a better person, healthier, or to benefit the planet. I gave up meat as part of my crash diet before high school prom, and after a little over a month of not eating it, the thought of eating it again completely grossed me out. Now I have other reasons for staying a vegetarian, but it's personal.

One last thing, I am all for everyone doing what is best for them and not trying to "convert" others. I just really wish people would educate themselves on what they consume and how their body uses it.

EDIT: used the wrong "their." my bad.