Why do people always think I'm a vegetarian?

[rubydoobydoo]

This is something I have had all my life! I shall start by saying I decided I was a vegetarian when I was 10 years old, and this lasted for about a year - however during this phase I also decided that McDonald's cheeseburgers and my mum's stew and dumplings were exempt! I eventually realised I wasn't actually vegetarian so just carried on eating all things as normal (to my mum's relief 😅)

The people who assume I am a vegetarian now are people who didn't even know me then - however it has been happening for the last 20 years - mainly at work but not exclusively! I eat meat at work regularly, never really discuss food or dietary requirements with anyone, and I think I eat pretty normally - but it still happens! To the extent that I've started to wonder, is there something particularly vegetarian-looking about me? Or acting?

I ordered the nut roast at a work Christmas meal a few years ago, but that's just because I fancied it! And when I got there it had ran out and I just told them it's ok I'm not actually a vegetarian- I'll just have the turkey.

What would make you assume someone is a vegetarian it they've never told you that they are? I have even been asked if I'm a vegan twice in the last year!

I'm assuming that's a generic 'you're', rather than directing it at me personally.

I meant the poster accusing somebody who as a child said they were vegetarian but wasn't, as being a huge hypocrite - they were clearly doing the usual thing that many online vegans do in having a go at everybody else.

I'm just a bog standard Coeliac, so finding anything that isn't going to poison me through either intentional ingredients or cross contamination and I'm not assumed to be making a lifestyle choice (especially not assuming I actually mean vegan and wheat is of no consequence) is a fucking result.

I often order vegetarian when eating out/ takeaway as I think the risk of food poisoning from vegetables is lessened and often get remarks when seen eating meat or fish, which I love.

That said, I have lost count of the times folk have assumed I am gay.

People are strange.

I've had this all my life. I'm pale and skinny. Handily, I actually am now a veggie so people assume correctly. When I ate meat, I didn't mind being mislabelled at all.