it can be a religious requirement, but that’s not the only reason to be vegetarian. even if you are making the choice to be vegetarian because of your religion… it’s still a dietary choice? i don’t quite understand how those are mutually exclusive.

i’m vegetarian because i don’t want animals to die unnecessarily (edit: + environmental impact of meat is insane) and i can live quite happily and healthily without eating meat. (also, being vegetarian is not a religious requirement in judaism, but it definitely makes keeping kosher a lot easier!!)

i’m not vegan because i’m chronically ill and in recovery from an eating disorder. for me personally, restricting my food options to that extent would impact my physical and mental health.