Do not let people gate keep who you are. Their opinions are their and sometimes an opinion sucks. You are your own person and are allowed to define and identify as you like. Are they then going to tell you that you’re not a real straight/gay/trans person because you do or do not do something?
I am a strict vegetarian that trends towards vegan. Cheese and yogurt are really the only things that keep me from being strictly vegan.
I do not cook with eggs and generally avoid using cheese at home. I will have egg incidentally (i.e. bread, etc.) but will occasionally have eggs in a diner or such when traveling. Cheese I will have fairly commonly.
I avoid anything with gelatin–that’s a hard line for me. I will, however, have honey.






Funny: in much of East Asian, “vegetarian” doesn’t really exist as a concept and the best you can get is the “Buddhist meal”, which will contain fish.