I was diagnosed celiac in 2004 and the recent arrival of "gluten intolerant pretenders" is something of a mixed blessing. On the one hand it has boosted the supply of gluten-free products (good for me) but on the other hand it has made me more self-conscious and aware that some people think I might just be fussy.
“wannabe gluten pretenders” are harmful to vegans as well. A lot of times I see gluten-free vegan food when I don't care about the gluten. It is like I am subsidising a fad although I am happy that people with actual allergies can now afford gluten free alternatives due to the fad.
As a vegan with coeliac disease I am very grateful that the fad somehow decided to pair these things together.
I got very sick some years ago when I moved from a vegetarian diet to a vegan one and discovered that most specifically-marked-for-vegan protein dishes contain gluten.
When relatives complain, I eat cows and remind me how bad it is for the environment I usually point out that I don't drive, never buy anything wrapped in plastic, source my groceries from the local wet-market (which I can walk to) and never eat meat more than once a weak. And when I do I know where it comes from, and how it was raised. When I cook it it's almost like a celebration of the life the animal had. I often spend the whole evening before planning how to prepare it and don't plan much other activities that day because getting it perfect (and better than last time) is my own personal fetish.
This year I worked with a guy who was actually Celiac and at first didn't know what that was. I thought "oh my not another one of those" ... Getting to know him better I found out what that entails and omg - this is one horrid condition to live with. It must be insulting to anyone who actually suffers from this seeing all these wannabe gluten intolerant pretenders. It ridicules those really suffering from the condition and makes them a laughing stock at their expense. A bit like those parents who seem hellbent on proving their child is somewhere on the Autistic spectrum - just to get a special treatment for their (very normal) kids (who simply need to get off the screen, spend more time outside in nature to drain their energy).
something more lighthearted: (How to Become Gluten Intolerant) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oht9AEq1798