Don’t mock my lentils: vegans to get discrimination rights

Here's an interesting bill. I'm not sure exactly what the implications of such a bill would mean. Probably be useful for vegans (especially in hospital, in jail etc), but it seems pretty wide ranging & I'm not sure quite what 'protection' would mean - could people no longer criticise others being vegan (that's not a good idea - debate is always useful in my view). It's a tricky one, obviously getting legal protection for those vulnerable members of society who choose a vegan diet like the sick, the old or the young would be pretty useful, but having blanket bans on criticising or questioning is not so good.
I know religious groups have used the discrimination laws like a bludgeon to frighten organisations into all sorts of things over the last few years here in the UK. Having vegans do the same probably isn't the best tactic in my view. But as I said I'm not sure of how such a law would be enacted so it's hard to draw a conclusion. Anyway I put the article below if you don't want to visit the page.

Quote :

VEGANS and teetotallers are to be given the same protection against discrimination as religious groups, under legislation championed by Harriet Harman, the equalities minister.

Members of cults and “new religions” such as Scientology, whose supporters include the film stars Tom Cruise and John Travolta, would also be offered protection, as would atheists.

A code of practice explaining the legal implications of the equality bill states that religions need not be mainstream or well known for their adherents to gain protection. “A belief need not include faith or worship of a god or gods, but must affect how a person lives their life or perceives the world.”

The code, drawn up by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, singles out vegans, who do not eat any animal products or wear leather, as meriting protection from religious discrimination. It says: “A person who is a vegan chooses not to use or consume animal products of any kind. That person eschews the exploitation of animals for food, clothing, accessories or any other purpose and does so out of an ethical commitment to animal welfare.”
A spokesman from the commission explained: “This is about someone for whom being vegan or vegetarian is central to who they are. This is not something ‘thought up by the commission’. Parliament makes the law, the courts interpret it and the commission offers factual and proportionate guidance to organisations where necessary. We are providing guidance on the implications of the equality bill.”

The legislation also covers “any religious belief or philosophical belief” and even “a lack of belief”.

Philosophical beliefs to be protected could include humanism and pacifism, but a spokesman for Harman said scientific or political beliefs such as Marxism and fascism would not be covered. The commission added that the recently founded International Church of Jediism, with 500,000 followers worldwide who base their philosophy on the Star Wars films, would not qualify. Beliefs had to be heartfelt.

The watchdog also warns that advertisements giving preferential treatment to men or women could be illegal. This could mean the end of “ladies’ nights” at clubs, when women receive cut-price drinks or free entrance but men pay full price.

People for whom abstention from alcohol was a way of life would also be protected. Conversely, the bill would make it unlawful for a shopkeeper to refuse to sell cigarettes to a woman because she was pregnant.

I thought already you weren't allowed to discriminate against people for even being Marxist, etc, at least officially. (Although that of course doesn't really stop someone.)

I want to think it's a small step forward but at the same time it seems a tad ridiculous. Whether or not something gets labeled 'religious'... should that have anything to do with it? I'm disgusted by the immoral stuff that people get away with because they claim it's a part of their religion. Further I imagine a lot of vegans really do not want their veganism to be considered a religion.

I don't think they are calling veganism a religion. Just that it is an ethical or moral stance. Hence Jediism (which actually got enough votes last census to become a recognised religion over here) does not the any safe guards.
It all comes down to what the proposed laws actually say, as it's all hearsay so far. If it basically says vegans get the right to exercise their chosen lifestyle when in prison, hospital, nursing homes, schools etc, that would be a bonus....if we get all the suing of a business because we can't wear a vegan T-shirt, talk to every customer about veganism or something (like religious people & their crosses or harressing terminally people to believe in Jesus if they want to save their souls etc) then I'd be more against it. It all depends?
Over here you've got little chance of getting vegan food in hospital, prison has got a lot better since the VPSG have been working with the prison service to get decent food & personal care products to prisoners, schools can be bad & nursing homes a nightmare unless you can get into one of those specialist veggie/vegan places, so changes there would be good.

Yes, you can't discriminate in the UK because of colour or political view, but technically you can discriminate due to non-religious ethical choices like a vegan, so a hospital could technically offer you meat & you refuse & it wouldn't be their fault you died of starvation as they gave you 'food'.

So you can see the idea has some merit, especially to the most vulnerable in our society....but as I said the details aren't really out yet these are just ideas....infact I'm not sure whether this is just a pre-election idea dreamed up to get the vegan voter to vote labour (as veganism seems just about reaching mainstream suddenly over here - kind of like veggie did about 10 or so years ago)

Personally, I just don't like labels of any kinds. I don't think like to label myself as vegan because I'm not a perfect vegan (if there is such a thing). But if it means we were given respect and appropriate meals in hospital etc, then I think its a good thing.