The Holy Church of Veganism?

An equality watchdog in the U.K. says veganism deserves the same legal protections as religion. This may seem like wishful thinking, but last November, a court ruled in favor of an employee who said that his dismissal for being an environmentalist discriminated against his philosophical beliefs.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission drafted a code for the proposed Equality Bill that would bring a new — and broader — interpretation to the concept of religion. "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." Instead of just protecting mainstream religious beliefs, it would cover cults, fringe religious sects, and even the lack of belief that atheists hold.

Veganism was specifically named as a belief system whose "ethical commitment to animal welfare" meets the criteria of being just as serious, cohesive, and important as any traditional mainstream religion.

When you think about it, the morality of veganism isn't unlike many of the world's major religions. It's about respecting others, causing no harm, and appreciating the natural world. In fact, many religious dietary restrictions are based on animal welfare motives. So why should someone be perceived differently if they refuse meat based on a religious code versus a moral code? Or, as Brandon Bosworth put it in his post on Vegetarian Table Manners, "religious dietary restrictions are fine, but personal, ethical ones are not?"

The intention of the Equality Bill wasn't to redefine religious or philosophical beliefs ... but why not? Only offering equality to people who abide by a pre-approved list of faiths is just another way of saying that some people are more equal than others. That may be how much of the world works today, but the November ruling that put climate change beliefs on the same legal playing field as Christianity and Islam means that vegans (and others covered by the code) might start to get a little more respect.

The Government Equality Office doesn't agree that veganism or environmentalism are the new churches of society, but a spokesman conceded that the interpretation was ultimately up to the courts.

Photo credit: PhillipC