'Ethical vegan' who won anti-discrimination case says he could never date a non-vegan

4 January 2020, 10:20

Jordi Casamitjana won a landmark case at a tribunal to class 'ethical veganism' as a philosophical belief that is protected by law.

An employment tribunal judge sitting in Norwich has ruled that ethical veganism is a philosophical belief and is therefore protected by law.

Jordi Casamitjana claims he was sacked by his employer, the League Against Cruel Sports, after disclosing to other employees that it invested its pension funds in firms involved in animal testing and for failing to follow a management instruction not to provide financial advice to his colleagues.

Casamitjana joined Andrew Castle in the studio to discuss this landmark case.

He explained: "And now you could say no, I'm protected in the same way that anybody that is a disabled person or for gender reasons for age reasons and it might go beyond employment, it might go into the provision of services in hospitals."

Andrew Castle put it to him that it might be complicated to go about his daily basis.

Casamitjana replied: "It's as complicated as deciding what you're going to wear today. You have to make that decision, exactly what you're going to buy every day."

He added: "Once you develop the habit, it's like anybody else's. I can't remember what it was doing before."

Andrew Castle asked: "I don't know what relationships you have in your life, the interpersonal relationships, would you ever kiss a non-vegan?"

Casamitjana replied: "I would say depends what the kiss means but I would say I wouldn't have a date a non-vegan. I will never have a relationship with a non-vegan. I will never live in a house with a non-vegan but sometimes a kiss might be a nice thing to do for somebody that needs it."

He conceded that if he fell in love with somebody who was not a vegan, that love might control the actions instead of his mind.