Five trustees quit Vegan Society in row over claim veganism is 'cultural ...

Five trustees quit Vegan Society in row over claim veganism is 'cultural ...
Five trustees quit Vegan Society in row over claim veganism is 'cultural ...

Five trustees quit the Vegan Society last month amid allegations of institutional racism and transphobia sparked by a bitter row over whether the word 'veganism' was 'cultural appropriation'.

Last summer the society, which was established nearly eight decades ago, commissioned Ijeoma Omambala QC to investigate claims that the then vice chair, Eshe Kiama Zuri, had posted racist comments online.

Her report, which was published in June, found that Zuri had written two 'unprofessional and inappropriate' comments about the society, but that neither was racist.

Eshe Kiama Zuri

Ijeoma Omambala QC

Last summer the society, which was established nearly eight decades ago, commissioned Ijeoma Omambala QC to investigate claims that the then vice chair, Eshe Kiama Zuri, had posted racist comments online

Vegan Society co-founder Donald Watson coined the word 'vegan' as a way of describing non-dairy vegetarians and produced the first copy of the Vegan News in 1944

Vegan Society co-founder Donald Watson coined the word 'vegan' as a way of describing non-dairy vegetarians and produced the first copy of the Vegan News in 1944

Donald Watson: Vegan Society co-founder who coined the term 'veganism'

Born in 1910, Watson - who died in 2005 - became vegetarian aged 14 after a pig being slaughtered on his uncle's farm horrified him

Born in 1910, Watson - who died in 2005 - became vegetarian aged 14 after a pig being slaughtered on his uncle's farm horrified him

Vegan Society co-founder Donald Watson coined the word 'vegan' as a way of describing non-dairy vegetarians and produced the first copy of the Vegan News in 1944.   

Born in 1910, Watson - who died in 2005 - became vegetarian aged 14 after a pig being slaughtered on his uncle's farm horrified him.

He became vegan in the 1940s, having come to feel the production of milk-related products was unethical.

The Mexborough and District Heritage Society, which has organised the plaque, said he 'played a significant role in founding the modern vegan movement that is now this amazing worldwide movement'.

'Veganism has never been more popular than it is today and all vegans owe a huge debt of gratitude to Donald Watson and the pioneering early members,' it added.

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The barrister also noted how the 'vast majority' of complaints against 25-year-old Zuri were unfounded but appeared motivated by an anonymous person's 'profound personal animosity' towards Zuri due to their 'identity and protected characteristics'.

Zuri describes themself on their personal website as 'disabled and non-gendered', meaning they do not identify as either male or female. 

They have written how veganism was coined by a 'white man' but 'hippy vegan food' is based upon culinary traditions including dal from Pakistan, tofu and wheat from China and

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