Italy, where gays can’t adopt, considers jailing parents who put their kids on a vegan diet
A politician in Italy, where gay couples are banned from adopting jointly, has proposed that parents who put their kids on a vegan diet should be jailed.
Legislation has been put forward by Elvira Savino, a member of the Forza Italian party, which is right-wing.
The bill which proposes one-year jail sentences for parents who put their kids on a vegan diet, will be considered by the 630-member Chamber of Deputies.
Longer sentences would be given to parents if their kid becomes ill due to a vegan diet.
Parents would be eligible for the punishment if their behaviour is characterised as “reckless” as set out by the bill.
Should the bill make it through the committee stage, it will go to the full Chamber later this year.
The bill comes in the wake of a number of news reports following the cases of children who became malnourished and ended up in hospital after being placed on a vegan diet.
No animal products are consumed on a vegan diet, including meat, dairy and eggs. Honey is not normally consumed, but there is often a debate about whether it should be allowed on a vegan diet.
The popularity of the vegan diet has skyrocketed in the past ten years with some arguing health benefits in its favour, others saying it is much more environmentally friendly.
Major health bodies such as the American Dietetic Association have advised that appropriately-planned plant-based diets are healthy and nutritionally adequate.
But it still faces strong opposition from some.
Earlier this year, the Italian President signed a bill into law legalising same-sex civil unions, but the law had adoption stripped out in order to appease Catholics there.
RELATED: These parents were publicly shamed after requesting a homophobic babysitter
