Vegan Strip Club Controversy

Casa Diablo, Portland, OR’s all-vegan strip club, drew controversy this week and protests from neighbors with plans to open a second location. The club serves a meat- and dairy-free menu of items like mushroom burgers, chili cheese fries, and cheesecake, with a backdrop of topless dancers and private rooms. The establishment also forbids its primarily veg dancers from wearing fur, leather, silk, wool, or feathers onstage in the name of animal welfare. The club’s owner, Johnny Diablo, refers to himself as an ethical vegan and argues that the naked women lure men in, and in turn, they will learn to appreciate vegan food. Not everyone agrees; Julie Bindel writes in the UK’s The Guardian, “Are you a man who cares about animals but thinks it is fine to treat women like one? Then Casa Diablo is the place for you.”