Wait, but most condoms are made of latex ––not meat or animal jelly–– so what’s the problem?
Well, latex itself is vegan, as it comes from rubber trees or is made synthetically. At the last stage of production, however, standard condoms are dipped in casein in order to help make them smoother and softer, as well as more flexible. And casein, of course, is a dairy protein derived from cows milk, which means standard condoms not only contain an animal by-product, but they also contribute to the cruel practice of calf separation and cow abuse.
Now, not only is knowing about casein in condoms important for vegans and anyone who feels for tiny calves separated from their mothers, but also for anyone with a dairy allergy. Who knew, right?
The most surprising part is that some non-latex condoms are actually made out of lambskin –which are, of course, not only not vegan, but also not entirely protective when it comes to STDs. This is because lambskin actually has tiny tiiiiny holes in it, which allows for infections to get from one partner to the other.
