The Food Experience

Month: February 2020 (Page 5 of 8)

What I learned- Professor Vooris Lecture

February 16, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Today’s readings and Professor’s Vioori’s lecture through the lens of queer and feminist foodways exposed me to a topic that I was previously unfamiliar with, particularly the connection between veganism/vegetarianism and the LGBTQ community.

In regards to the comics, I did not initially think of the potluck and outdoor wedding in terms of using this as a means to save money, possibly due to lack of familial support, and to break away from the traditional norms associated with most heterosexual weddings (i.e. wearing white, at a fancy venue, with heterosexual family members, etc). I also liked how the comics made an effort to breaking away from explicit stereotypes about groups of people in the scene at the diner, when at first the characters had assumptions that were later broken in a positive way.

In-Class Reflections

February 15, 2020 / / 0 Comments

14 February 2020

In class reflection – queer and lesbian food culture with Prof. Vooris.

I greatly enjoyed Prof. Vooris’ lecture today.  They did a lovely job encapsulating perspectives and 50 years of queer history into a short 30 minute block.  I enjoyed our dive into Dykes To Watch Out For, and especially enjoyed our conversation surrounding the backyard wedding and it’s significance within queer culture.  As a queer woman myself, I loved hearing the perspectives of other students in our class as they learned more about queer culture.

Food in the LGBTQ+ Community

February 15, 2020 / / 0 Comments

In our lecture with Prof.  Vooris today we learned about the close connection between vegetarianism and lesbian potlucks. Lesbian potlucks arose as a place for lesbians to find support and community. Food traditionally serves as the center of gatherings and provides comfort. Food is also traditionally prepared by women. These traditions continued in the lesbian potlucks. Vegetarian dishes became popular as a way to uphold these food traditions while also pushing back against patriarchal systems that required lesbians to create separate spaces, like the lesbian potlucks, where they could  exist safely. The meat industry was seen to represent the same patriarchal system that oppressed lesbians and women. Vegetarianism gave lesbians another way to reject this system.

What I learned- Jessica Vooris

February 14, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I did not previously know about the connection between food history and its link to feminist and lesbian movements. I was unaware of the fact that there was such a strong link between vegan/vegetarianism and lesbian identity that stemmed from the time that the comic was published. However, now that I think about it it makes sense that feminist, lesbian and environmental movements developed in tandem in relation to food as they did. Part of the activism surrounding vegan/vegetarianism was/is linked to feminist and equity values as it is usually women who are most affected by environmental externalities and therefore might be more inclined to want to make more environmentally conscientious decisions when it comes to the food that they consume.

What I learned- Jessica Vooris

February 14, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I always enjoy learning about gender roles in relation to food. And I find it interesting that with time these gender roles have been challenged in some ways. However, women are still associated with food and the kitchen in many cultural contexts. It is assumed that they will do the cooking and cleaning up of food. There are also specific ideas about what is categorized as masculine and feminine foods, like women eating salad and men eating meat. For example, in the way food is often marketed, women are the objects to be looked at, not the food item. I like to think about ways we can challenge these stereotypes.

Professor Vooris Lecture

February 14, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I found it incredibly interesting breaking down the stereotypes and assumptions surrounding food culture. Professor Vooris’ pointing out the association between ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ foods through different representations like stock photos or advertisements was especially striking to me. It seems obvious once she described it that societal norms try to prescribe specific foods to specific people and genders. Her description of the difference between kitchen cooking and professional cooking as gender labeled and hierarchical was eye-opening to me as well. Cooking should always be considered a skill, not just when in a professional kitchen, and not associated with one gender.

The Dinner Table

February 14, 2020 / / 0 Comments

An interesting topic we touched on today was the concept of the dinner table.  The dinner table is often seen as a place to come together and enjoy each others company, but this isn’t always the case.  This table can hold discussions both positive and negative, hard conversations and exciting ones.  This conversation also got me thinking about seating positions at a dinner table, where the man of the household sits at the head.  Gender norms and assumptions are very present at a dinner table, which is something I hadn’t previously thought about.

Thoughts on Professor Vooris’ Presentation

February 14, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I thought that the presentation was a very succinct delivery of information on perceiving everyday interactions with the food we consume under the queer and feministic lenses. I enjoyed her explorations into the deeper meanings of the stories we read. She provided perspectives I would have never considered by showing experiences of marginalized individuals through food; which is intricately woven into social, economic, gendered, or sexualized interactions that cause a number of emotions, presumptions, or environments. I wish that she would have gone more in-depth about the queer movement for African-American’s and other minorities that come from different cultures, different standards, and definitely different experiences than white women or white queer rhetoric. She had a bunch for POC! I just wish the discussion could’ve been shifted to give some much-deserved attention.

Thoughts from Prof. Vooris Lecture

February 14, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I learned more about the importance of lesbian potlucks in strengthening and expanding communities. Especially in the beginning of LGBTQ movements, when it was illegal to be open about one’s gender and sexuality if they were not within the heteronormative framework, it was difficult for lesbians in particular to find a shared sense of community. Whereas gay men often had access to higher income and faced less societal pressure, lesbian women were not only threatened by sexism, but by homophobia and other discrimination as well. Potlucks became and important tool for creating and strengthening lesbian communities in this environment, and became stages for political discussion as well. This was important in the ability of women to organize and plan resistance movements.

Notes from Professor Vooris Presentation

February 14, 2020 / / 0 Comments

I thought that Professor Vooris’ presentation on Lesbianism, Food and Gender was fascinating. As a queer black person, I oftentimes reflect only on my experiences as being black in relation to food, but never to my queerness. So, I found it interesting that her work focused on this intersection. Lesbian food culture was not a topic I thought of, and it makes me think of ways I can include this into my project for the semester. I thought it was fascinating that food companies often target specific  genders through advertisement and production purposes. Specifically, meats are associated with masculinity and men. Also, the photos of women laughing while eating salad shows how diet culture targets women and can have negative effects on the psychology of food interpretation. She also talked on heteronormativity and did a wonderful job at articulating how this plays out in relation to gender and food. The assumption that people are straight, institutions uphold heterosexuality as the norm, representations of families/couples = straight, while different institutions that push for straightness. I also enjoyed understanding things through a queer and feminism framework that does not orient the discussion on the heteronormative framework that is overused at this point. I hope to find ways to incorporate many of these overarching themes in my final project, and this really helps put things in an interesting perspective.

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