Identity Politics of Food

Food is one of the basic necessities underpinning life for humanity, regardless of religion, race, gender, or location. The wealth of food options and the simultaneously evolving political landscapes reflect the diverse perspectives, palettes, and personalities represented in Atlanta. From southern-style biscuits to drunken pork tacos, Atlanta has become home to traditional foods, fusions, and experimental menus. Everyday eaters and influencers alike use social media as a means of sharing cultural culinary ventures, connecting society across great physical distances, and expressing themselves politically.

From the wealth of Latin American and Asian
restaurants lining Buford Highway to the
fusion restaurants scattered across Midtown,
there is something for everyone in Atlanta. The
internationally recognized Michelin Guide, a
French list of culinary recommendations worth
a special excursion, expanded to Atlanta in
the fall of 2023. Not only have the 45 Atlanta
restaurants recognized by this guide brought
media attention to the city, but they also serve
as a testament to the culinary prowess exhibited
throughout Atlanta.

The use of food during times of crisis has become a meaningful way to non-verbally convey an opinion. For example, watermelons have been politicized in the American South since the emancipation of slaves, when the fruit was one of the first crops Black Americans could grow as a cash crop. Watermelons have since been weaponized against Black people in America; their use is prevalent in racist political cartoons and the genre of watermelon cinema.

“Food can help to highlight opinions during political situations as a means to provide or restrict economic support for a group.”

Similarly, watermelons stand as a symbol for recognizing the state of Palestine when the Palestinian flag was banned by the Israeli government in 1967 following the Six-Day War. In the case of Palestine, the watermelon represents the red, white, green, and black colors of the Palestinian flag. Watermelons thus represent both a post-slavery strength in the United States and a silent form of resistance to Israeli occupation in Palestine.

Since a person’s political identity and food choices are intrinsically connected, food can act as a means of peaceful protest. Bill Winders, a sociology professor at Georgia Tech and expert on food policy and social movements stated, “Eating at particular ethnic restaurants might indicate support for a nation at war.” Today in Atlanta, there is a convergence of political activism and food consumption with boycotts against Starbucks and McDonald’s in opposition to their perceived support of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

In the same way that boycotts against food service companies that support a political party or national war can reinforce an individual’s core values, vegetarianism and veganism can represent a devotion to animal rights. Winders described, “Beyond vegetarianism/veganism, there are other food choices that can reflect political identity, including fair trade (labor and economic issues), organic, local, and Smithsonian bird-friendly certification. There have also been famous boycotts around certain foods, such as the grape (or other fruit) boycotts to support migrant farmers.” For this reason, the inherent political aspect of the food we consume cannot be ignored.

Identity transcends the plate for chefs and the phone for content creators. As the founder of @theatlantafoodbae — a food and travel-based Instagram account that has garnered over 12,000 followers — noted, “I am not the subject of the content. However, there is still a person behind this account; a living breathing human that exists outside of social media. Therefore, my content and the restaurants I choose to work with have to be supportive or align with the most core values of myself.”