One bad apple: Black women, the Anthropocene and the hypocrisy in food conversations

Abstract

abstract Farmer’s markets are ubiquitous on United States (US) landscapes, regardless of region and locale. And while there has been some scholarship about these spaces in the last several years, there is more that can be said regarding the inconsistencies between what many market organisers espouse and the realities for many Black customers. Many Black market-goers attend these outdoor shops but seldom see vendors that look like them, or worse, often, these sellers are denied a space at these markets. While many of these market organisers are advocates for “healthy eating” and fresh vegetables and fruits, they tend not to make it easy to access these nutrients, despite what they may intend. These contradictions emerge in debates surrounding the Anthropocene, which philosopher Axelle Karera (2019, p. 32) argues powerfully disavows the presence of racial aggression. Further, she maintains that the Anthropocene will never be successful until it grapples with the realities of Black suffering, in history and the present. This article considers these contradictions to think about how the realities of the lives of US Black people from throughout the African Diaspora are glossed over, sacrificed at the altar of “healthy eating” and “home cooking” with little regard for the ways we are dehumanised daily, including with food. By taking a womanist liberatory position, this article argues for centring the experiences of Black people in confronting the hypocrisies created by many of our contemporary food discussions.