18 MILLION RISING

sawdustbear:

I was grumbling on Twitter earlier today about writing comics that basically required a lot of work from the reader in terms of being socially aware of some pretty common concepts IF you read a lot about intersectional social justice things, such as cultural appropriation, and ingrained racism. Because, truthfully, I don’t really feel much of a desire to write a comic that explains institutionalized racism, but it is difficult sometimes to just write comics about my personal experience when my personal immigrant experience is rooted in a lot of history that really is not taught in schools. 

Anyway, I wrote this comic, and it’s about the cultural appropriation of food - the tendency of people to easily co-opt “ethnic” cuisine as their own, while simultaneously obsessing over the “authenticity” of food.

Still, I’m writing from the viewpoint of a cranky immigrant, but also as someone who considers bell hooks’ “Eating the Other“ and Edward Said’s Orientalism, as major touchstones that have informed a lot of my work(and viewpoint). How does this comic read to someone that doesn’t share that same viewpoint? Or background? I think even a lot of my white liberal friends would feel annoyed at me commenting on how they consume something they love(“ethnic” food). I think a lot of my asian friends would tell me I’m over thinking it. 

It rambles, I know that. But I wrote it, and I want to share it. The “you” is not a single person, but an amalgamation of experiences I’ve had. 

It’s directly informed by Soleil Ho’s Craving the Other from late 2013 - I’d started this comic before I read it, but once I did, it was several moments of “YES. THIS. EXACTLY THIS” It is a much more focused essay than my comic, and I really recommend you read it.