Read on Twitter
Have been wondering whether to say anything on the 'racism' aspect of Alison Roman's interview, because who really needs another take? But I just don't think what she said was racist, and two tweets I've just stumbled on have encapsulated that perfectly
1: https://twitter.com/pangmeli/status/1259141307022409729
1: https://twitter.com/pangmeli/status/1259141307022409729
And 2. Those tweets by @pangmeli point to something I've been struggling to express in a way that doesn't suggest I'm 'ranking' Chrissy/Marie's oppression, about how flattening the term WOC is, and how proximity to whiteness is a real thing for some WOC. https://twitter.com/pangmeli/status/1259149858184855556
Re Alison's "please to" comment, it's worth reading this (lengthy) correction by the journo who interviewed her. Could he be lying to protect her? Sure - but I do have a degree of faith in journalistic integrity, and his explanation also makes sense to me. https://newconsumer.com/2020/05/alison-roman-interview/
As for the 'coincidence' of Alison choosing 2 non-white women to make her point? Even after all this I struggle to think of two other women/brands who are better comps of the direction Alison could go in, if she wanted.
'What about Martha Stewart? Or Ina Garten? Or Gordon Ramsay?' Guys. Those are not valid templates for someone with Alison's mostly millenial metropolitan audience, or a food writer coming up in 2020. (I also didn't read 'does anyone need another Goop?' as glowing praise of GP).
I'm perhaps biased in that I've interviewed Alison before, and really respect her work and attitude to it, so it's worth disclosing that. I also really like Chrissy Teigen, and feel sad for her that these comments clearly cut so deep. So make of that what you will.
I haven't wanted to say anything because plenty of Asian people are v upset by Alison's comments, and as much as possible I try to avoid policing the boundaries of other communities to feel offence, and just listen. I've been doing alot of listening these past few days.
It takes ALOT for me to stick my neck out for a WW, especially when the topic at hand is race - but I think it's ultimately unhelpful for those of interested in dismantling racism to incorrectly label non-racist incidents with that brush, which is why I've bothered saying this.
