Everyone ate it too. The mockery was because
- they were messy to eat
- they were staples commonly eaten
- they were made and sold by black people early in their steps of economic independence following slavery.
- racism doesn’t have to make sense.
If you hate someone, anything they do can be something you use to express your hate, even if you do it to.
Boozilla@lemmy.world 1 week ago
That’s part of the cruelty. Almost everybody loves fried chicken. But growing up in the deep south, they were mocked for it in nasty ways I witnessed (but don’t feel comfortable describing).
Drusas@kbin.run 1 week ago
I think part of the disconnect is that you don't see that same mockery in the north.
arefx@lemmy.ml 1 week ago
Yes absolutely. I went to high school in the north from 02-06 and took an elective class that was African American history for the first half of the school year and Vietnam War history the second half. My teacher for both was a black woman and the first day of class she asked the class what some stereotypes they have heard of black people were, and of course people mentioned all of them. Whe fried chicken was mentioned she said, and I quote, “No we actually don’t like fried chicken, WE LOVE IT!”. So yeah there’s that.
Drusas@kbin.run 1 week ago
This really does nail it. In the north, we do have the stereotype that black people like fried chicken. However, that is seen as neutral or positive. Fried chicken is delicious and black people tend to make great fried chicken. What's not to like?