Juan speaks with Armando Ibañez, an undocumented queer filmmaker who produces Undocumented Tales, a web series that is loosely based on Armando's experience as a waiter in LA. Armando talks about what is like to be undocumented in the US while working as a server in the food industry and how his love for film helped him feel comfortable about his sexuality.
"Sometimes I ask my self, How have I last 16 years in the restaurant industry? and then I answer myself--because I don't have fucking papers!", says Armando.
We also dive into the violence street vendors become victims of. A recent incident sparked controversy after a man flipped over Benjamin Ramirez's cart.
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This episode, which features author, activist, and fat discrimination expert Virgie Tovar, continues our conversations about body image, fatness, and thin privilege in the food world. We discuss the complexities of being a fat foodie and think about the ways in which patriarchy and capitalism inform diet culture and fatphobia.
But first, we begin with a story by Dr. Lisa Knisely about navigating restaurants as a fat person. Then, Virgie and Soleil compete to see who has the wackiest laugh. Virgie also lays out the history of diet culture, which includes a really interesting detour into the sordid origin of Graham Crackers.
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"In part one, we interview John Birdsall, the acclaimed food writer who is working on a book about James Beard and specifically Beard's queer identity. Birdsall also opens up about why he made the decision to talk about food in relation to his own gay identity. In part two, we interview people of color at Portland's Pride march; in part three, Soleil talks about how anime helped her understand her own queer identity."
Produced by Juan Ramirez and guest producer Jack Saturn. Music by AF the Naysayer and Blue Dot Sessions
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