The trend of white celebrities eating food from diverse cultures and "popularizing" it is incredibly annoying

The recent example is Padma Lakshmi eating Indian and Afghan food in Los Angeles. This woman has been eating this food for LIKE 40 YEARS and has worked as a food documentary host for the last decade... and "discovers" it? No, adults are not stupid... we know you did this to get the Latino vote out. This is a racialized and sexualized food fetish and there is a pattern.<br><br>You can simply talk about food without making it about your own experiences. This is NOT your journey, you have no expertise, you are not helping by "popularizing" the food. The food is great on its own.<br><br>The only reason Indians and Afghans and Arabs and others migrated was because they were forced (colonialism, war, famine) or because they were not offered opportunities to make a better life for themselves. Why the fuck would they bring their shitty food culture with them? They brought their cuisine because it is the best in the world and they know it. It's ours, and it's ours only. It was developed over centuries by dozens of cultures and empires and it is way better than your shit.<br><br>You want to help? Talk about our issues. Talk about how the USA government and corporations and wealthy individuals depopulated and impoverished our homelands through invasion and "investment" and immigration and outsourcing. Talk about how our people have no healthcare and no education and no clean water and no ability to immigrate and no ability to find employment and live with dignity. Talk about how the (mostly white male) wealthy "foreign investors" in our countries have no regulations and can do whatever they want without any checks on them.<br><br>I'm not saying celebrities and influencers don't have a responsibility to talk about issues. But don't talk about a people's issues and then "discover" their cuisine as if it's some sort of victory. Talk about our issues and let us decide how to celebrate our food.<br><br>And stop fetishizing Latinas and "exotic" brown women who "introduce" you to diverse food with their "amazing smell and taste". You're not helping by "popularizing" their food and their bodies and their cultures and their "taste". These foods are amazing, but it is not ours to claim. It is not yours. You already took our land and resources and lives. Get your own food, get your own women, stop fetishizing us.<br><br>Edit: I should specify that this is when adults with a lot of power use "popularity" as a self-serving method to "bridge" and "educate". A 14 year old eating Indian food for the first time at a restaurant is not what I am talking about.