Imagine going to the grocery store and being followed or watched the entire time. Or walking into a nearly empty store and immediately noticing employees restocking the shelves on every single aisle. Would any of these scenarios make you anxious, angry, or both? This is the plight many African Americans in this country face and if they’re like me they’re less inclined to go shopping at all because of it. What was once a pre-pandemic necessity has become a dreaded chore.
There have been many instances of rude behavior from supermarket employees toward me. On one occasion my first stop was the produce department. A white, male employee stood directly in front of me and glared at me. Trying to ignore him I moved only to find him doing likewise and still glaring at me. I eventually left all of my items in the grocery cart and left the store. I would like to say it’s the only time this has happened, but it’s not. I had a similar issue with a white, female employee from the same grocery chain, but at a different location. I was so angered by her behavior that I left and bad review and threatened a lawsuit.
The term “shopping while black” is a relatively old term that conveys the practice of racial profiling and applies to all manner of shopping. This includes retail, grocery shopping, and even home improvement centers. I’ve even experienced this on the phone while shopping for a new alarm system for my home. Needless to say, I kept the company I had…
The challenges of being faced with racism and focusing on healthy eating is both frustrating and discouraging. A recent trip to a nearby health food store proved to be so. I needed an ingredient for a new recipe and my regular grocery store didn’t have the item. I walked in and saw two, white female employees standing idly. After asking if they carried the item one politely showed me where it was. As she left I saw her standing and watching me from the corner of my eye. Since they only carried one brand I didn’t buy it and also did not buy the reduced-priced items that I would’ve considered had she not been watching me. As I walked toward the exit the same two women stood behind me and walked closer to the door, while a third African American woman quickly walked in front of me and stood by the door. Since no alarms went off I at least expected a “have a nice day” or something. Nothing… Angry I drove to a different health food store and found what I needed a few cents cheaper. Sadly, my experience from the previous store left me anxious and wondering if I was being profiled at this store too. I left quickly without taking time to see all the store had to offer.
Shopping curbside pickup didn’t make life easier. During the height of the pandemic, I began ordering my groceries rather than shopping in person, because there’s nothing worse than wearing a mask and shopping while black. I stopped ordering groceries after a young, white male who worked at the store blocked my path with an electric shopping cart so I couldn’t drive past. But all teens don’t have such ugly behavior. One was so embarrassed after watching me shop that he literally apologized, twice. I felt sorry for him, but only briefly.
Membership warehouses aren’t an improvement. I purchased one in hopes of having a more pleasant shopping experience. How wrong I was. More than once I felt like I was being watched, but wasn’t sure if anxiety was a factor. It was determined to be true after having a male employee, who’d greeted me at the entrance, stand next to me with an empty cart doing nothing. And no he wasn’t flirting. His blatant racial profiling was quickly reported along with a clear understanding that “I do not pay to be racially profiled.” As a result, I didn’t see him at the front entrance for several months.
Today I noticed a light-skinned African American man watching a young black couple’s every move. It was quite evident by the guys clothing that they were being stereotyped. I glared at the employee to let him know that I was fully aware of what he was doing. And while I’m not naive enough to presume their innocence my own experiences have taught me not to judge. Wrought with grief over the death of my youngest sister and not looking my best, I’ve often gone grocery shopping only to be stereotyped in return. My hope is that this couple noticed his profiling and at least complained or left a negative review.
The emotional impact of being constantly profiled takes a huge toll. The desire to eat junk food, order takeout, or frequent a drive-thru is much easier (and less healthy) than the alternative. It makes me not want to grocery shop, and for a while, I didn’t. I was using only my warehouse membership and complaining when needed. Recently, I’ve returned to actual grocery stores and it felt like unfamiliar terrain. I’d forgotten the luxury of not having to shop in bulk. This is an experience that should not be.
My ability to shop for healthy food items in order to reach my goals should not be limited to the current president, nor the color of my skin. Let’s do better America! God help us…
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