So this tweet is making its rounds on twitter and I’m here to let you know that in the USA, it really is kinda shitty.
If you’re disabled, homeless, low-income, or aging and in need of a food subsidy - you qualify for what is called SNAP (food stamps for we Gen Xers). Because the United States hates poor people (to the point that it refuses to recognize that you can work 80 hours a week and still be poor) food programs like SNAP are conditional - with rules and regulations that are as outdated as the wealthy white men legislating their use.
Here’s what you can’t buy on SNAP
- Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes (Okay, I get this one.)
- Vitamins, medicines, and supplements. (WTF?)
- Live animals except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store (No farming poor people!)
- Foods that are hot at the point of sale <– (aka, prepared foods, see tweet above)
FYI, some other things you can’t buy:
- Pet food
- Cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies
- Hygiene items, cosmetics
…you know, things that you might actually need to live on a daily basis. If you’re poor and have periods, fuck off. If you’re poor and need soap for clothes and body, you can fuck off too. Oh, and no pets - if you’re poor, why haven’t you eaten them yet?
Some states are trying to change the prepared/hot food rule.
Its problematic for many states because the powers that be feel this need to determine who is deserving of what and to whom:
On the ground community engagement wouldn’t be needed if there weren’t classism and racist obstacles in place for who gets what. A disabled or older person subsidizing their Social Security benefits will get a different rate and availability of foods than a working class poor family on SNAP and someone currently homeless.
There’s no need to distinguish shit and yet here in the USA, there is because food isn’t a human right, its a privilege doled out that’s based on your circumstances.
