This tattoo encapsulates the social issue of food injustice: both inequalities and inequities in global systems which cultivate food insecurity. This specific image depicts Demeter, the Greek goddess of harvest and agriculture, thrusting high a balancing scale that tilts dramatically, illustrating the obvious imbalance between the abundance of resources on one side and the scarcity on the other; this powerful imagery serves to portray the issue of food injustice: the inequitable distribution of healthy food resources and options for all.
Food insecurity manifests in various forms worldwide. In some regions, people may face complete deprivation of food, or starvation, a reality that can seem distant from our everyday experiences. Yet, food insecurity is also present within more affluent societies, where poverty correlates strongly with limited access to quality nutrition. When financial constraints limit one's ability to purchase food, the quantity is most sought after, and quality of the food often is pushed to the side, leading to a reliance on less nutritious, calorie-dense processed foods that are more affordable but detrimental to health.
The tattoo captures this imbalance by emphasizing how those with fewer resources face greater food insecurity. The image of Demeter's scale tipping heavily signifies not just a scarcity of resources, but also the systemic inequities that exacerbate this issue. Starvation is not the result of external factors but the result of political choices. Today, the world produces more than enough food to eradicate hunger. What is missing is creating the conditions for access to food. This tattoo serves as a reminder of the urgent need for equitable solutions and greater awareness to address the disparities in food distribution, advocating for a world where all individuals have access to healthy, nourishing food regardless of their economic status.