Why I Learned To Cook Theme

Most people would argue that a parent should love their child unconditionally no matter what, but how is it that nearly 43% of homeless LGBTQ+ youth were forced out of their homes after coming out? (Seaton Perspective | homeless rates for LGBT teens are alarming, but parents can make a difference) Given this high percentage, it’s easier to understand why so many kids are scared to come out and share themselves. More importantly, they help us understand more about Yasaman, the main character in “Why I Learned To Cook”, a short story by Sara Farizan. In the story, Yasaman, a bisexual girl, faces the same struggle many members of the LGBTQ+ community face, coming out. She’s afraid that her grandmother might not accept her, and she doesn’t want

This is why I believe the theme of this story is, “Self-worth and pride should never be abandoned due to fear of judgement”. This theme statement’s message is demonstrated many times throughout the story. For instance, after Yasaman apologizes to an impatient woman while simply standing in line, Yasaman’s grandma tells her, “You never apologize for taking up space, Yasaman. You have just as much right to take as much time in that line as you want to” (3). Her grandmother is telling her that everyone deserves the same amount of respect and that you shouldn't feel like a burden if someone else is unhappy with you. She’s also reminding Yasaman to know her worth and to not fold to other people's opinions. As this conversation continues, the message becomes vaguer and less about the incident at the supermarket. Her grandma states, “'You don’t apologize for who you are. I’m an old lady now and perhaps that doesn’t mean much in the world we live in, but I exist and I shouldn’t have to be sorry for that... Don’t ever apologize for who you are'"

Although both of their situations are completely different, both of them can understand the feeling of feeling “inferior”. This personal experience only inspired Yasaman, as she then understood that her grandmother knew what it felt like, but still held on to her pride. During dinner, her grandma later says, "'Your dinner is good because it was made from love, but you don’t need to lie. And neither does she'" (6). In this case, grandma was talking about how her husband used to “hide” his true opinions on her cooking to avoid hurting her feelings. However, Yasaman’s grandma was touching base on a much larger scale. It’s a common theme for members of the LGBTQ+ community to feel “unworthy” or lesser than other people, when in reality, that is not the case. Everyone is worthy and deserving of love, regardless of sexuality, race, gender, or other factors. In the poster, this is highlighted by having the bisexual flag in the background, as that is part of her that she struggled to share. I also included silhouettes of people with Yasaman glowing in the