Slutty Vegan to a Spelmanite
The name Slutty Vegan is not the typical name for a vegan restaurant, but if you ask anyone in Atlanta looking for a vegan option, Slutty Vegan tops the list. The restaurant’s popularity grew, not simply from their famed vegan burgers and fries, but as a result of the name itself. Founded in 2018 by Clark Atlanta University alumna, Pinky Cole, the name “Slutty Vegan” turns heads before customers even taste their plant-based burgers. In an interview with Yahoo Life, Cole explained that the restaurant’s name "was really just a way to tie you in to eat vegan food and experience it in a way that you've never done before.” The Slutty Vegan restaurant chain has signature burgers named, “Fussy Hussy,” “One Night Stand,” and “Ménage à Trois,” to name a few. Cole prides herself not only on the financial success of Slutty Vegan, but also on the way that the restaurant has shifted people’s opinions on veganism. She was able to create a vegan food option that was creative and tasty, drawing appeal from a wide audience of vegans and non-vegans alike.
On Saturday, August 21, Slutty Vegan had its grand opening at Spelman College. Pinky Cole, Slutty Vegan employees, and students gathered in Manley College Center to cut the ribbon on the new restaurant. Employees sported navy blue shirts with “Slutty-ish at Spelman College,” written on the chest, the first and last students of the day were given a “BIG SLUT'' ticket for free meals, and students across campus lined up to choose between the “One Night Stand,” “Fussy Hussy,” and “Sloppy Toppy,” meals. A paraphernalia table sold hats embroidered “Big Slut Energy,” and cups with “Sluttified,” on them. And while students enjoyed trying their new campus restaurant, many raised eyebrows. Questions regarding the restaurant's culture began circulating around campus, with the main question on everyone's minds being "How far is too far?" It is apparent that Spelman’s support of Slutty Vegan and Pinky Cole exemplifies the support of a Black, woman entrepreneur. However, no one foresaw the words "slutty" and "Spelman " appearing in the same sentence. In response to this shock, students began having conversations surrounding what it means to have Slutty Vegan on Spelman's campus.
When asked her opinion on the Slutty Vegan shirts, a freshman student said, “The name Spelman College and the weight that it holds, and they put the word “slut” next to it, it just kind of contradicts each other.” Another student stressed that the language used at Slutty Vegan including the shirts, the menu items, and various chants such as “Fresh Meat,” is "harmful". This student drew upon the feminist teachings of Spelman professors, stating, “With Spelman being an all-women’s institution where our professors have done so much in producing works that highlight feminism and highlight what it means to be a woman and then you bring a restaurant on our campus that is referring to us as sluts… it’s harmful." It seems as though the language surrounding the restaurant is what concerns students most about the new addition to their dining choices, as ordering from Slutty Vegan requires saying a derogatory term or phrase.
Ultimately, many students believe that Spelman should have taken a more proactive approach to discussing the implications of putting Slutty Vegan on campus. Multiple students say the College would have benefited from having a panel or an open conversation with the Spelman community to gauge feelings and interest. In fact, one student suggests that to combat any uneasy feelings about saying the “racy” menu items, meals should be numbered. Implementing a numerical system would allow students to request a “Number 1 Meal,” as opposed to a “Sloppy Toppy”, quelling feelings of discomfort. A Spelman Ambassador described her recent experience touring a group of 8th-grade students, stating, “When we came through Lower Manley, I had to explain what Slutty Vegan was and I had to explain the name. It made me so uncomfortable,” she added, “I don’t know what level of sexual education these 8th graders have and they’re repeating ‘one night stand’ and fussy hussy.’” It is unclear whether Spelman accounted for experiences like this, but it is clear that students would have appreciated a conversation discussing the implications of bringing the chain on campus. To a Spelmanite, Slutty Vegan is representative of several things: on one hand, Spelman College is supporting innovative, black, women entrepreneurs, but on the other, Spelman has installed an on-campus restaurant that does not reflect the student body as a whole. And while students will continue to enjoy their plant-based burgers, they will continue to face the ramifications of what “slutty” means to a Spelmanite.