Ariel Smith was at home when she heard an unexpected knock at the door. When she opened it, she found a boy from her neighborhood who, nervously, asked if they were still grilling meat. The smell from the grill had drawn him there.
That time, the menu had vegan sausages, salmon, and chicken, nothing that—Ariel thought—would appeal to a child. She gave him a bag of chips and promised that next time she would save something for him. She recorded everything and uploaded it to Instagram with a laugh, without imagining the reaction that would follow.
The comments filled with outrage: “A real woman would have given him something to eat”, someone wrote. Others came to her defense, pointing out that maybe she couldn’t afford an extra plate. What would you have done in her place?