Opinion Analysis by Joelle El Sheikh, Staff Writer

February 1st, 2021

“I was minding my own business, walking up the steps and Representative Yoho put his finger in my face, he called me disgusting, he called me crazy, he called me out of my mind, and he called me dangerous […] I walked back out and there were reporters in the front of the Capitol and in front of reporters Representative Yoho called me, and I quote, “a f***ing b****.”” -Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) in response to comments made my Representative Ted Yoho.

This was certainly not the first time Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is subject to criticism from the right; however, according to Ocasio-Cortez, that type of confrontation “hasn't ever happened to me — ever […] I've never had that kind of abrupt, disgusting kind of disrespect levied at me.” 

Earlier this month, Ocasio-Cortez was meeting with the mothers of the two black men- Eric Garner and Ramarley Graham- who were recently killed by New York police officers[1]. During the event, Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of Queens and the Bronx, made comments concerning gun violence in New York City, which have reached a high in recent months. 

“Crime is a problem of a diseased society, which neglects its marginalized people," she said during the July 9 event. "Policing is not the solution to crime.”[2] Ocasio-Cortez also made her position clear regarding police budgets-they need to be cut. Instead, that money can be re-allocated towards education, mental health, and other social services that seem to be neglected. Ocasio-Cortez continued to blame the spike in gun violence on economic hardships triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. 

Evidently, many conservative officials expressed their concern and disagreement on the statements made by Ocasio-Cortez. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said in an interview with Fox News that “There’s a big difference between shoplifting and cold-blooded murder, and for her not to know the difference is frankly astonishing”[3]. However, later that day, Ocasio-Cortez cleared the air by explaining that her statements referred to “petty crimes and crimes of poverty”, and that conservative media had taken her words out of context. 

We are no strangers to petty disagreements between the left and rights wings in the United States; however, the incident regarding Congresswomen Alexandria and Representative Yoho does not fall under “petty” nor “disagreement”; it falls under a misogynist, racist, and spiteful state of mind that has lingered in Congress and the White House for decades. Nancy Pelosi, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Presley are only a few of the women in American politics that have been subject to abusive language in an attempt to weaken their power and strength in front of the public eye. 

On July of last year, former President Donald Trump posted a series of tweets intentionally attacking “progressive squads”, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, suggesting that they “go back” to “the crime-infested places from which they came.”[4] Omar, who was born in Somalia and became a US citizen in 2000, received death threats, faced endless calls to resign from office, and has been censored from her own party over controversial statements she had made regarding israel[5].

“It’s a manifestation of attitude in our society really. I can tell you firsthand, they’ve called me names for at least 18 years of leadership, […] What's so funny is, you'd say to them, 'Do you not have a daughter? Do you not have a mother? Do you not have a sister? Do you not have a wife? What makes you think that you can be so' — and this is the word I use for them — 'condescending, in addition to being disrespectful?[6]” Nancy Pelosi, when asked about the incident with Congresswomen Ocasio-Cortez. 

Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, and Omar have a few things in common; they are all progressive women of color challenging conventional American politics on climate change, the youth, foreign policy, the economy, and social justice. They continuously face racial slurs, sexist and misogynist stereotypes, and most of all, they are all told to do one thing: Stay silent[7]. In conclusion, if you’re a woman, you’re too progressive. If you’re young, you don’t understand as much. If your origins aren’t American, you’re an outsider and don’t deserve to be in office…It seems like the only way to survive in politics is to be an old white man that is too proud and greedy to share power.

Earlier this year, after Senator Elizabeth Warren ended her presidential run, Speaker Pelosi stated that there is “an element of misogyny” that stands in the way of women running for office. However, Pelosi re-affirmed that women such as Elizabeth Warren and Hillary Clinton pave the way for future female leaders to run for presidency. 

It is one thing to disagree with a fellow politician on certain issues, but to verbally abuse, threaten, and discriminate against an achieved woman simply because you feel like it is not, in any shape or form, acceptable. The best part is, representative Yoho refused to apologize. I suppose refusing to admit to mistakes is also part of the package. 

It doesn’t take a feminist to draw out the pattern when it comes to women in politics, or even women in general. It takes just an ounce of decency and respect to realize that the way Representative Yoho treated Congresswomen Alexandria is wrong, the way Trump spoke about Tlaib is wrong, the way the entire Republican Party criticized Nancy Pelosi simply because she’s a woman is wrong. How many female governors, mayors, speakers, and congresswomen have to be subject to this form of abuse until we start implementing change? If Representative Yoho’s daughter came up to him and told him that a guy in her school called her crazy, disgusting, and a b****, would he react differently? According to Ocasio-Cortez, “Having a daughter does not make a man decent. Having a wife does not make a decent man. Treating people with dignity and respect makes a decent man”[8].

The glass ceiling is broken. Women are leading, fighting, and representing. And so are men. The point? Gender is not determinant of the ability to practice politics, nor is it a tool to attack the opposing side.

[1] https://thehill.com/homenews/house/508259-ocaasio-cortez-accosted-by-gop-lawmaker-over-remarks-that-kind-of

[2] https://thehill.com/homenews/house/508259-ocaasio-cortez-accosted-by-gop-lawmaker-over-remarks-that-kind-of

[3] https://thehill.com/homenews/house/508259-ocaasio-cortez-accosted-by-gop-lawmaker-over-remarks-that-kind-of

[4] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/4/8/18272072/ilhan-omar-rashida-tlaib-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-racism-sexism

[5] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/4/8/18272072/ilhan-omar-rashida-tlaib-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-racism-sexism

[6] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/aoc-speech-today-nancy-pelosi-ted-yoho-congress-floor-a9635191.html

[7] https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/4/8/18272072/ilhan-omar-rashida-tlaib-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-racism-sexism

[8] https://www.startribune.com/0casio-cortez-dems-assail-men-s-abusive-treatment-of-women/571878412/?refresh=true