Freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is still reeling from the embarrassment and backlash from the fake “southern drawl” she used at a primarily black convention.
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Her last excuse, claiming that was how she spoke when she was back home in New York was debunked by videos of her past speaking engagements. Daily Caller reported that Ocasio-Cortez responded Friday to critics who accused her of using a fake black accent during her speech at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network convention.
“Folks talking about my voice can step right off,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “Women’s March & Kavanaugh speech, same. Any kid who grew up in a distinct linguistic culture & had to learn to navigate class enviros at school/work knows what’s up. My Spanish is the same way.”
However, now she’s claiming the reason she spoke that was due to “code-switching.”
It's taken Ocasio-Cortez 24 hours to come up with a new excuse on why she talked in a different accent to a predominately black audience
Now she suggests that there are "costs" for not altering her voice in front of a different racial group pic.twitter.com/oCNTPAI6IO
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) April 7, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez, who was condemned by many African-Americans for using the accent, initially claimed that those who were calling her out for the accent were trying to “distort” and “deflect” and that it was all a conspiracy theory.
The 29-year-old congresswoman — who regularly refers to those on the political Right as racists, white supremacists, and xenophobes — added that it was “so hurtful” that people would criticize her for using an accent.
As much as the right wants to distort & deflect, I am from the Bronx. I act & talk like it, *especially* when I’m fired up and especially when I’m home.
It is so hurtful to see how every aspect of my life is weaponized against me, yet somehow asserted as false at the same time.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 5, 2019
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Ocasio-Cortez’s claims that she used the voice during a speech about then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and at a speech at the Women’s March were quickly debunked.
On Saturday, Ocasio-Cortez quickly adopted an excuse that some of her supporters used in their defense of her, claiming that she was “code-switching.”
After initially claiming that the Right was trying to “distort” and “deflect,” Ocasio-Cortez did just that in adopting her new explanation for her behavior, as she tried to change the topic by presenting herself as a victim while talking about her hair.
“Next time you‘re told straight hair is ‘unprofessional’ & that speaking like your parents do is ‘uneducated,’ then you can complain about code-switching,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “Code switching is a tool communities learn when they’re told their voice, appearance, & mannerisms are ‘unprofessional.'”
Next time you‘re told straight hair is “unprofessional” & that speaking like your parents do is “uneducated,” then you can complain about code-switching.
Code switching is a tool communities learn when they’re told their voice, appearance, & mannerisms are “unprofessional.” https://t.co/tKPTneEncO
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 7, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez then suggested that there were “costs” associated with not “code-switching.”
“We see the perceived ‘costs’ to not code-switching all the time. Can’t tell you how many young people in our community don’t have the confidence they should bc they didn’t grow up learning secondary speech,” Ocasio-Cortez continued. “Their talents get stifled by ‘respectability,’ despite enormous gifts.”
“The good news is that we can improve this easily w/ honest reflection,” Ocasio-Cortez added. “For ex, are certain hairstyles discouraged in your workplace? Why? Can you think of someone who didn’t advance bc of how they spoke? Why? Examine what’s deemed ‘unprofessional’ around you & adapt it to 2019.”
The good news is that we can improve this easily w/ honest reflection.
For ex, are certain hairstyles discouraged in your workplace?Why?
Can you think of someone who didn’t advance bc of how they spoke? Why?
Examine what’s deemed “unprofessional” around you & adapt it to 2019.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 7, 2019
Remember, Ocasio-Cortez never claimed that she was “code-switching” in her initial explanation, and while some did buy into her second explanation, many did not.
Stefan Grant tweeted: “shut the f*** up. I don’t know which one of these newly-woke rented Black folks told you that bullshit was ok, but it wasn’t. You don’t f***ing speak like that, so don’t insult our intelligence. And don’t tell Black ppl about the lowly jobs ‘there ain’t nothing wrong with’.”
shut the fuck up. I don’t know which one of these newly-woke rented Black folks told you that bullshit was ok, but it wasn’t.
You don’t fucking speak like that, so don’t insult our intelligence.
And don’t tell Black ppl about the lowly jobs “there ain’t nothing wrong with”.
— Stef. (@STEFisDOPE) April 7, 2019
Derek Schwartz tweeted: “Code switching is talking one way around one group of people and another way around a different group. It’s a tool people use to fit in. It isn’t always a bad thing but in can come off as pandering or insincere in certain situations.”
Code switching is talking one way around one group of people and another way around a different group. It’s a tool people use to fit in. It isn’t always a bad thing but in can come off as pandering or insincere in certain situations.
— derek schwartz (@derek_mafs) April 7, 2019