Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

San Francisco Teacher's Op-Ed Calling Bernie's Inauguration Outfit 'White Privilege' Sparks Backlash

San Francisco Teacher's Op-Ed Calling Bernie's Inauguration Outfit 'White Privilege' Sparks Backlash
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

To most of us, the now-iconic photo of Senator Bernie Sanders huddled up at Democratic President Joe Biden's Inauguration in a pair of knitted mittens, looking cold and like he has errands to run, is simply an inadvertently hilarious moment of an elderly man feeling cold at an outdoor event in January.

But it's certainly not just that to all of us. Like a San Francisco teacher, for instance, who saw so much "subtle White privilege" in Bernie's moment that she wrote an entire op-ed in The San Francisco Chronicle about it


And many folks on the internet are not here for it.

 

The op-ed comes from San Francisco public high school teacher Ingrid Seyer-Ochi—who is White—and instantly went viral for its accusation of "White privilege, male privilege and class privilege" based on the simple clothes Sanders chose to wear.

Seyer-Ochi claimed in her op-ed her students were upset by the message Sanders's attire sent.

She wrote:

"What did they see? They saw a White man in a puffy jacket and huge mittens, distant not only in his social distancing, but in his demeanor and attire."

Seyer-Ochi went on to contrast Sanders's attire with that of the many women at the event, such as Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who were dressed elegantly and colorfully, presumably in celebration of the momentous occasion.

It was a contrast that made Seyer-Ochi angry:

"I puzzled and fumed as an individual as I strove to be my best possible teacher. What did I see? What did I think my students should see? A wealthy, incredibly well-educated and -privileged White man, showing up for perhaps the most important ritual of the decade, in a puffy jacket and huge mittens."

Seyer-Ochi then concluded her op-ed by attempting to speak for marginalized people everywhere.

"I don't know many poor, or working class, or female, or struggling-to-be-taken-seriously folk who would show up at the inauguration of our 46th president dressed like Bernie. Unless those same folk had privilege. Which they don't."

It's worth noting that being "poor, working class and female" does not preclude one from having privilege (the privilege of being White, cisgender, heterosexual or Christian, for example).

That aside, Seyer-Ochi seemed unaware of the fact many others at the inauguration, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin among them, were dressed in a similarly utilitarian way to fend off the cold. She also seemed unaware Sanders used his viral moment to raise millions of dollars for charity.

People on the internet definitely noticed.

The response to the op-ed was overwhelmingly negative.

 


 


 

A number of people of color called out Seyer-Ochi for appointing herself their spokesperson.

 


 


 


 


 



 


 


 

Sanders' viral moment raised more than $1.8 million for several charitable organizations in his home-state of Vermont, including Meals on Wheels and Feeding Chittenden, Vermont's largest food bank.

More from News

Donald Trump
Mehmet Eser/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Demands 'Boss Of AT&T' Fix Equipment After Failed Conference Call In Bizarre Meltdown

When most of us have technical difficulties, we contact tech support or customer service.

But if you're President of the United States, just ranting on social media—then having your White House Press Secretary post a screenshot of your post on a social media platform people actually use—is apparently the answer.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Lauren Boebert speaking to Alex Stein
Prime Time with Alex Stein/Blaze Media

Lauren Boebert Casts Doubt On Moon Landing During Wild Interview With Conspiracy Theorist

Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert was criticized after she seemingly agreed with the conspiracy theory that the moon landing was faked in a wide-ranging interview with conservative conspiracy theorist Alex Stein.

The segment began with the duo casting doubt on nuclear weapons—Boebert even joked about needing "tin foil"—and moved into weirder territory when Stein praised Boebert for "vibing" with him on the topic of the moon landing. Conspiracy theorists have long alleged the moon landing was fabricated by NASA in what they claim was an elaborate hoax.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rosie O'Donnell; Oprah Winfrey
Simon Ackerman/Getty Images; Ernesto Ruscio/GC Images

Rosie O'Donnell Calls Out Oprah For Attending Jeff Bezos' Wedding In Scathing Poem

Among the various celebrity hangers-on who attended Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez's Venice wedding, the one that seemed to generate the most controversy was Oprah Winfrey.

After all, a woman known for her progressive politics whose entire ethos is about teaching people how to be their best selves, attending the wedding of man who directly funded a fascist regime dismantling our country before our eyes doesn't exactly add up.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lisa Murkowski
Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images

Lisa Murkowski Slammed After Criticizing Massive Budget Bill She Just Voted For

Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski was slammed after she claimed that President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill is "not there yet" despite casting the deciding vote to narrowly pass it before sending it back to the House.

In a marathon voting session, the Senate narrowly passed the legislation in a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote after three Republicans joined all Democrats in opposition.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman listening to her boyfriend play guitar
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Things People Initially Found Attractive About Their Partner That Now Annoy Them

Being in a relationship can be wonderful, but it's not without its ups and downs.

In order for it to work, we have to allow it to grow and change over time rather than being locked forever into what it was when we first started dating our person.

Keep ReadingShow less