Greta Thunberg is a 16 year-old environmental activist that has a habit of getting under the skin of world leaders with less than stellar records for their environmental policies.
Previously having drawn the ire of Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump, Thunberg is now the target of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro.
After Bolsonaro was asked about the murders of two Indigenous activists who were killed trying to protect the Brazilian rainforest from illegal logging, the South American President stated in reference to Thunberg:
"It is staggering, the amount of coverage the press gives that brat."
In response to the latest insult from an adult, male world leader, the teenage girl handled it the way she had all the other slights.
Thunberg updated her Twitter bio.
The description in her bio was changed to a single word:
"Pirralha"
@GretaThunberg/Twitter
For those who don't speak Portuguese—the official and national language of Brazil—the word pirralha means brat.
Thunberg handled the insults from Putin and Trump in a similar manner.
One of these people is trying to salvage our planet by shining a light on what it is that we have been doing and are continuing to do wrong when it comes to our environment.
The other is the President of Brazil.
— T. Filson Rogers (@tfilson59) December 10, 2019
Reminds me of the quote "tell me who your enemies are and I'll tell you who you are."
— EdH (@EdH_Park) December 10, 2019
The Trumpian "cartoon villain" approach to environmental policy sure is an interesting angle...
— 🇨🇦🌎 Jarett Dwight King 🌍🇨🇦 (@JarettDKing) December 10, 2019
People made connections between the group of men who target Thunberg.
It's really quite amazing seeing these middle aged men from England to America to Australia to Brazil getting so angry at a child
— Lamont Cranston (@LamontCranston6) December 10, 2019
Is Putin behind all these authoritarian leaders...or the US?
Seems like a big coincidence, and Putin reportedly needs Turkey for a gas pipeline. Hmmmmm?
— Donnie Johnson (@DonnieJ83498115) December 10, 2019
We know who the brat is but we'd use MUCH more vitriolic words 😡 to describe @jairbolsonaro
— ANIMAL JUSTICE NSW (@AnimalNsw2015) December 10, 2019
When a psychopath calls you a brat, is it a bad thing?
— Getdownsy (@getdownsy) December 10, 2019
After Thunberg updated her status to reflect the insults of Putin and Trump, she eventually switched back to her regular bio. But for now, Thunberg is willing to wear the title of "brat" for raising awareness about the murders of Indigenous people fighting against the illegal logging and mining that Bolsonaro's administration turns a blind eye to.
The day after her response, Thunberg was named Time Magazine's person of the year.
Thunberg's book, No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference, is available here.