The Real Reason AOC Is Avoiding Twitter
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC to her friends) was possibly the first politician to master the use of Twitter, so it's understandable if you're wondering why the congresswoman hasn't been on the platform lately. Well, she may be a political superstar, but Ocasio-Cortez is still just a human like the rest of us, and even she could use a break from social media every now and then. If you've ever visited Twitter, you may have noticed that it's not always the most pleasant place to be, especially if you're a woman with a large platform.
AOC has been known to use Twitter to promote her political message and boost the causes most important to her, but she's also drawn a lot of attention for how she takes on her political rivals. Her back-and-forths with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, for instance, are kind of legendary. She also made headlines recently with her tweet swinging back at a conservative commentator's thoughts on her boyfriend's feet. "If Republicans are mad they can't date me they can just say that instead of projecting their sexual frustrations onto my boyfriend's feet."
Even if she is queen of the political online clapback — like a true millennial — it can still take a toll.
AOC says there's a lot of negativity on Twitter
Just because she hasn't been on Twitter doesn't mean that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been off all social media. She's still very much active on her Instagram, which is where she explained to her supporters her reasons for avoiding Twitter lately. According to The Independent, AOC hasn't been on Twitter since her COVID-19 diagnosis, and there's a pretty relatable reason for that.
During an Instagram Live session, someone asked the representative why she hadn't been seen on Twitter lately. "I would go to open the app and almost felt, like, anxious," Ocasio-Cortez responded. "People kinda fight and gossip and all sort of stuff so much. And there is a lot of negativity on there." If AOC did leave the platform for good, she'd hardly be the first. Twitter is notorious for attracting trolls and negativity, which have (temporarily at least) also caused the likes of Meghan McCain and Chrissy Teigen to shutter their accounts. AOC herself has been open about the amount of harassment and threats she receives online. "I've had mornings where I wake up and the first thing I do with my coffee is review photos of the men (it's always men) who want to kill me," she tweeted in 2019.
That said, don't expect AOC to be gone forever. "But, I'll be back, don't worry. Just feel like a break," she reassured her supporters. If there is one Twitter user who can stand the heat, it's Ocasio-Cortez.