Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was probably expecting some criticism after her new documentary “Knock Down the House” was released on Netflix this month, but she likely did not expect it for the way her boyfriend looks.
A French feminist writer, Marie Le Conte, attacked Riley Roberts’ appearance on Twitter Friday, causing some outrage and a series of jokes.
“Apologies for the blatantly mean tweet but THIS is what AOC’s boyfriend looks like? incredible scenes, truly representing all the ambitious and stunning millenial women shackled to boyfriends who look like bin raccoons out there,” Conte said.
Conte was quickly forced to delete the tweet after some Twitter users attacked her for judging a person by their looks. Other Twitter users, though, took the opportunity to make light of the situation.
Several viral tweets copied and pasted Conte’s original caption but replaced the picture of Roberts with a variety of other pictures.
apologies for the blatantly mean tweet but THIS is what AOC’s boyfriend looks like? incredible scenes, truly representing all the ambitious and stunning millenial women shackled to boyfriends who look like bin raccoons out there pic.twitter.com/nP96PVb15Q
— Gene Park (@GenePark) May 3, 2019
apologies for the blatantly mean tweet but THIS is what AOC’s boyfriend looks like? incredible scenes, truly representing all the ambitious and stunning millenial women shackled to boyfriends who look like bin raccoons out there pic.twitter.com/F33OFRCidB
— Escaped Zoo Animal (@ebarcuzzi) May 3, 2019
apologies for the blatantly mean tweet but THIS is what AOC’s boyfriend looks like? incredible scenes, truly representing all the ambitious and stunning millennial women shackled to boyfriends who look like bin raccoons out there pic.twitter.com/Ztis8dxxHH
— Jesus Fucking Christ (@SonOfDadAndMom) May 3, 2019
apologies for the blatantly mean tweet but THIS is what AOC’s boyfriend looks like? incredible scenes, truly representing all the ambitious and stunning millenial women shackled to boyfriends who look like bin raccoons out there pic.twitter.com/rKRmTTb5S5
— boricuamarzo (@ofeelia1603) May 3, 2019
After deleting her tweet, Conte was forced to defend herself on Twitter after being flooded with responses.
“FINE, I’ve deleted my perfectly fine joke, the world breathes a sigh of relief as men with beards looking like braided pubes are no longer being discriminated against and “bin raccoon” officially becomes beyond the pale, well done to all involved,” Conte said.
oh jesus fucking christ, FINE, I’ve deleted my perfectly fine joke, the world breathes a sigh of relief as men with beards looking like braided pubes are no longer being discriminated against and “bin raccoon” officially becomes beyond the pale, well done to all involved
— Marie Le Conte (@youngvulgarian) May 3, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez seemed to respond to the ongoing controversy addressing another interview where she said her boyfriend and her considered becoming lumberjacks if she lost the congressional election.
“We were so ready for lumberjack life after months of 18 hour days that neither one of us had gotten a haircut in months it’s also one reason why my hair was always in a bun(It was very nice to see him again after we took a weed wacker to his castaway beard post-election),” Ocasio-Cortez said on Twitter Friday.
We were so ready for lumberjack life after months of 18 hour days that neither one of us had gotten a haircut in months ? it’s also one reason why my hair was always in a bun
(It was very nice to see him again after we took a weed wacker to his castaway beard post-election ☺️) https://t.co/Ze5wc5HJ2K
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 3, 2019
The 29-year-old congresswoman and the 30-year-old Roberts met while students at Boston University, and have been dating for several years. They lived together in New York before Ocasio-Cortez was elected to Congress.
In February, Roberts came under fire when it was discovered that Ocasio-Cortez’s office granted him a congressional email. Ocasio-Cortez claimed it was so he could access to her congressional calendar.
In March, the Coolidge Reagan Foundation filed an ethics complaint against Ocasio-Cortez, accusing her of funneling money to Roberts through a campaign PAC.
Ocasio-Cortez rarely mentions him in her public appearances but her mother said Roberts is “the most loving, supporting person I’ve seen” in an interview with the Washington Post in March.
