Mayor Chow Addresses Racist Messages in Online Video
Toronto's mayor responds to hateful direct messages with her own take on the viral "celebrities read mean tweets" format, speaking openly about racism and misogyny.
Mayor Olivia Chow released a four-minute video Friday in which she reads and responds to some of the racist and misogynistic messages she regularly receives online — a personal take on the "celebrities read mean tweets" format popularized by Jimmy Kimmel.
In the video, Chow addresses comments attacking her appearance, her speech, and her identity as a Hong Kong-born Canadian. Some of the messages accuse her of being intoxicated while speaking — criticism rooted in ignorance about her facial paralysis, which affects her speech and enunciation. She's open about living with the condition and takes the opportunity to educate viewers about what they're actually witnessing.
Chow acknowledges that Toronto's mayors have historically been older white men, and suggests that some people remain uncomfortable hearing a Cantonese-speaking woman with an accent hold such a position of power. Rather than engage with every online critic, she notes she's too busy — arriving at City Hall at 6:45 a.m. most days and often working 14-hour stretches.
The mayor refuses to spend her energy on people "hiding behind some cartoon avatar," but she does try to understand where some of the anger originates, acknowledging that frustration and feelings of being left behind can fuel negativity. Her message is clear: "Being hateful is not going to get us anywhere. I want us to build, not tear each other down." The video resonated with other elected officials facing similar harassment, including Dr. Jill Andrew, Ontario's first Black queer MPP, who voiced her support and noted that women in politics — especially visible minorities — face disproportionate levels of abuse both online and in public.