Whatever happened to the days when celebrities had PR? Actress Eva Longoria is now facing backlash after trying to diminish the role that Black women voters have played in getting Joe Biden elected.
Longoria has upset a lot of people with her remarks in which she claimed that Latinas were the “real heroines” of the Democrats’ election victory, while seemingly downplaying the voter turnout among Black women.
During an MSNBC appearance, Longoria said: “The women of color showed up in a big way. Of course, you saw in Georgia what Black women have done, but Latina women were the real heroines here. Beating men in turnout in every state and voting for Biden/Harris at an average rate close to three to one.”
Following her remarks, Longoria issued an apology after her social media was rebuked by hundreds of people who accused her of “anti-Blackness.”
She tweeted, “I’m so sorry and sad to hear that my comments on MSNBC could be perceived as taking credit from Black women.” She wrote, “When I said that Latinas were heroines in this election, I simply meant that they turned out in greater numbers and voted more progressively than LATINO MEN.”
She added: “My wording was not clear, and I deeply regret that there is such a history in our community of anti-Blackness, and I would never want to contribute to that.”
The actress, who also co-presented this year’s Democratic National Convention, also tweeted: “Black women have long been the backbone of the Democratic Party, something we have seen played out in this election as well as previous ones. Black women absolutely should be applauded and lifted up! They brought this victory home in a BIG way!”
Her interview sparked a conversation on Twitter, and many users were calling her out on the platform.
One podcaster Kinsey Clarke tweeted: “Eva Longoria can try to downplay the significance of black women securing the presidency for Democrats all she wants, but she hasn’t been relevant since Desperate Housewives, So. Let’s not look to her for any political insight or analysis. Gone, girl.”
Author Daniel José Older added: “This is not okay @EvaLongoria. Saying Black and Latina women as if they are 2 separate categories is erasure of Afro-Latinas. Saying yeah Black Women did a lot BUT Latinas are the REAL heroes is both wrong and foul. And a lot of our folks went for 45. We need to deal with that.”
Many users tweeted to say that Longoria’s claims were false.
According to statistics published by the Financial Times, most of Trump’s biggest gains were in Hispanic communities, particularly in Florida and Texas.
NBC reports that Biden reached 270 Electoral College votes in large part because of Black voters in Philadelphia, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Atlanta.
Eva Longoria to @AriMelber on the impact of Latina women: “That spirit and perseverance that Latinas use in their daily life, the struggle to pay their bills and the struggle to show up to their jobs … that’s the same perseverance and spirit they used to show up to the polls,” pic.twitter.com/BiATbXbaeG
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 9, 2020
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