On Monday (July 11), First Lady Dr. Jill Biden spoke in San Antonio at a conference for UnidosUS. The group celebrates Latino civil rights and advocacy. While speaking about the nonprofit’s former president and CEO, Raul Yzaguirre, Dr. Biden decided it was a good time to mention tacos.
“Raul helped build this organization with the understanding that the diversity of this community — as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio — is your strength,” she said. Almost immediately, Twitter had a lot to say about her comments. “Sorry Jill Biden, but like most LATINOS, I don’t identify as a ‘breakfast taco,’” one user wrote. Another tweeted, “What’s crazy to me about @FLOTUS remarks is that she is reducing tens of millions of Americans from all different backgrounds, professions and walks of life to ‘bodegas’ [and] ‘tacos.’ Ethnic stereotypes. Could you imagine her doing that to any other ethnic group?!”
It’s worth noting that Dr. Biden also butchered the word “bodega.” But while on the topic of the first lady and other ethnic groups, politician Lavern Spicer said, “Jill Biden just called Hispanics ‘unique as breakfast tacos.’ You know she’s about to come to the hood and call us Blacks ‘refreshing as watermelon and Ciroc.’” The first lady and her camp caught wind of the discussion and issued an apology.
Yesterday (July 12), Michael LaRosa, a spokesperson for Biden, said, “The first lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community.” According to CNN, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists released a statement asking that Dr. Biden “take the time in the future to better understand the complexities of our people and communities.” They added, “We are not tacos” and “do not reduce us to stereotypes.”
Sorry Jill Biden but like most LATINOS, I don’t identify as a “breakfast taco.”
Nor #LATINX
— Elisa Martinez (@elisa1121) July 11, 2022
for the people making fun of this i’ll have you know that jill biden has her doctorate in breakfast tacos https://t.co/NxY7I9P10s
— bobson dugnutt (@literally_tho) July 11, 2022
Seriously. What’s crazy to me about @FLOTUS remarks is that she is reducing tens of millions of Americans from all different backgrounds, professions, and walks of life to “bodegas” & “tacos.” Ethnic stereotypes. Could you imagine her doing that to any other ethnic group?!
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) July 12, 2022
Lots of people pitching a fit over Jill Biden’s taco gaffe, didn’t say a peep, or worse yet, defended Trump when he called Mexicans, “rapists and criminals”, and “invaders” from “shit-hole” countries.
Remember, that?
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) July 12, 2022
Happy Taco Tuesday @FLOTUS! pic.twitter.com/jFBl2RxrXB
— Jack Posobic 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) July 12, 2022
Jill Biden just called Hispanics "unique as breakfast tacos".
You know she's about to come to the hood and call us Blacks "refreshing as watermelon and Ciroc".
— Lavern Spicer🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@lavern_spicer) July 12, 2022
Jill Biden came to Texas to tell the Hispanic community that we’re as “unique as breakfast tacos”.
The fact that someone actually approved her to say that line in her speech and that NO ONE saw an issue with it is wild.
They’re going to be at a 5% Hispanic approval rating soon.
— Irene Armendariz-Jackson For Congress (@ArmendarizDis16) July 12, 2022
JILL BIDEN: As unique as the breakfast tacos.
JOE BIDEN: I just have one thing to say. pic.twitter.com/LRBGUfCWip
— Danielle Alvarez (@Danielle_Alva) July 12, 2022
Jill Biden just pronounced “Bodega” as “Bo-guh-duh.”
😂😂😂
pic.twitter.com/RcjtkvnXXp— X Strategies LLC (@XStrategiesLLC) July 11, 2022