Reps. Jasmine Crockett and Marjorie Taylor Greene Spit to Highlight Racial, Gender Tensions: NPR

Then-Texas State Representative Jasmine Crockett is joined by Democratic lawmakers during a news conference July 23, 2021 in Washington, DC. Crockett, now a congressman, got into a verbal argument with Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene during a committee hearing. last week.

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/Getty Images North America

During a routine House Oversight Committee meeting on whether to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress, controversial far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene attacked a colleague’s physical appearance of Congress.

Speaking to Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Democrat of Texas, the Georgia Republican suggested that Crockett’s “false eyelashes” made it difficult for her to read and understand the purpose of last week’s hearing.

In response, Crockett criticized Greene for having a “badly built, bleached blonde butch body.”

The exchange quickly went viral on social media, with many enjoying the entertainment value of seeing the two lawmakers in a verbal spat, almost closer to something you usually see on reality TV.

Crockett looked at the virality of the moment. She filed a trademark application for the phrase “B6” and announced a “Crockett Clapback Collection” product line to benefit House Democrats.

Greene, meanwhile, has defended her physique, boasting about an active and healthy lifestyle.

Amid the jokes, memes, and even parody songs about fighting for Congress, there were conversations about race, gender, and stereotypes.

Crockett called comments about her eyelashes racist, pointing out that black women’s appearance is often criticized, whether for their natural appearance or their style choices that are often made to better meet European beauty standards.

The immediate reaction in the halls of Congress to Crockett’s remarks, as opposed to the general silence from Republicans on Greene’s comments on Crockett’s appearance, was also criticized.

Many noted the fact that there were immediate calls for Crockett to soften his tone after being attacked, as opposed to tacit acceptance of Green’s comments about Crockett.

During the raucous hearing, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., repeatedly asked Crockett to “calm down” and was told she was “out of control,” although Greene been the one who prompted the back-and-forth about appearances.

On the other hand, some have accused Crockett of using transphobic language for his use of the word “butch” in his response to Greene.

Crockett said she “didn’t want to hurt anyone in the (LGBTQ) community.”

She wrote on X – formerly Twitter – that she always has “and always will be 10 feet from the community.”