Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow claps back at mean and racist DMs

"Go back to China!" is just one example of the many shockingly hateful messages Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow receives online. But the politician is clapping back against the racism and misogyny aimed her way.

Toronto's 66th mayor, who has held office since July 12, 2023, recently filmed her own version of Celebrities Read Mean Tweets, the segment first popularized by Jimmy Kimmel, to address "personal, vicious attacks" she regularly receives online.

In the four-minute-long video, Chow reads a series of negative comments directed at her appearance, speech and her identity as a Hong Kong-born Canadian.

Some comments even accuse her of being "drunk" while speaking, criticism unquestionably rooted in racism and ignorance.

Chow also explains that she lives with facial paralysis, which affects her speech and makes it harder for her to fully enunciate. So, no, it's not because she's "drunk" or, as some users claim, "the party mayor."

Toronto mayors have historically been older white men, and it seems some people stuck in the past simply aren't accustomed to hearing a Cantonese-speaking woman with an accent hold such a position of power.

Still, Chow refuses to spend her days arguing with online haters hiding behind "some cartoon avatar." She says she's too busy working — arriving at City Hall at 6:45 a.m. every day and often putting in 14-hour days — to read every single comment online, though it's likely her staff flags certain things to her.

Dr. Jill Andrew, who made history as Ontario's first Black queer MPP when she was elected in 2018, voiced her support in the comments section of Chow's Instagram post.

Dr. Andrew wrote, "Sadly, us women and especially BIPOC who have been elected all have way too much experience with being personally attacked like this. It MUST end!" 

Unfortunately, Andrew's and Chow's experience is far from unique in Canadian politics. Women in politics, especially visible minorities, continue to face disproportionate levels of harassment, racism and sexism both online and in public life.

Many politicians in Canada, including Indigenous and Muslim elected officials, have spoken openly about their experiences facing racist abuse, highlighting the sad normalization of online hate directed at public figures.

Though she certainly doesn't owe any empathy to the people sending her racist and sexist messages, Chow says she still tries to understand where some of the anger comes from, acknowledging that frustration and feelings of being "left behind" can fuel negativity online.

"Being hateful is not going to get us anywhere," she says. "I want us to build, not tear each other down."