Right-wing conservative Jordan Peterson was bullied off the internet this week after receiving backlash for body-shaming Yumi Nu, Sports Illustrated's first plus-size Asian American model.
On Sunday, he tweeted the following in response to her feature in Sports Illustrated:
"Sorry. Not beautiful."
"And no amount of authoritarian tolerance is going to change that."
Sorry. Not beautiful. And no amount of authoritarian tolerance is going to change that.https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1526252018813255682\u00a0\u2026— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@Dr Jordan B Peterson) 1652728288
The backlash was, as expected, immense.
Many are making the point that, aesthetically, Peterson has no room to cast judgment.
One person responded:
"[H]onestly this took a lot of confidence to tweet considering your face, I appreciate that."
honestly this took a lot of confidence to tweet considering your face, I appreciate that— Sana Saeed (@Sana Saeed) 1652750632
Another said:
"But Jordan, you look like a lizard that perished in a tub of old yogurt."
But Jordan, you look like a lizard that perished in a tub of old yogurt.— A.R. Moxon (@A.R. Moxon) 1652737254
Even fans aren't happy with his post.
This fan said:
"[I] love your talks… but this comment is beyond disappointing. you may not even know on how many levels this is disturbing."
"[T]ry interviewing more young women on your podcasts."
"[Y]ou’ve got a lot to learn."
"[U]ntil then, stop criticizing women’s bodies ..."
i love your talks\u2026 but this comment is beyond disappointing. you may not even know on how many levels this is disturbing. try interviewing more young women on your podcasts. you\u2019ve got a lot to learn. until then, stop criticizing women\u2019s bodies— Alexandra Yaksich (@Alexandra Yaksich) 1652764763
Another person tweeted:
"It is nice of Jordan Peterson to remind us periodically that he is an idiot and should be mocked more often."
"Yumi Nu is stunning, and Jordan Peterson is a putz."
It is nice of Jordan Peterson to remind us periodically that he is an idiot and should be mocked more often. \n\nYumi Nu is stunning, and Jordan Peterson is a putz.pic.twitter.com/FPR40yJpxE— Jeremiah McCoy, Wizard of Disdain. (@Jeremiah McCoy, Wizard of Disdain.) 1652739842
Yumi Nu is gorgeous, Jordan Peterson is an idiot.https://twitter.com/si_swimsuit/status/1526280097430372352\u00a0\u2026— Art Bell (@Art Bell) 1652891745
Peterson, a free speech enthusiast who has time and again shared his unsolicited opinions and critiques of others on Twitter, now blames the platform for allowing the flood of hate he naturally received after his tasteless post.
He even went so far as to call the platform "dangerously insane."
As a result, he announced on Sunday:
"So I told my staff to change my password, to keep me from temptation, and am departing once again."
"If I have something to say I'll write an article or make a video."
"If the issue is not important enough to justify that then perhaps it would be best to just let it go."
So I told my staff to change my password, to keep me from temptation, and am departing once again. If I have something to say I'll write an article or make a video. If the issue is not important enough to justify that then perhaps it would be best to just let it go.https://twitter.com/jordanbpeterson/status/1526389302766313475\u00a0\u2026— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@Dr Jordan B Peterson) 1652754664
After taking full advantage of the platform for so long, he could not seem to handle it when he was on the other end of the criticism.
Perhaps Twitter affords a little too much free speech.
Peterson said in a follow up tweet:
"And I plan to write an article on the technical reasons that Twitter is maddening us all very soon."
"Bye for now."
This person tweeted:
"Bruh, when you go out of your way to fat shame a model, of course you’re gonna get a vicious response."
"You should have known better on this one."
Bruh, when you go out of your way to fat shame a model, of course you\u2019re gonna get a vicious response. You should have known better on this one.— Kaz Wamlo (@Kaz Wamlo) 1652754816
Someone else tweeted:
"It’s a tough job being a self-proclaimed gatekeeper of beauty standards."
"Best wishes in your Twitter retirement."
"I hope it makes you feel less angry."
It\u2019s a tough job being a self-proclaimed gatekeeper of beauty standards. Best wishes in your Twitter retirement. I hope it makes you feel less angryhttps://torontosun.com/news/world/jordan-peterson-quits-twitter-after-dissing-plus-size-sports-illustrated-swimsuit-model-yumi-nu\u00a0\u2026— Michelle Coates Mather (@Michelle Coates Mather) 1652804334
the fact that jordan peterson decided to tweet that he didn't find yumi nu attractive cuz assuming a) she's not skinny enough, b) she's not wyt enough, and then having to quit twitter the same day cuz he was getting too many insults is *chef's kiss*.— Rush Kazi (@Rush Kazi) 1652813636
From what I can gather, helium-voiced right-whinger Jordan Peterson (face like a nutsack) decreed that no person would find gorgeous model Yumi Nu attractive. Cos she's not a twig or something.\n\nAfter 5 hours of people telling him he's an idiot, he flounced off Twitter in a huff.pic.twitter.com/mc9XR6W7xv— Graham Hughes (@Graham Hughes) 1652822674
I literally just came on twitter to mock a woman's appearance and I just don't think this is a nice place, based on how everyone's responsded. Crazy— singefu \ud83d\udc12 (@singefu \ud83d\udc12) 1652767127
While the trolling seemed to come as a surprise to Peterson, it made perfect sense to the rest of the world.
Enjoy your latest Twitter retirement, Jordan.
Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram