Gina Rodriguez isn’t about to let a bunch of social media bullies step on her toes just because she’s an A-list celebrity with a reputation to maintain. “I am held accountable for what I say all the time, why shouldn’t anyone else?” she said to Fox News Latino.
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When “Jane the Virgin” posted a sneak peek of her People en Español cover on Instagram, thanking the magazine for all their support, her enthusiasm was entirely deflated by the sudden gush of vitriol that came spilling in about her mangled Spanish-speaking skills. Not to mention, the hate blurbs included ridiculing the Boricua about her curved toes. ¡Pobrecita!
At some point in the viral exchange taking place underneath her knockout cover, Rodriguez noticed another conversation happening, one rooted in bigotry. “There was an interesting conversation that … was deeper rooted than just what I look like,” she told FNL. “It was an interracial Latino racism that was eye opening.”
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Shortly after realizing what was happening, the actress issued a second photo, this time with a lengthy caption aimed directly at her naysayers:
“You know what saddens my heart, is when you try and celebrate an accomplishment with those that have helped you achieve it and no matter what, someone, anyone, has something negative to say. Whether it was from the way my toes curled under to the way I typed my spanish. We desire to project our own insecurities and hatred on another,” she wrote. “When did we decide social media was for hating, for putting others down rather than lifting them up. I refuse to participate in that kind of world. Before you write a comment today on anyone’s picture or anyone’s page ask yourself would you want others to say that about yourself? What am I getting out of being mean to another person I have never met? Yesterday I shared my joy for the cover of @peopleenespanol and I was blown away at the immediate hate projected on my page. My question to you today is this, do you know the power you have in this world and do you desire to use it for good? I do. #NoToKeyboardCourage”
In other words: come see her.