Gay tourism director forced to apologize for ‘homophobic’ tweet – Yucatan Magazine
An exchange on Twitter about the history of the panucho — a snack food popular in Yucatán — ended with an apology from the state’s tourism director.
The Yucatan tourism official, Michelle Fridman Hirsch apologized after weeks of backlash following an “unfortunate” response to former official Víctor Cervera Hernández, who had filed a complaint with the human rights commission.
It was an odd situation for Fridman Hirsch, who is openly gay, but misgendered Cervera Hernández after a pedantic squabble over the spelling of a town’s name, and the true history of the panucho.
“The turkey panuchos are a very traditional dish throughout the state, but in Tixcocob you will find a unique recipe that substitutes the turkey for a boiled egg,” the official tweeted while sharing a recipe to prepare panuchos with a boiled egg. The post was part of a “365 Flavors” campaign.
Hours later, Cervera Hernández responded with a bit of sarcasm.
”This lady discovering hilo negro and hot water. If she knew how the panucho has evolved, she would know that they were made from eggs and before only with tomato and ground pepita. By the way, it is Tixkokob,” Cervera Hernández wrote.
With a wink emoji, Fridman Hirsch replied, in Spanish, “From lady to lady… I thank you for the explanation about the evolution of the panucho.”
“You’re wrong, I’m not a lady,” came the reply. “I’m a gentleman who avoids responding to you as you deserve, but you wouldn’t understand because a lady has an education that you lack.”
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So a little tweet about Yucatán culinary heritage got ugly fast. Cervera Hernández, the son of the late former governor, Víctor Cervera Pacheco and former as head of the Secretariat of Economic Development under former Gov. Ivonne Ortega Pacheco, called the misgendering homophobic and misogynistic.
“First of all, I want to offer a public apology to anyone who might have felt attacked,” she wrote in a public apology that came two weeks after the initial exchange. “I categorically clarify that my message was never intended to be homophobic or misogynistic because doing so would have gone against my own nature as a woman and as a member of the LGBT community.”
“I must admit that, like any human being, I made a mistake, the product of fatigue derived from multiple systemic attacks perpetuated against me and what I represent. I believe that no person should tolerate violence, even those of us who hold public office.”