The Discourse Turns Its Attention To Brunch After Movie Critic Implies "Brunch" Jokes Are Sexist And Homophobic

If you've had the misfortune of being in a certain part of Twitter in the past two days, you may have noticed a significant, bewildering uptick in people debating about "brunch." While the optional meal between breakfast and lunch is often a terrific weekend treat and an opportunity for a fun social gathering, it has also, apparently, become a hotbed of political discourse in recent years, coming to a head Monday when movie critic Bob Chipman shot out a hot take saying criticism of "brunch" is rooted in sexism and homophobia.

"Brunch" isn't used as pejorative because it's associated with wealth, it's because it's associated (culturally) with women and gay men. https://t.co/Nlc1wHTpC4

— MovieBob Productions (@the_moviebob) October 26, 2020

So, how did we get here?

The War for the Soul of Brunch started in the summer of 2017, as a photo of an anti-Trump protestor holding a sign that read, "If Hillary had won, we'd be at brunch right now" went viral.

Pretty much, yeah. pic.twitter.com/bj25oWTj2I

— Jay Kuo (@nycjayjay) June 11, 2017

The sign became emblematic of leftists' frustration with liberals, crystallizing their criticism that liberals ignored societal problems that didn't immediately affect them during the Obama administration and may have continued during a Clinton administration, and would rather live comfortable lives ignoring problems (by being at "brunch") than engage in political activism.

Over the following several years, "brunch liberals" became a pejorative for liberals whose activism ends at removing Trump from office. A recent sketch by comedian Kylie Brakeman posted to Twitter epitomizes the type, as she mimics "a couple of blue check liberals having fun with the election," at one point repeating the word "brunch" back and forth at each other.

just a couple of blue check liberals having fun with the election pic.twitter.com/ZUaZqVjPbk

— kylie brakeman (@deadeyebrakeman) October 26, 2020

At some point, all this brunch-dunking became too much for Twitter user @_celia_bedlia_, who argued that while Twitter socialists say she just wants to go to "brunch," a post-COVID meal of eggs benedict and mimosas shared with friends does sound lovely.

Twitter socialists: YOU JUST WANT TO GO TO BRUNCH!Me: why yes, I actually would love to go meet my friends who I haven’t seen in 8 months at a food establishment where we can chat and eat and spend money and not worry about getting sick or other people sick

— “Celia” (@_celia_bedelia_) October 26, 2020

The tweet was criticized in the exhausting ensuing thread, as many argued the tweet missed the point of brunch-dunking. At one point, user @Tony_simp_rano tweeted "and yet (brunch) is still socially coded to the middle and upper classes which is why it’s used as a pejorative, congratulations you now understand the joke, insert the simpsons gif."

and yet is still socially coded to the middle and upper classes which is why it’s used as a pejorative, congratulations you now understand the joke, insert the simpsons gif

— Tony Simprano (@Tony_simp_rano) October 26, 2020

This is where Bob Chipman stepped in to assert that brunch-dunking was actually rooted in misogyny and homophobia, marking the final straw of the discourse. Soon, people piled on Chipman to explain the joke and mock his tweet.

"Brunch" is used as a pejorative because of these specific protest signs proudly broadcasting political apathy. pic.twitter.com/SVpgQOCH8O

— Cody Johnston (@drmistercody) October 27, 2020

cinema roberto making up some fake woke excuse to be offended at the 'brunch democrat' meme pic.twitter.com/KxCTBCxqN0

— shoe (@shoe0nhead) October 26, 2020

[wokely] eggs are for homos https://t.co/biA19u9SxI

— bob of ganoush (@rachelmillman) October 27, 2020

The following day, Chipman attempted to snarkily defend himself in a post reminiscent of a certain corncob meme, but by that point, the brunch discourse had moved on, with one of the dumbest Twitter debates of recent times now a distant memory.

This weekend, if you can safely do so, enjoy a mimosa and some pancakes at 2 P.M. and don't look at your phone. You'll feel better.