5 reasons Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the most relatable politician right now

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest women to be elected to Congress, and one of the most relatable politicians we’ve ever seen.

After winning her race in the midterm elections for her seat in the House of Representatives, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been speaking openly about what being a politician is like and shedding some light on what goes down in D.C.

This midterm election broke multiple barriers with so many women of color and queer women being elected to Congress. This week, many new lawmakers are getting introduced to the U.S. Capitol and going through orientations as they gear up to start their new jobs.

As for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, her first couple of days have in D.C. have been kind of a whirlwind. She is the youngest woman to ever be elected to Congress, and with that, comes both a lot of scrutiny and many ways for her to prove her haters wrong.

Here are a few of the ways she’s proven to be the most relatable politician to know right now.

She speaks up when people disrespect her (and label her a liar)

During her first couple of days on Capitol Hill, Ocasio-Cortez was mistaken for an intern or a spouse. She shared her experience on Twitter, and we love that Ocasio-Cortez is willing to point out these structural problems within the government and to speak up against them. By tweeting about these issues, she is being upfront and honest about this experience as a young woman of color and an elected representative.

She’ll also come after you when you criticize her clothing choices

It’s sad and predictable, but we already have people criticizing what Ocasio-Cortez wears. Eddie Scarry from the Washington Examiner posted a tweet with a picture of her back that said,
“Hill staffer sent me this pic of Ocasio-Cortez they took just now. I’ll tell you something: that jacket and coat don’t look like a girl who struggles.”

This tweet was referring to Ocasio-Cortez’s past comments about how she may not be able to afford an apartment in D.C. until her new salary comes through. Ocasio-Cortez stood up for herself and posted another tweet in response — this time a hilarious one.

Ocasio-Cortez is upfront about the realities of being a newly elected politician who doesn’t have a lot of money

We love how candid Ocasio-Cortez is about her financial situation. Many millennials can relate to these financial struggles, and she doesn’t shy away from them. Ocasio-Cortez explained how she couldn’t work for three months because of being elected, and this made planning to move to D.C. difficult.

“I can’t really take a salary. I have three months without a salary before I’m a member of Congress. So, how do I get an apartment? Those little things are very real,” she told The New York Times.

She knows that she will be unfairly criticized because she’s a woman of color, and she pushes on anyway

In further response to the judgment and criticism of her outfit, Ocasio-Cortez pointed out that no matter what she wore, people would find something negative to say.

Many women, especially women of color, can relate to how their actions are scrutinized in ways that men are not, and we celebrate Ocasio-Cortez’s message to “shine bright and keep it pushing.”

Her Instagram Stories preview what life in D.C. is truly like

For many of us, the workings of Congress and what it’s like to be a Congress member are mysterious things. But thanks to Ocasio-Cortez documenting the process via her Instagram Stories (and other social media posts), we get real-time updates on how it all works.

Through her posts, she’s shared what orientation is like for her and fellow “freshman” to giving viewers a tour of the Capitol building. Also, in a highly relatable moment, she posted about how hard it is to find time to do her laundry.

By being so open about this process, Ocasio-Cortez is shedding light on how Congress works and making politics seem more reliable and accessible, and we applaud her for that.

It’s so inspiring to see Ocasio-Cortez begin what will undoubtedly be a journey of political firsts. We are excited to see how she continues to bring awareness to the workings of Capitol Hill.