Feline internet celebrity Jorts the Cat slammed over ableist Instacart comments
A celebrity Internet cat is in apparent hot water after making a comment that was construed as ableist. Yes, that sentence exists and so do people who are mad at Jorts the Cat. Not familiar? You’re about to be.
Recommended VideosJorts is a pretty plain-looking orange tabby that hit it big back on Reddit in 2021. A Redditor claimed that Jorts was an office cat and things evolved and Jorts somehow became a supporter of organized labor. Who knows how these things happen.
Anyway, the internet loves Jorts and several news outlets picked up on the buzzy animal, replete with quotes from the “cat.” Here’s an example of Jorts talking to Insider: “It’s been really clear how terribly the odds are stacked against the working class, especially in the US. As a worker cat myself, I have solidarity.”
And Jorts likes to tweet too, like this:
It’s against the law for your boss to prohibit you from discussing your wages with your coworkers, and also remember there are more workers than there are bosses pic.twitter.com/d5Ln3h7x6N
— Jorts (and Jean) (@JortsTheCat) January 2, 2022Alright, we’re all caught up. Now because this is the internet and the internet is more fickle than a cat deciding if it wants to come inside or not, things have taken a turn. It all started fairly innocently. A person on Twitter talked about a bad experience with a grocery delivery:
“My last time using grocery delivery and I got a man, he started refunding stuff that I knew dang on well the store had. I was so pissed I got in the car and went to the store he was at, bruh was literally standing in one aisle on the phone.”
This doesn’t seem to be the type of thing that would get Jorts’ interest, but alas, that cat can’t keep its mouth shut apparently. “Idea: Go get your own groceries,” the cat said.
Idea:
Go get your own groceries
So obviously not everyone can get their own groceries. A slight misfire by Jorts but not the end of the world. Someone gave Jorts a chance at redemption by telling him if someone is sick or caring for someone who is they probably can’t leave. For some reason, Jorts doubled down.
And those folks wouldn’t get in the car and confront a worker being judged by an algorithm for sub minimum wage
— Jorts (and Jean) (@JortsTheCat) October 18, 2022I get that Jorts is pro-labor so the cat is mad about the woman going after the worker, but that’s not how people took it. The floodgates opened up after that.
One person said that people who are in need of grocery services to survive should use them, and not listen to a pro-labor cat.
my fellow chronically ill, disabled, and immunocompromised people trying desperately to survive this fucking hellscape:
use a grocery delivery service if you need to
— Matthew Cortland 👻 (@mattbc) October 18, 2022Others pleaded for Jorts to come to his senses.
Hey @JortsTheCat the reason many disabled people are calling you out is BECAUSE we love you. Please PLEASE take the time to listen and learn from people who love you but whom you have unintentionally hurt. I beg of you.
— Edgar Allan Bitch (Saf) – Eldritch Potato (@edgar_a_bitch) October 18, 2022It gets worse from there. This person just couldn’t believe that an Internet cat would be so cruel.
wtf. not jorts 😒
and no this commentary isn't happening in a bubble because people say this exact line every time anyone complains about instacart on here.
the defense of "well op was able to go to the store so obviously she can shop for herself" is also ableist https://t.co/i6nlxrzAA3
— 🎃 salem's sleep deprived tweets (@swampflora) October 18, 2022Jorts, please! Anyone but you!
But that doesn’t solve the issue because a lot of people who are disabled use instacart and they deserve to get the correct groceries. Jorts, please don’t do this https://t.co/nAdCo23NIA
— Sam 'Scoop' Cooper (she/her) (@SamScoopCooper) October 18, 2022The higher you get raised the farther you fall.
It’s lose/lose and if I find a better option than Instacart I’ll use it but telling people to just get their own groceries during a pandemic where disabled people *cannot safely leave their homes without risking death or serious illness* is callous at best
— Lauren Kayes (@LaurenRKayes) October 18, 2022Others called out Jorts’ hypocrisy.
Jorts. My dude. Remember that time your coworker would butter your fur & keep doors closed in an attempt to get you to live up to Jean’s example? This statement is super similar.
We don’t need to use ableism to defend workers or fight for better wages. https://t.co/o1Gq2jtFHs
— 🎃Pampkin spice & everything nice👻 (she/her) (@GoldSeamedGlass) October 18, 2022Obviously, this is a nuanced issue. Jorts was calling out a woman for going to yell at a gig worker but didn’t really make that clear and then made it ten times worse when he doubled down. Will Jorts be able to come back from this and continue to champion the working class? Time will tell.
We’ll keep you posted on this one if anything else develops.
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