Greta vs Trump

2019

Date: 23 September 2019 · Place: United Nations Climate Action Summit, New York · Twitter · Figures: Greta Thunberg, 16, climate activist · Donald Trump, 45th president · the photographer who caught Thunberg's glare · Tags: Photograph, ReactionImage, Climate 01. How Dare You On 23 September 2019 Greta Thunberg delivers a speech at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York. The line 'how dare you' is repeated four times. A separate camera catches her in a hallway watching Trump pass with what is variously described as a glare, a stare, a glower. Trump tweets in response that Thunberg 'seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future.' Thunberg adopts the line as her Twitter bio that evening. 02. Subtweet at Sixteen The exchange is the first major-meme treatment of a teenage activist as a political equal of a sitting US president. The format Thunberg pioneers, taking each presidential tweet and using it as her own next bio, is replicated by activists for the rest of the term. The glare image becomes a reaction GIF used worldwide for any moment of contained, ethical contempt for a more powerful man. Thunberg, who has Asperger's and is plain about it, has become, against her stated wishes, a meme. Sources • Greta Thunberg, address to UN Climate Action Summit, 23 September 2019, transcript via United Nations • Somini Sengupta, 'Greta Thunberg, After Pointed UN Speech, Faces Attacks From Trump,' New York Times, 24 September 2019 • Know Your Meme, 'How Dare You'