Twitter users whipped out their left-wing family trees today to see who had the biggest, baddest #LeftyAncestors.
#leftyancestors is people sharing stories about radical family members. started by @OwenJones84, it's amazing social history
— Quentin Lewis (@quentinlewis) July 30, 2012
Left-wing author and columnist Owen Jones got the ball rolling with a proud tale of his heroic socialist great-grandfather.
https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/229897571894702082
Not to be outdone, others jumped in with tweets celebrating their left-wing heritage and boasting about just how red their diapers were.
https://twitter.com/_60sThrowback_/status/229942331317571584
I'm from ordinary poor working class stock.Both grandfathers died young as a result of industrial diseases; does that count? #leftyancestors
— Flaming June (@junrussell) July 30, 2012
Cool trending topic: #leftyancestors My great-great-uncle Henry Johnson was a Marxist historian who helped found Roosevelt University.
— Dr. Emily (@gregorette) July 30, 2012
https://twitter.com/Aidan_Kerr/status/229913293010116608
https://twitter.com/KirstyYarr/status/229912074434789377
My Mum was buried with a figurine of Castro #leftyancestors
— Dr Ma R Æ A-13 (@MariaBarrett) July 30, 2012
Wait, but we thought inheriting was a bad thing. So, it’s cool to inherit a political opinion, just not money or property? Gotcha.
One left-wing Twitter user knew what would come next.
As a lefty, I have to say the whole #leftyancestors is a bit embarrassing. If the right was at it, we'd have a field day.
— Finbarr Bermingham (@fbermingham) July 30, 2012
Indeed:
#leftyancestors really? You’re about an inch away from becoming belibers
— hand_of_Ike (@hand_of_Ike) July 30, 2012
https://twitter.com/SteveMcCarthyH/status/229926364147511296
#leftyancestors my lefty ancestors came up with a system of universal fairness that ended up killing 100 million people
— The People's Cube ?? (@ThePeoplesCube) July 30, 2012
https://twitter.com/jason_manc/status/229918357753847809
https://twitter.com/Tent101/status/229903997228679168
Some lefties without their “fair share” of pristine left-wing heritage were critical of the hashtag.
Yes, and that's fair enough, but what about those with no #leftyancestors? Where are we in this story? @MissEllieMae @OwenJones84
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) July 30, 2012
What I'm genuinely wondering is: where do queer histories fit into #leftyancestors stories? Queer/feminist left vs traditional family ideas?
— Laurie Penny (@PennyRed) July 30, 2012
https://twitter.com/RoTreg/status/229925304385294336
https://twitter.com/SophieWarnes/status/229909744146595840
Time to spread the #LeftyAncestors around?
Join the conversation as a VIP Member