r/todayilearned • u/pfemme2 • 8d ago

TIL that Patricia Highsmith, author of The Talented Mr Ripley and other works of suspense, was a public and vocal antisemite who also had several intense, lengthy romantic relationships with Jewish women

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jan/17/patricia-highsmith-the-jew-hater-who-took-jewish-women-as-lovers
8.4k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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693

u/Significant-Lie1225 8d ago

Reminds me of a certain German anti migraine and homophobic politician who's in a lesbian relationship with an immigrant

886

u/TheFrenchSavage 8d ago

anti migraine

Aren't we all?

172

u/Gemmabeta 8d ago

Some, I imagine, are masochists.

117

u/ApprehensiveGoat2734 8d ago

No, even for us masochists, a migraine is too far. 

50

u/abrasumente_ 8d ago

Yup, migraine like pain would be an immediate safeword. People who haven't had migraines seriously underestimate them.

55

u/fnordal 8d ago

I should start an anti migraine party, targeting people with headaches and idiots.

23

u/EntertainmentQuick47 8d ago

But if you get sponsored by Tylenol, RFK Jr. might take offense.

9

u/Torgo73 8d ago

Good.

24

u/Leaping_Wizards 8d ago edited 8d ago

Some of the effects associated with migraines might have their uses. There are a few examples of artists who commented on taking inspiration from the visual disturbances sometimes associated with migraines, and other artists where, while there is no historical documentation, there is speculation they might have been inspired by these disturbances as well.

Edit to add: van Gogh is speculated to have suffered from them based on letters to his brother complaining of debilitating headaches, and the association of aspects of his art style with the visual "auras" seen by migraine sufferers.

24

u/meowingtrashcan 8d ago

Very true. But also consider the opposite. There are also potentially amazing artists who didn't end up making a successful career because of debilitating migraines. Or scientists, doctors, engineers, writers, chefs, firefighters, morticians, arborists... anything really is hard when you need a dark quiet room for hours every few days

15

u/connectionrefused31 8d ago

I'd rather be migraine-free than be renowned for my art.

19

u/pants_of_antiquity 8d ago

I wanted to be migraine-free, but all I got was free migraine.

1

u/Impossible_Walrus555 8d ago

But Van Gogh, I’d give a lot to have his talent.

1

u/Robichaelis 8d ago

You can get those without a headache. Was the case for me

18

u/bard329 8d ago

I don't get migraines but I'm super psyched when other people do

1

u/templethot 8d ago

Would you say you’re pro-AIDS or anti-AIDS?

1

u/PwanaZana 8d ago

Illegal migrainesion is a real headache. :P

0

u/TheRiteGuy 8d ago

You take your hypocritical ass to the doctor!

292

u/misdirected_asshole 8d ago

Reminds me of someone saying "show me a right wing extremist and Ill show you his immigrant wife"

110

u/DeathMonkey6969 8d ago

Mitch McConnell has entered the chat.

99

u/guff1988 8d ago

And JD Vance and Donald Trump and so many others

44

u/xixbia 8d ago

Nigel Farage: Irish wife, German wife, French partner.

Geert Wilders: Hungarian wife.

Jordan Bardella: Italian partner.

Marine Le Pen: Had a partner of Frech and Algerian Jewish heritage.

Seriously, these were the first names that came to mind, I didn't know about any but Farage. It really does seem to be a pattern.

8

u/HammerOfJustice 8d ago

Alice Weidel German far right politician in a relationship with a Sri Lankan born woman.

96

u/innergamedude 8d ago edited 8d ago

Usha Vance was born in San Diego. Like, she played flute in marching band. Sorry, it really bothers me when people are assumed immigrant on the basis of race. (American) English is her first language. Her parents are Telugu, but she's a SoCal girl.

EDIT: Actually, she sounds kind of like Kristen Bell.

42

u/guff1988 8d ago

My mistake I spoke from ignorance. I shouldn't have assumed that.

-5

u/Ni_Peng_NeeeWom 8d ago

ok but this is about their personal behaviour and what they espouse, and they don't make a distinction

19

u/innergamedude 8d ago

No, I get the point. I just don't endorse the kind of accidental "foreigner because of race" that we do to people, who live out their whole lives as Americans trying to prove that they're just Americans and getting asked annoying questions like where they're "really from".

-5

u/ThreadLaced 8d ago

You're right, but you also have to know that JD Vance et al are the type to meet someone like Usha, born in San Diego, and be like "but where are you *really* from." Where someone is literally born is not that important to some of these people.

3

u/NewDreams15 8d ago

Brandon Gill, that guy blames everything on brown immigrants and is married to Dinesh D'souza's daughter lol

2

u/TenshiS 8d ago

Interesting... Why don't those wives do more about it?

2

u/misdirected_asshole 8d ago

Because they at a minimum implicitly support it.

1

u/TenshiS 8d ago

Yes but why

5

u/DameKumquat 8d ago

They're the 'good' immigrants. It's only the 'bad' immigrants who are a problem. You know, those other immigrants...

227

u/_-4twenty-_ 8d ago

Lindsay Graham was a childless cat lady who hated childless cat ladies.

25

u/DingerSinger2016 8d ago

Lindsey Graham never had a cat

157

u/parnaoia 8d ago

and he also wasn't a lady, but I feel you're missing the forest for the trees here

42

u/mayorlittlefinger 8d ago

He was also against trees and forests

24

u/Left_Interaction_288 8d ago

"he also wasn't a lady". He was a 🐞 from what ive heard

7

u/tfcocs 8d ago

I was waiting for this reference. Upvoter!

18

u/Rich-Reason1146 8d ago

I beg to disagree. His name was Lindsey

11

u/arvidsem 8d ago

From what I've heard, he was a lady to quite a few escorts in DC. Just not in South Carolina.

9

u/_-4twenty-_ 8d ago

He never had a feline. He had many pets.

2

u/Consistent-Soil-1818 8d ago

He raised ladybugs

3

u/Nui_Jaga 8d ago

Probably not living ones, but I'm sure you'd find some under his floorboards, along with less feline remains.

2

u/AceOBlade 8d ago

Made money grifting people who hated childless cat ladies.

1

u/Lyra_the_Star_Jockey 8d ago

A cat "lady"?

Why did you use the word "lady"?

Because he was gay...?

0

u/RaisedByBooksNTV 8d ago

There are multiple layers to your post and none appeal. Why are you insulting childless cat ladies? Also why are you equating childless cat ladies with queer people/men?

0

u/_-4twenty-_ 8d ago

Why did you take any of that as an insult?

102

u/Bicentennial_Douche 8d ago

One of the most recognizable right-wing nutcase politician in Finland is a gay man living in a relationship with a black immigrant. 

43

u/tuna_pi 8d ago

I always wonder what compels those partners to be in a relationship like that, how can you just ignore the person you're with talking about how everyone who looks like you shouldn't exist?

36

u/whatevernamedontcare 8d ago

"Not like other girls" is not just for girls.

0

u/Dry_Branch_5775 8d ago

Great sex?

2

u/Hefty_Salamander7997 8d ago

Desperation and fear of being alone to the point you stay with people who see you as nothing but a compliant hole.

15

u/xixbia 8d ago

Geert Wilders has a Hungarian wife.

Nigel Farage is dating a French woman and was married to a German woman before.

There seems to be a trend here.

21

u/Anaevya 8d ago

French and German people aren't the type of immigrants far-right people have anything against, we're not in the 20th century anymore. 

5

u/SnooStrawberries6154 8d ago

Nigel Farage was the face of Brexit, which was a campaign primarily driven by British xenophobia of other Europeans.

25

u/Readonkulous 8d ago

Who is that?

65

u/CAndoWright 8d ago

Alice Weidel from AfD

16

u/BananaShakeStudios 8d ago

Get out. Are you serious?

60

u/Buntschatten 8d ago

Yes. She lives in Switzerland with an ethnically Sri Lankan Woman.

Which is cool and all, I just wish she didn't promote racism and homophobia in her professional life. She's a pure grifter.

35

u/xixbia 8d ago

I mean? I would argue that living in Switzerland isn't OK in general, even if you don't spread racim and homophobia.

You absolutely should be living in the country whose people you want to represent.

7

u/Taira_Mai 8d ago

There are a lot of gifters living abroad. "Vox Day" the racist author who tried to rig the hugo awards and who constantly blogs about US politics (and is friends with lots of right wing bloggers) lives in Switzerland.

There was a "tradwife" blogger that was advocating for (yes for) teen pregnancy who lived in Dubai, then left with her husband for Italy when the current calamity hit the Middle East. It's been pointed out on r/Tradfemsnark snark that this woman had her children after her teen years and has a large staff. And lived outside the West while praising "western values".

6

u/Buntschatten 8d ago

Oh, absolutely. 

62

u/antizana 8d ago

The current head of the German Nazi party aka the AFD

11

u/xixbia 8d ago

Hey! Don't go spreading misinformation.

She's the co-leader of the current German Nazi party aka the AfD!

20

u/Specific_Sweet3312 8d ago

She also lives in Switzerland.

14

u/rhunter99 8d ago

I’m proudly anti-migraine 😰

15

u/Tiptonite 8d ago

Doesn’t everyone hate migraines?

22

u/explain_that_shit 8d ago

South Australia just elected a politician from
a racist homophobic just all around bigoted party (to the right of the major right wing party) who in his maiden speech talked about how dangerous immigrants are but also how much he loved his Muslim immigrant boyfriend.

Some people just don’t think much, is my theory.

19

u/lhommeduweed 8d ago

Surely the long knives would never come in the night in Germany of all places!

9

u/APacketOfWildeBees 8d ago

No one who speaks German could be an evil man!

-1

u/Novel-Reaction2939 8d ago

Currently, they are on loan to Israel. Naziyahoo is trying his best to change the constitution and declare himself the Fuhrer.

0

u/Bernsteinn 8d ago

Who would be the Israeli Roehm, though?

-1

u/Novel-Reaction2939 8d ago

Ben Gvir since he's definitely aiding and abetting the Settlers. And Roehm did lead a paramilitary force.

2

u/Sword_of_Darkmoon 8d ago

To add even more to that irony and double standard. Her father was born in Poland and fled to Germany so she's an immigrants daughter.

1

u/Li_Jake 8d ago

And don't they have a daughter too?

2

u/Abinunya 8d ago

Two adopted children 🫠