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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Hilaria Baldwin pretended to be Spanish wtf?!

999 replies

Ballstothis148 · 28/12/2020 00:24

This is the least important and most weird story of 2020.... this woman comes up on my Instagram a lot as a suggested page. Tbh I don’t find her interesting but know she’s Spanish and is into health, having babies with Alec Baldwin and that’s pretty much it. She speaks with a Spanish accent, on her IG page she calls her children “Baldwinitos” Hmm I do remember an article saying when she speaks Spanish to her kids people confuse her for a nanny so I thought an interesting take on a European mum in the States.

Except it’s all a lie. She’s not remotely Spanish. Her wealthy Boston parents (no Spanish ancestry) now have a holiday home there.

What is wrong with people?! I include me for being too interested :) why pretend to be Spanish? In one interview she even pretended she didn’t know the word for cucumber as her English isn’t that good Confused

Oh and she’s not even called Hilaria, she’s called Hilary. This year I swear... what an odd story!! I did know a girl who went very French after a romance there one year... maybe it’s a thing!

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froggywentacarolling · 28/12/2020 17:58

Apparently she didn't change her name from Hilary to Hilaria, and didn't start speaking with a Spanish accent, until she was in her early 20s.

Her husband is apparently quite well-known for fancying Spanish/Hispanic women and had been pursuing Salma Hayak when he met his future wife. Maybe her decision to pretend she was born and raised in Spain was an attempt to impress him, as much as an attempt to stand out amongst all the other Instagram celebs.

NewyearNewme2021 · 28/12/2020 18:01

@StealthPolarBear

All that said, I'd like to make a point that I do not have a problem with individuals. Wear what you want, identify as you want. Just ensure sex based rights and don't ask me to deny basic biology
Amen
IcedPurple · 28/12/2020 18:06

@froggywentacarolling

Apparently she didn't change her name from Hilary to Hilaria, and didn't start speaking with a Spanish accent, until she was in her early 20s.

Her husband is apparently quite well-known for fancying Spanish/Hispanic women and had been pursuing Salma Hayak when he met his future wife. Maybe her decision to pretend she was born and raised in Spain was an attempt to impress him, as much as an attempt to stand out amongst all the other Instagram celebs.

Also, being a straight white woman from a wealthy WASP background in Boston (as Hilary - sorry Ilaria - is) is considered rather 'uncool' in American celeb circles these days. She probably thought she needed to make herself just a teeny bit more 'exotic'.
user1471565182 · 28/12/2020 18:09

Americans just do this dont they. Find some euro heritage in their family and then cling onto it for dear life until everybody else in the world has cringed to death at their antics.

user1471565182 · 28/12/2020 18:10

hahahaha she supposedly told a magazine her favourite spanish language song to sing her kids is 'ave maria'

CelestrialWarrior · 28/12/2020 18:12

I'm sure this will blow over when she announces she is pregnant again.

YouSetTheTone · 28/12/2020 18:13

@froggywentacarolling so now we’re not even allowed to discuss any of the similarities between men saying they are women and Hilaria Baldwin (not Spanish) saying she is Spanish?
Identity issues are infiltrating all areas of life at the moment, so discussing this in relation to transgender issues/ self identification is fair enough. Why are you policing the terms of discussion about the Hilaria Baldwin news? Why does it bother you that some people are?

NewyearNewme2021 · 28/12/2020 18:13

@IcedPurple
If being white isn't cool in the US why did she choose to pretend to be Spanish rather than a POC?

NewyearNewme2021 · 28/12/2020 18:15

@user1471565182

Americans just do this dont they. Find some euro heritage in their family and then cling onto it for dear life until everybody else in the world has cringed to death at their antics.
That isn't the same thing though. What you are describing isn't lying or appropriating.
LittleBearPad · 28/12/2020 18:17

[quote NewyearNewme2021]@IcedPurple
If being white isn't cool in the US why did she choose to pretend to be Spanish rather than a POC?[/quote]
Because the US thinks Spanish = POC.

See Antonio Banderas example above.

Fuckingcrustybread · 28/12/2020 18:17

@Username642243

Why was the fwr thread on this deleted? I've been away for the afternoon
Deletion post says Not in the spirit of Mumsnet. I'd hazard a guess that complaints have been made by outside sources because women were taking the piss.
IcedPurple · 28/12/2020 18:21

[quote NewyearNewme2021]@IcedPurple
If being white isn't cool in the US why did she choose to pretend to be Spanish rather than a POC?[/quote]
Because there would be no way she could pull that one off. She wanted to be 'exotic', but not too exotic. Just a little something to give an 'edge' to her stereotypically privileged WASP background.

NewyearNewme2021 · 28/12/2020 18:25

But Spaniards are white like Celts. Just darker eyes and hair!

TatianaBis · 28/12/2020 18:26

@froggywentacarolling

a lot of people have made that point seriously because it is a serious point.

No it isn't.

A minor sleb trying to get attention by lying that she was born in a foreign country has nothing to do with trans issues and nothing to do with "identifying" as anything, since HB does not "identify" as Spanish, she simply invented details of her past for commercial gain.

Minor slebs trying to get attention by declaring themselves to be a different gender is pretty similar. As is prisoners declaring themselves trans to get out of a male prison. Not saying all trans are like that - many are sincere.

HB identifies as Spanish and she has lied about her past.

Fizzydrinks123 · 28/12/2020 18:30

It is relevant to explore the similarities and problems that can arise from distorting facts - whether geographical; cultural or biological.

Those saying they can't understand why people are using this story to expose the inconsistencies in being asked to "believe" someone has changed biological sex are not trying very hard to expand their minds.

I am all for people doing whatever they want with their body, but do not agree that anyone's birth certificate should be altered.

Do you really not think there is an analogy to explore alone the lines that this story has brought into sharp focus?

Is changing a birth certificate retrospectively not being asked to rewrite "truth" - can we therefore ask for the location to be changed and say we feel Spanish so would like the birth certificate to represent that.

It isn't considered to be "kind" to expose a fairy tale nowadays and calls for being "kind" and don't mention the "truth" are dystopian.

NewyearNewme2021 · 28/12/2020 18:34

@Fizzydrinks123

It is relevant to explore the similarities and problems that can arise from distorting facts - whether geographical; cultural or biological.

Those saying they can't understand why people are using this story to expose the inconsistencies in being asked to "believe" someone has changed biological sex are not trying very hard to expand their minds.

I am all for people doing whatever they want with their body, but do not agree that anyone's birth certificate should be altered.

Do you really not think there is an analogy to explore alone the lines that this story has brought into sharp focus?

Is changing a birth certificate retrospectively not being asked to rewrite "truth" - can we therefore ask for the location to be changed and say we feel Spanish so would like the birth certificate to represent that.

It isn't considered to be "kind" to expose a fairy tale nowadays and calls for being "kind" and don't mention the "truth" are dystopian.

Yes

I have trans friends and I think gender dysphoria must be hell on earth but then my friends are like the majority of transpersons who are trying to get on with their lives. I feel it's the woke brigade rather than non-binary peeps who are into this ciswomen aren't the only women stuff

NewyearNewme2021 · 28/12/2020 18:43

Am a bit bamboozled to think that the
US consider Spanish people as POC. I suppose it is a bit like them considering Irish or Jewish people as black back in the day. Or maybe confusing Spanish with Hispanic?

It's bizarre. The physical features and skin colour in someone from Central or South America look v different to a Spanish persons! I guess race is a social construct rather than an actual thing

Vitaminsss · 28/12/2020 18:45

@NewyearNewme2021 English people consider the Spanish and other Europeans as “POC” too. If you’re not a native of this country, you’re “othered”. I don’t see why America would be different

Cherrysoup · 28/12/2020 18:47

@WhenPidgeonsCry I think you’re reinforcing what I said ie don’t generalise, not everyone finds something hard but others do. Some people will find it hard, others won’t. I’m not trying to minimise anyone’s achievement. I find speaking a different language with an authentic accent easy.

I also unconsciously start speaking like others and use their sayings. When I used to write and receive handwritten letters, I’d start to write like whoever I was replying to, I mean as in my handwriting would be the same as theirs. Tricky when marking books! My DH thinks I’m weird.

user1471565182 · 28/12/2020 18:48

People can offer up all the excuses they want for her, but you will never stop me from thinking What A Twat.

NewyearNewme2021 · 28/12/2020 18:49

[quote Vitaminsss]@NewyearNewme2021 English people consider the Spanish and other Europeans as “POC” too. If you’re not a native of this country, you’re “othered”. I don’t see why America would be different[/quote]
I don't know. Am of part Celtic, part European Jewish and part Romany descent but I don't get considered coloured. Othered? Yes. Marginalised? Yes. But when writing out forms I tick white other. No one questions it!

NewyearNewme2021 · 28/12/2020 18:50

@user1471565182

People can offer up all the excuses they want for her, but you will never stop me from thinking What A Twat.
I don't see anyone offering excuses. Most people think lying is wrong but the extent of her lying is she looks daft . She hasn't harmed anyone
user1471565182 · 28/12/2020 18:55

Yeah im not saying she has harmed anyone and im not suggesting we get out the guillotine or anything. Im just saying its around that level of 'finding out a man has been lying about having a girlfriend and very publically gets found out' of 'what a twat' territory.

Vitaminsss · 28/12/2020 18:55

@NewyearNewme2021 I guess there’s a hierarchy: White British, white European/white other, then other ethnicities. So you’re not quite a POC in the literal sense, but you’re also not a native white Brit. I think Spaniards would be considered one of the more “acceptable” Europeans though, people from Poland or Romania are likely to experience more xenophobia although they generally look white British.

NewyearNewme2021 · 28/12/2020 18:56

[quote Vitaminsss]@NewyearNewme2021 English people consider the Spanish and other Europeans as “POC” too. If you’re not a native of this country, you’re “othered”. I don’t see why America would be different[/quote]
I honestly have never heard of this. Europeans are considered white in Britain. Romanian, Polish, Spanish, Czech, French etc they may be considered foreign or other but it never based on skin colour or physical features. It couldn't be. How would you tell the difference between a White British person and a Spanish person until they opened their mouths and spoke in their language or accent? Or wore national dress?