What Is A 'Snowflake?' Origin Of Insult From Alt-Right Leaders Who Support Trump

In the current fiery clash of left vs. right, insults are often lobbed from one side to the other, berating each other's political views. Arguably one of the most popular jabs these day is calling someone a “snowflake.” #HowToSpotASnowflake began trending on Twitter Wednesday, leading to a showdown between those who were hurling the insult and those who were throwing it back ironically.

Urban Dictionary defines a snowflake in its modern-day usage as an “overly sensitive person that doesn’t take criticism well.” It’s often used by the alt-right in reference to liberal culture.

“#HowToSpotASnowflake Anyone holding a $6 cup of coffee while complaining about minimum wage. Also any male wearing a man bun,” one Twitter user wrote.

“#HowToSpotASnowflake They show up to march in a protest but when interviewed, they don’t know what they’re protesting,” another wrote.

“#HowToSpotASnowflake Their screaming about the evils of capitalism on their iPhone from the patio at Starbucks,” said a user.

But those who took issue with the term began firing back with some tongue in cheek responses.

“#HowToSpotASnowflake They know the difference between you’re and your,” someone tweeted.

“#HowToSpotASnowflake 1. Not foaming at the mouth 2. Literate 3. Dignified 4. Uses complete sentences 5. Knows #NotMyPresident is true 6. Awake,” one user wrote.

The term snowflake dates back to the 1860s when it was used to describe a person who was opposed to the abolition of slavery, according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. It’s now viewed more as a term to describe someone who is fragile, with likely origins in the 1996 movie “Fight Club.”

“Listen up maggots, you are not special,” the oft-quoted line in the movie said. “You are not the beautiful or unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic matter as everything else.”

Kellyanne Conway, counselor to President Donald Trump, has wielded the insult herself.

“We are just treating these adolescents and millennials like precious snowflakes,” she told Fox News’ Sean Hannity in the days after the election, referring to protests of Trump’s election. “I’m amazed as how many emails I’m receiving of all these professors saying you don’t have to take the test, you don’t get college credit if you protest.”