Black Squares and Instagram Stories: Why Performative Activism Doesn’t Cut It
Breaking down the troubling trend of performative activism.
by AINSLEY HOLMAN ★ JUNE 3, 2020
Within the past week, social media has been flooded with photos, videos, graphics, charts, quotes, testimonials, and more regarding the recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black victims of police brutality. Platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter, are covered in calls-to-action and have become a catalyst for change. The hashtag “#BlackLivesMatter” has echoed throughout social media in an unprecedented manner. It seems that no matter where you turn, the Internet is collectively supporting the ongoing protests and strives for equality.
At first, I was proud of my fellow social media users. I thought, “Wow! Look at everyone posting about equality. Look at everyone sharing that cute graphic. Look at everyone putting these quotes on their Instagram stories. Look at everyone showing solidarity by raising awareness.”
It wasn’t until I viewed a tweet by Twitter user @sbxox_ that caused me to think differently and question the “activism” that is currently taking over social media platforms. The tweet reads, “your anti-racist posts are useless if you’re not trying to make a difference outside of social media.”
Credit: @sbxox_ via Twitter
I want you to read that tweet again (and one more time after that).
What we are beginning to see emerge with the #BlackLivesMatter movement is the substantial growth of performative activism. While it is not a new concept, performative activism has become a concerningly rising trend within the past week. It is a superficial form of activism that social media users utilize to either get brownie points for being seen on the “right side,” to feel like they have contributed to a movement, or to feel better than those who seem less active on social media.
I’ve seen many examples of performative activism this past week. Instagram stories, reminiscent of the quarantine-approved “#untiltomorrow” or orange-drawing trends, appear on my timeline, telling users “not to break the chain” and to “tag ten friends.” Aesthetically-pleasing graphics, depicting multicolored fists in the air with no relevant information on how to help, spam my Instagram stories. Black squares clog my feed, taking away platforms from Black creators and activists attempting to share necessary information and resources regarding the ongoing protests.
A quick guide to performative activism.
(Credit: @jayllian via Instagram)
The primary frustration with these postings is that it transformed the murder of a Black man into an Instagram trend, becoming a way for people to pat themselves on the back for showing that they are “woke.” It seems as if everyone is just posting content for the sake of participating within something, making Floyd’s death an aspect of trending “Instagram culture,” not the revolutionary movement it deserves to be regarded as. Furthermore, I have noticed that many of the people who are sharing these posts are the same ones who actively benefit from the structures that oppress minorities, and have chosen to stay silent on these issues in the past.
To be explicitly clear, I don’t mean to imply that posting on social media regarding the current #BlackLivesMatter movement is wrong, nor am I attempting to take away the power of social media awareness. Social media is a defining tool of our generation, as it helps give a voice to underrepresented groups and allows us to share opinions with others in an instant. However, the prevalence of performative culture has become social media’s Achilles heel, causing users to believe they’re making a difference when they really aren’t. This is due to the fatal flaw of it all: when you do not do anything outside of your social media post.
There are many ways to utilize social media platforms to help bring justice for the Black victims of police brutality, show support for protestors, protect and amplify the voices of the Black community, and more. A great place to start is by sharing links via Instagram and Twitter. Put an all-encompassing link like this one in your social media bio so that users can be directed to petitions, donation pages, and more! Instagram posts like this one and this one offer great tips on how to utilize social media to your advantage and protest virtually. Encourage your followers to educate themselves on the current issues, call their representatives, donate what they can, sign petitions, attend protests, and most importantly, start conversations.
This graphic is a great resource to share on your socials!
(Credit: @claudiasulewski via Instagram)
It is also crucial to make sure that your posts don’t disappear within 24 hours! Either post a static image to your timeline or create a story highlight with everything you have posted, making it timeless and accessible to all that visit your page.
Being an ally and an advocate for the #BlackLivesMatter movement means there is more than sharing an Instagram post to your story. It means there is more than posting a black square to your Instagram feed with no links to petitions or donation websites. It means there is more than the acts of performativity currently plaguing social media.
It is essential to utilize our platforms and voices to fight for the greater good of humanity. These protests are not trends to be capitalized on. They are part of a more significant movement to dismantle the structure of power within our society. By sharing a link to a petition or donation page, or posting phone numbers to text, you are doing something greater than the performative actions that social media culture often encourages. If you genuinely want to be an ally, challenge racism in yourself, in others, and your own home, not just when it suits you to look good on social media.
Click here for more information and links, including petitions and donation pages.
Click here for a pre-written email template you can send to Minnesota officials.
Click here for access to free PDFs on race, prison abolition, class, and more.
Cover photo credit: The Daily Mail