More Than A Hashtag: How Celebrities Are Using Their Platforms For Good
A shoutout to those that are doing their part.
by CHLOE HECHTER ★ JUNE 9, 2020
In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, we were given our first glimpse into how celebrities use their power and privilege to handle crises. After a video of Madonna in her bathtub and an off-key rendition of “Imagine” went viral, we began to realize that perhaps some of our most prevalent influencers don’t effectively utilize their platforms to create change. In light of the incredible resurgence of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, we continue to see how celebrities implement their cultural impact to generate change in society. Seeing popular white celebrities release cliché phrases like “I just needed this time to gather my thoughts” is a disappointing awakening and raises questions about why they haven’t been using their privilege to evoke positive change all along.
With social media being our primary source of communication, it is not uncommon to look to high-status figures for guidance when we aren’t quite sure where to turn. While some A-listers have been silent for far too long, others have been actively using their clout in beneficial ways.
Singer Billie Eilish addressed her 63 million Instagram followers with a powerful statement in response to the counter movement, #AllLivesMatter. Eilish used her voice to explain that “no one is saying your life doesn't matter...no one is saying your life is not hard...no one is saying literally anything about you,” in addition to providing several examples clarifying the importance of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. At only 18 years old, she targets a certain demographic of women between the ages of 13 and 24. Seeing this kind of activism during their developmental period will help these young adults recognize the issues at hand and perhaps inspire them to take further action of their own.
Rihanna not only took to Instagram and Twitter to promote the movement, but her companies, Fenty, Fenty Beauty, and Savage x Fenty all went on pause in light of #BlackoutTuesday. The sites replaced their typical homepages with a statement that read “We are not staying silent and we are not standing by. The fight against racial inequality, injustice, and straight-up racism doesn’t stop with financial donations and words of support.” They also declared solidarity with the black community, employees, family, friends, and colleagues across all industries taking part in the movement.
Credit: @SavageXFenty via Twitter
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have been proud supporters of the movement for years, going back to 2014 when they hired food trucks to feed protestors marching on behalf of Eric Garner. Since then, Chrissy has been using her iconic Twitter platform to speak out against injustice, tweeting that “In celebration of whatever the f**k maga night is, I am committed to donating $100,000 to the bailouts of protesters across the country.” She continues to encourage protestors to stay safe and hydrated as well as urging them to keep this level of passion when it comes time to vote.
Kim Kardashian faced several days of backlash for staying silent; however, she then utilized her website as a place to write an open letter demonstrating her support for the movement. With her family in mind, Kim wrote “I want my children to grow up knowing that their lives matter. I do not ever want to have to teach my son to be scared of the police, or tell him that he has to watch his back.”
Jaz Sinclair and Ross Lynch joined protestors in L.A. with Chilling Adventures of Sabrina cast mates, as well as Halsey, Tessa Thompson, and Timothée Chalamet, who warned his Instagram following to stay safe during the introduction of tear gas. Sinclair posted on Instagram holding a sign that read “Black Lives have always mattered.”
Ross Lynch and Jazz Sinclair join L.A. protestors.
Credit: Vogue
On the flip side, YouTuber Jake Paul faces charges in criminal trespass and unlawful assembly after having joined looters at the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall in Arizona. While certain participants of these riots have intentions of making change, others are simply condoning acts of violence and breaking the law. A now deleted video documents Paul among a group of individuals who are breaking into closed stores, carrying dozens of stolen items, shouting, and breaking bottles. As stated by an apology issued on Paul’s Twitter, he had been peacefully protesting during the day, however, he wound up getting in trouble for filming these events, which he stated was “an effort to share our experience and bring more attention to the anger felt in every neighborhood...I do not condone looting, violence, or breaking the law.” According to Scottsdale police officer Sgt. Ben Hoster, Paul was issued an order to appear in court in a month.
While various high-status figures have not been taking as much legitimate action as we’d like to see, so many are doing all they can and using their power to generate a more positive and profound impact. We hope to see a continued increase in actions taken by those with the opportunities to reach large audiences, as this fight is far from over.
Cover photo credit: @emrata via Instagram