Following the death of George Floyd, yet another innocent black man killed by a police officer, many Americans found themselves outraged that police brutality and racism are still prominent in 2020.
The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement swept across not only the nation, but the entire world. Marches and protests took place across the globe, and many BLM supporters began educating themselves and others on racial injustices that still occur today. Although many people are making an effort to combat racism, too many are partaking in performative activism.
Performative activism is when one expresses support for a social justice issue to build up their social image rather than for the sake of making a difference in society. For instance, people who put “BLM” in their social media bio yet don’t actively participate in the fight against injustice are guilty of performative activism. Spreading awareness for social justice movements isn’t harmful when it’s done with a conscious effort, but it becomes an issue when participants do so simply to make themselves look better.
Many politicians partook in performative activism long before the BLM movement. Perhaps you’ve seen a politician give a speech about social injustice but then neglect to work toward changing policies and laws. Or maybe you’ve seen a politician post a picture with an individual of another race to showcase inclusivity, yet they continue to predominantly work with only members of a certain race. In fact, one could argue that politicians are more inclined to be concerned with their social image than others are. They need to be liked and supported by the people, so they need to appear to be social justice activists.
Especially now that the BLM movement has spread across the United States, it’s evident which politicians are actively involved in the movement and which are not. A handful of politicians have resorted to performative acts to preserve their public image rather than getting involved in the fight for racial equality.
This past June, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser commissioned artists to paint “BLACK LIVES MATTER” across two blocks in the city. Despite this gesture, Bowser neglected to create any policy changes that would help the Black community in D.C., which is currently struggling from high unemployment rates and the rent crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Delilah Pierre, communications director of Tallahassee Community Action Committee spoke on the topic of Bowser’s performative act. “We’re asking for [BLM support] to be something that’s in practice. We’re asking for real systemic change to the system that oppresses and marginalizes Black people,” Pierre said, according to Politico. Politicians should use their power and influence to make change and set the precedent for other BLM supporters to do the same.
Since many supporters are unable to physically protest due to the pandemic, they’ve turned to remote acts against racism. This often consists of posting on social media to bring awareness to the BLM movement and signing petitions. While these are important to be completed, these acts alone aren’t enough to fight racial injustice in America.
While sharing renditions of Twitter user Marti Gould Cumming’s tweet that says, “Today is a beautiful day to arrest the cops who murdered Breonna Taylor” may display empathy for the BLM movement, its effect doesn’t stretch much farther than that. Instead, sharing posts that define and emphasize racial injustices in the workplace, classroom, media and more can effectively educate social media users. Sharing information and links to resources for the BLM movement and other social justice issues can help, too. This can potentially change people’s mindset and create a more inclusive society.
Supporters who would like to contribute to the BLM movement while staying safe at home can help by contacting legislators and politicians to advocate for laws that protect everyone equally. Creating more space in the media for marginalized voices and artists is another effective way to use one’s social media accounts.
Advocate for equality and practice what you preach!