By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer, and Olivia Visser, Opinions Editor
Content warning: brief mentions of death and police brutality.
Performative activism refers to actions taken by someone to project a persona of allyship without true dedication to the cause in their personal life. This can include sharing social media posts to uphold a desired image. Many have expressed valid concern over rising levels of performative activism, but what can we do about it? How do you know the intentions behind someone’s post, especially if you don’t know them personally? Does calling people out for performative activism detract from opportunities to educate?
Olivia: Allyship is something that looks different for everyone. While you often can’t know a stranger or acquaintance’s intentions when it comes to their activism, that also doesn’t mean you should make blanket assumptions about their motive. Performative activism is a product of your intent rather than your actions. One instance that comes to mind is #BlackoutTuesday. When people changed their Instagram profile pictures to black squares in recognition of George Floyd and police brutality, others expressed caution about the movement. Many critics have rightfully discussed how #BlackoutTuesday was, for many, a fleeting moment of performative support for Black lives. At the same time, mass demonstrations of support are powerful, and #BlackoutTuesday was spearheaded by Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas, two Black women music executives and activists. I don’t think it’s fair to say people shouldn’t involve themselves in a movement to avoid seeming performative — rather, we should continually evaluate our intentions and make sure our actions line up.
Another example is Orange Shirt Day — a day meant to recognize the legacy of residential schools and honour those affected by them. Some have discussed how the movement has spurred performative activism, but it’s more nuanced than saying a shirt itself is the issue. Orange Shirt Day was founded by Phylis Webstad, a Northern Secwpemc residential school survivor from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation. Webstad’s orange shirt was “stripped from her” after arriving at a residential school. “The colour orange has always reminded me of that and how my feelings didn’t matter,” she recalled. IndigiNews reported that “if you didn’t know Webstad’s story, you could be forgiven for thinking that Orange Shirt Day is a day for buying and selling orange shirts, and little else,” adding that “what began as a well-intentioned act of solidarity has been tainted by capitalism.” Meaningful movements often get wrapped up in corporate profit, which is why it’s so important to support and uplift the voices of those you’re standing up for.
Yasmin: Calling people out for performative activism does nothing to actually help — it just demeans the pursuit of standing up for a cause and, in turn, discourages and puts people down for trying. I can understand that when sharing a post, one may not know much about the topic at hand. While I agree that online demonstrations of support are powerful, online activism often loses its impact when it becomes a trend to showcase your support without understanding the intent behind it. It’s easy to be influenced by your friends or public figures on social media and be pressured into sharing or reposting content despite your lack of education on the subject.
Back in 2020, I reposted a lot of stories regarding the Black Lives Matter protests. While I did believe in the cause and I was talking to the people around me about it, in retrospect I was neglecting my own self-education about the topic. I believe that first and foremost people should be well-informed on a subject before clicking share, especially with the presence of unreliable news sources and social media posts. For a high school research paper, I used AllSides, a site that compares and contrasts biases in news. I found that by isolating the hidden biases in individual articles, it was easier for me to learn about topics. People shouldn’t rely on social media alone for their activism. Changing your profile picture, reposting a story, putting an emoji in your bio — these are all ways of showing your support through a screen. But, they shouldn’t be the extent of your support. Educating yourself, engaging in dialogue, attending rallies or protests, and donating if you can are all acts that contribute to change.
How you come across on social media is never more important than the cause at hand, and it takes a personal effort to make sure you show up on and offline.
Olivia: Small modes of action are important and add up. It’s also worth considering that there are people who can’t attend rallies or organize offline, whether due to disability or various life conflicts. Online activism is valid, and while for many it’s just one part of their allyship, this isn’t true for everyone. Considering how easy it is to reach a mass audience online, social media movements can and do make waves. The #MeToo movement comes to mind, which saw women across the world sharing their experiences with misogyny and sexual abuse. It resulted in many men in positions of high power being called out and boycotted by brands and labels. Today, the #FreePalestine movement has brought crucial information to the news feeds of many who may not otherwise be up to date with current events — especially considering the biased and incomplete reporting from publications. In cases like these, social media activism has the potential to fill the gaps in mainstream media coverage.
However, you’re right that misinformation (and even disinformation) runs rampant in online spaces — even when intentions are good. Last week, The Lancet published a report estimating that the death toll in Gaza may eventually reach 186,000. Many publications and social media users misinterpreted the article and claimed it says the current death toll is 186,000. While the prediction being made isn’t any less significant, it goes to show how important it is to fact-check your information before sharing. Cross-checking your information with multiple credible news sources is important, as many of these misinterpretations came from Instagram graphics. I’m not saying that online activism is performative in this case, but that it comes with a level of responsibility to avoid spreading misinformation.
Yasmin: Absolutely. Outreach and advocacy knows no bounds, and whatever someone is able to do for a cause should be valued and acknowledged. Online traction is essential for movements, especially those that uplift marginalized groups. The #MeToo movement is a great example of women coming together to engage in dialogue about their experiences and also bringing light to those at fault or who refuse to take action. With enough traction and attention online, it carries over into real-world consequences.
Something that crosses my mind are protests or shows of activism that seem to backfire from their original intent. I think back to the environmental activists who threw soup at the Mona Lisa. Sure, there are different forms of protest and activism, but I feel like the point is lost when it comes to disruptive acts like that. It’s good to have spirit but it’s even better to know how to direct it wisely and effectively.
Just searching things up online, coming to a conclusion, and leaving it at that, isn’t right. Talking with your peers and engaging in conversations about an issue, especially with a variety of people, broadens our understanding about topics and can even strengthen our beliefs. I do believe there should be a line drawn at some point between progressive discussion and hostile disagreement — but that’s ultimately in the hands of whoever’s participating. Effective activism is rarely, if ever, an individual effort. That’s why it’s so important to make sure we continue doing what we can and having these conversations outside of social media when possible.
