People are finally having enough of black and indigenous people being murdered and their murderers getting away with it. The justice system is working against them, and enough is enough. Everybody should be speaking up about the systematic racism faced by many, and plenty of people are. However, this is not a trend, yet people are treating it as such. They take part in social media challenges and post useless squares on their feeds. They are participating in performative activism.
Performative activism is when somebody engages in activism to gain praise or recognition, instead of actually caring about the cause. This kind of “activism” usually does very little to further the cause. Some people might not even realize what they’re doing, I am not entirely innocent either. To check that what you’re doing is actually beneficial, ask yourself important questions.
What does what you’re doing accomplish?
How is what you’re doing beneficial to the cause?
Do you fully understand what it is you're fighting for?
Are you worried about the issues or how others perceive you?
Now, why is this actually a problem? Well, these kinds of useless actions of activism take away from real issues. Take the #blackouttuesday trend. That was intended to be a break from posting about personal topics, as a way to honor victims of racially targeted police brutality. Yet everyone was posting black squares with the hashtag #blacklivesmatter. Educational and live-saving information was being buried underneath the sea of squares. The same people using that hashtag were also the ones who only posted that and decided they did enough. So not only were they covering crucial information, they weren’t sharing it. Another “trend” was a BLM chain mail, which was also harmful to the movement. It cheapened the entire cause and made it seem like just another social media trend. In reality, people were and still are being murdered by the organization meant to protect them. There are so many other examples of performative activism online, and I challenge you to see if you can spot them.
Performative activism also goes beyond social media. Large corporations, celebrities, and local governments are also guilty of it. They’re renaming streets and products, and writing “Black Lives Matter” on their websites. Yes, we shouldn’t have streets named after racist people, and it’s great that they’re showing they support the movement. However, this is all secondary, and quite frankly, it’s distracting. The people are not being listened to, and the Black Lives Matter movement is being trivialized. Nobody cares much about a cartoon character voiced by a white actor, people want to see real change. Many are calling for the reformation of police, asking more funding to educate officers, arresting the murderers of victims, and passing bills to protect black and indigenous communities. Everything else is taking away from the big problems.
Maybe you’re wondering how you can do something actually meaningful. First of all, sign petitions. It’s such a simple way to gain the attention of those who have the power to make a change. Another great way to reach them is to contact them directly. Send emails, texts, and call them and better yet make others do it too. Don’t let them brush it under the rug, and be sure to hold them accountable. Finally, educate yourself. Learn about the cause, it’s history, and everything else there is to know about it. It’s nobody's job but your own to learn.
To find more resources about Black Lives Matter and racism in North America, visit our article, Giving Yourself a Lesson on Racism
Visit https://blacklivesmatter.com/ to sign petitions, learn, and donate
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