How to Avoid Performative Activism
In this digital age of social distancing, one cannot deny the inseparable relationship between activism and social media. You see it on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or even on TikTok where individuals are calling for change as social injustice continues to unfold in our broken world. The rise of social media activism has prompted more people to take part in voicing out about grave issues instead of standing in the middle of the situation. The numerous amounts of petitions and donations links can be seen as soon as you tap into your social feed.
However, like every circumstance, there is another side to the coin. While social media activism has been cited in aiding to promote massive awareness to the public, it has also been responsible for the birth of performative activism. The term rose to popularity during the tragic muder of the late George Floyd. It gained wider use on social media during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protest. According to Wikipedia, performative activism is coined as activism that is done as a means to increase one’s social capital rather than their devotion to the cause.
So, today, we will be presenting you 5 ways to make sure you do not fall into the reigns of performative activism.
1. Understand why you’re doing it in the first place
If the reason for why you’re speaking out is because it’s a trending hashtag on social media or you’re looking to boost your public image, you might want to sit down and re-evaluate your choices. Take the #blackouttuesday for example, where we have seen countless people flock to Instagram to post a black square on their feed in solidarity to the movement. This was a problem as the black blocks were erasing all necessary and important information as well as resources such as donations and petitions that could actually help the movement when they started using the #blacklivesmatter on their posts.
Another thing to point out is that the majority of the individuals who posted the black squares went on to post their regular content the next day. They did little to contribute to the movement. Yes, you probably started out with good intentions, but perhaps you could also do more than just posting a picture with a hashtag. Share caards that contain valuable updates about the issue. Talk about it instead of staying silent but then suddenly appearing with a black square. Do more.
2. Donate (if you can)
Only if you have the capabilities to! We understand that donating may not be for everyone due to your financial background so don’t force yourself to. However, if you want to help and have some extra money in your pocket, donate to support protestors and organizations. Your funds can really benefit them in the long run — be it helping them operate their cause or even acting as bail funds for protestors.
3. Use your talent
If you don’t have the means to donate, there are other ways you can do your part in assisting as well! You write? Write an article about the issue for your local newspaper or a blog. You design? Create educational infographics and post them on your social media accounts to spread more awareness. You like organizing events? Hold a webinar about the issue to inform the public. If there’s one good thing the Internet has offered is that information can be found in a click just as it can be shared with a tap. Ask yourself what you can bring to the table when it comes to getting involved with social issues.
4. Educate with compassion
Activism doesn’t have to stop at your Twitter account. Be loud about it outside the digital world as well! Tell your families why some of the things they’re saying are not funny or your friends why it’s not okay to use slurs in their day-to-day conversations. Share what you’ve learned to the people around you so that they can know about it as well and hopefully, share it to other individuals. This will create a ripple effect of making sure people stay informed! If they don’t understand, educate them with compassion. You can share articles for them to read so they can be more well-versed with the issue.
5. Volunteer and protest
The local NGOs need extra hands? Find some time to help them out! You can invoke change just by contributing your time and effort. In return, you will be able to learn more about the issue at hand. So, keep a lookout for recruitment posters on their social media pages and look for roles you think you might be able to help in.
You can also attend protests if it’s within your capacity because we understand that not everyone has the privilege to march down for their rights. However, do make sure to stay safe when you’re participating in a demonstration. Make sure you are well-informed of the implications that might occur from your involvement and your rights as citizens to assemble peacefully. Check advisory notices about the protest and in this pandemic time, make sure to maintain social distancing!
Activism is not performance, nor is it a trend. It is hard work that can take a taxing toll on you. It is not as easy as posting a selfie of you attending a march and putting a hashtag. We should never equate or dumb down concerning social issues into a simple hashtag. We can do more. We SHOULD do more.
[Written by: Jane Law]
