By: Esha Bagora, Megan Hastings, Emery Curtis, and Hayley Strahs

Media Production Editor, Center Editor, and Graphics Editors

In the digital age, it is common to scroll through any social media platform and come across a post or story with an infographic about a major issue in the world. In 2020, they were about Covid-19, George Floyd, and Black Lives Matter (BLM). In 2021, they were about LGBTQ+ rights. In 2022, they were about the Russia-Ukraine War. Now, users have flooded the internet with pictures and posts from the Israel-Palestine conflict. Performative activism like this, singular efforts, and empty gestures — such as senselessly reposting things to seem trendy or woke — can end up doing more harm than good.  

The Boston Medical Center defines performative activism as “activism that is done to increase one’s social capital rather than because of one’s devotion to a cause.” Thoughtless social media posting, performative displays such as wearing certain clothing or accessories that are associated with a cause, token donations, selective activism, and attending single events with no follow-up are some of the most common examples of performative activism. All of these can be done without any genuine commitment and no true understanding of the issue. 

Recently, the watermelon has become a symbol of support for Palestinian liberation. Clothing lines and jewelry with watermelon emblems on them have significantly grown in popularity, yet many of the people wearing this symbol continue to buy from corporations that support the exact opposite. Simply wearing a watermelon symbol has no quantifiable effect on the well-being of Palestinians and does not spread awareness, as those aware of the symbol are already conscious of the war in Gaza. In addition, encapsulating the struggles of Palestinians in Gaza with a simple emoji distracts from the significance of the issue. 

Social media collective actions can also obscure the original meaning of movements. Blackout Tuesday, a large-scale Instagram demonstration in 2020 to stand against racism and police brutality, had thousands of participants posting blank black squares, which did not bring awareness, and pushed down grassroots movements and information by literally blacking them out.

Token donations occur when individuals or organizations donate sums of money for social justice causes and projects without addressing the underlying issues, verifying where the money is going, or actively working to dismantle systemic barriers and inequalities. One frequent example is Chick-fil-A. Known for their beloved fast food, the company constantly and consistently donated to anti-LGBTQ+ organizations. They were scrutinized in 2019 for this practice, and the company stopped those donations in order to appease the public’s demands, seemingly supporting LGBTQ+ during Pride month, and adding a rainbow theme to their menu. However, Chick-fil-A’s CEO Dan Cathy continues to donate enormous sums of money to the same anti-LGBTQ+ organizations, such as the National Christian Charitable Foundation, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Salvation Army. 

Selective activism is most common in celebrities, when they engage in activism only when it aligns with their personal interests or boosts their platform, while ignoring other important social justice issues. Modern idols and icons such as Taylor Swift pick and choose which injustices they speak out on, leaving their young and vulnerable fan bases confused. Swift claims to be a women’s rights activist and has outwardly criticized issues such as the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, yet her “activism” primarily consists of one-off tweets and Instagram story posts. Celebrities often miss opportunities to use their platforms and influence for broader, more inclusive social change, potentially overshadowing grassroots movement. If celebrities used their huge platforms to spread awareness about pressing issues, or partnering up with nonprofits, their viewers could be inspired to take action. Furthermore, activism posting has to be educated, sophisticated, and informed. 

When activism becomes something that people feel pressured to participate in, the real meaning behind the cause loses authenticity and value. Real change requires ongoing efforts toward the cause itself. By posting about a social issue without doing any prior research, it creates the illusion that progress is being made without actually addressing the roots of the problem. There are many ways to truly support a cause to show support; the easiest is through education. By learning and understanding the history behind a social justice issue from books and articles, you can form your own stance on the topic. Simply reading a few news stories grounded in facts and statistics can help educate everyone and prevent mindless and ignorant reposts. This is not to say that people cannot post about or speak on social issues, but the goal is to avoid oversimplifying nuanced issues. Another way to practice real activism is to contribute to small businesses with connections to the issue. Supporting Asian businesses, LGBTQ+ businesses, Black businesses, Indigenous businesses, and Hispanic businesses can reverse systematic oppression and decades of suffering at the hands of social injustice, such as poverty or job discrimination. 

It is also imperative to use and speak out about your privilege. If you hold a position that allows you to speak up and facilitate discussions on social issues concerning any marginalized group, then do so. 

It is most important to take action without publicizing it. If you find your activism is highly publicized, challenge yourself to take more private steps such as the aforementioned education — without telling everyone how educated you are. Strive to take meaningful actions and understand that smaller, less visible changes contribute the most to justice.

(Sources: Boston Medical Center, Esquire, Johns Hopkins Newsletter, KQED, Medium, NME, Power in Place, Project Muse, PureWow, SagePub, Youth Friendly)