Performative activism and the BLM movement
The murder of George Floyd shocked many people to the core, and although some described it as a ‘wake up call’, racism and police brutality have been ongoing issues for hundred of years. The days and weeks after George Floyd’s death saw protests happen in more than 60 countries around the world, but at the time, the movement seemed to spark something much more than a fight against police brutality, it was a fight against racism that almost everybody wanted to take a part in.
Social media was filled with conversations on BLM and the experiences that many have faced within society. More and more stats were released on the differences ethnic minorities experienced in different systems compared to white people. Black women have a maternal mortality rate five times that of white women, those from minority ethnic groups in the UK are also more likely to die from COVID yet there was no evidence that showed that those from these background were more vulnerable due to a genetic predisposition. People were being directed towards how they could be better allies and it felt like some progress was being made.
Although on social media there seems to have been an outpouring of support from numerous individuals and organisations, it is not all genuine. The #blackouttuesday hashtag took over Instagram to show solidarity with the BLM movements and put a focus towards ways people could help. However, since then some individuals have done nothing more to show their support or spread awareness on ways to combat racism. For many who continue to support the BLM movement and fight against racism, this is where performative activism became evident. As the media coverage died down, so did the visible support from other groups of people. However, this is not where performative activism started and it runs deeper than people posting a black square on Instagram with nothing afterwards.
Several organisations have published statements on standing together as a society and fighting against racism. Some have released their diversity reports, showing how many of their employees are from different ethnic groups. However, a company having a large number of employees from minority ethnic groups does not equate to equal treatment between all employees, whether that be unequal pay or constant micro-aggressions within the work-place. One thing to remember with social media, is that many people only show what they want to be seen. For example, although many fashion shows may have a diverse group of models, many black and brown women have spoken on the difficulties they face in having makeup artists matching foundation to their skin tone, or hair professionals being unable to style and take care of their natural hair appropriately.
Trying to present a surface image of allyship without being educated properly on behaviours that can be harmful to different groups of people defeats the purpose. Furthermore, it aides in producing the idea that we have progressed in society when we have not, and can lead to people believing that those from minority groups are ‘victimising’ themselves when speaking on the racism they experience. The BLM movement or any movement that encourages progress towards equality between different groups is not a trend. For many it is a livelihood and something that should be respected.
Commentary by Ira Alecia Gardner