As the election approaches, many people are expressing opinions on the candidates online or in public, and some of these people happen to be celebrities.
On Sept. 24, Chappell Roan found herself in hot water for publicly stating she would not endorse Kamala Harris’ candidacy. This came following the fact she chose not to perform at the White House for the Biden administration due to the ongoing genocide in Palestine in which the United States is providing Israel with weaponry.
The internet took this as it usually does with any political take and blew the hell up. People started criticizing Roan for endorsing Donald Trump by not endorsing Harris. Roan then publicly stated she would be voting for Harris and said that both parties are crooked and that condemning a party does not imply support for the other.
Now, I will be honest: This is a take that should elicit less of a reaction. The majority of people would agree on the idea that both political parties are flawed and the best way to live lies somewhere in between their visions. I mean, more Americans identify as independent rather than with either party. However, as is the media illiterate tradition, a famous woman said something with the slightest bit of nuance, so let’s pile on her and claim she hates Democrats!
As you can probably tell, I hate that one must align oneself 100% with a party’s political ideals. It is extremely reductionist and limits how effectively we can have actual political discourse. Roan is valid to voice those thoughts saying she won’t endorse a candidate who doesn’t reflect her values — not to mention she never said she wouldn’t vote for Harris. She said she would be voting for Harris in this election but just refuses to endorse her.
At the root of this issue, there’s this idea that every celebrity has to participate in aligning themselves with one candidate and one political party. Plenty of celebrities aren’t political and don’t speak on political issues, but plenty do. And when they do, they often don’t speak to the nuanced takes from both the Democratic and Republican parties.
Roan isn’t being criticized for her opinion. She’s being criticized because people are so used to the precedent that a celebrity will support a party with little to no actual criticism of said party. That in particular is what makes me so peeved about the situation. Her actual choice didn’t matter; she chose to vote for Harris, but she’s being criticized because she refuses to use her fanbase to support a candidate who doesn’t fully align with her ideals.
The actual problem people have is with what she is saying, not with her actual actions. If you truly believe Roan is in the wrong, it shouldn’t matter. You should vote for the candidate you support. That is your choice, not someone else’s. It doesn’t matter what others think, it matters how you use your abilities to support a candidate.
Famous or otherwise, everyone can influence an election in their own way.
Editor’s note: This article was written before the results of the 2024 presidential election.
