Art is inherently political. It exists in the context in which it was created, and choosing not to consider that context will change its meaning, whether for better or worse. So, naturally, when Chappell Roan made several statements expressing her political views that were consistent with themes explored in her music, the Internet blew up.
In an interview with The Guardian, Chappell Roan said that she did not feel pressure to endorse a candidate for the 2024 Presidential Election, explaining, “I have so many issues with our government in every way… There’s problems on both sides. I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote — vote small, vote for what’s going on in your city.” She followed up with a TikTok, where she clarified that she is not voting for Trump but will “always question those in power and those making decisions over other people.”
Roan’s remarks have drawn both criticism and support. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg responded on the Bulwark Podcast that he’s “all for folks doing their research” while still emphasizing “a super clear choice” between the two candidates. Musician Ethel Cain took to Tumblr, where she posted, “the fact that even slight criticism of kamala, the public servant we’re expected to elect as the PRESIDENT of our COUNTRY as the PROGRESSIVE option, is seen as immediate unwavering support of trump… yall cannot actually be this stupid.” And SNL ran a skit where comedian Bowen Yang acted as Moo Deng, the pygmy hippopotamus who has gone viral across social media, as a way to depict how people are treating Roan like a literal zoo animal.
Much of the social media response demonstrates a refusal to engage with what Roan actually said. Any attempt to paint Chappell Roan’s initial statement as being supportive of Trump in any way is disingenuous at best and malicious at worst. Roan’s art is centered on her identity as a lesbian woman, and her persona is inspired by drag, which was pioneered by transgender people. She is not going to vote for Trump — which she herself has said. She was not equating both sides in her statement, but merely acknowledging that they both have their flaws. The backlash to her statement seems to also point to an unwillingness to engage in politics with nuance. Neither side should be immune from criticism, even if they are the better choice. Politicians should not be immune to criticism; they are public servants who in part, rely on criticism for feedback. You should hold politicians accountable. Roan is simply exercising her rights as a citizen to engage politically by expressing her opinions, even if it means criticizing Harris.
Her statements are also consistent with her past actions: she declined an invitation to perform at the White House’s Pride event for the reason: “We want liberty, justice and freedom for all. When you do that, that’s when I’ll come.” She also revealed that she had planned to read Palestinian poetry there, but was advised against it by her publicist. Roan’s opinion is not new, nor is it simply jumping on a trend. Why the backlash now?
I think part of people refusing to consider her statement with any nuance is the fact that Roan is a celebrity. And celebrity culture feeds off of the ownership and dehumanization of celebrities. Denying Roan’s ability to exist politically, or refusing to actually engage with what she said if commenting on it, lessens her ability to be human. It strips herself and her intended meaning from her art and action. Roan and celebrities are assigned a status that isn’t quite human — already, people have been stalking and harassing Roan and her family. People feel entitled to celebrities’ lives. I also think this culture of being chronically online fosters an obsession with everything celebrities say and do and gives too much weight to celebrities’ words. It is okay to log off of Twitter.
In fact, when Roan posted a TikTok in response to the harassment she was receiving, she received backlash. When Roan dares to act like a person, she receives backlash.
Why do people feel so entitled to celebrities? Celebrity culture is a culture of ownership. Once someone is famous, they are no longer allowed to be fully human or have their own life. Which plays out, as seen in Roan’s case, as extreme responses over a celebrity being human and taking very human actions.
Denying artists the right to have political opinions and their art to exist in a political context directly contributes to the dehumanization of celebrities. In the end, celebrities are just another human. They are flawed. They are allowed to have their own political opinions and can share them the exact same way any regular person can.
Pen Fang is a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences. They can be reached at [email protected].