Chances are, you’ve heard someone say “keep politics out of *insert thing*” before. Sports, film, music, fashion, you name it! It’s common to hear this when something, whether a performance, a song, or an outfit, sparks controversy. The phrase is typically used to express a desire to preserve cultural spaces as a form of escapism.
The craziest thing about this saying, though, is that it’s totally unrealistic — and it always has been because everything is inherently political.
Culture is a reflection of society, and it seems that the issue doesn’t lie with the fact that everything is political, but with which politics people are comfortable with.
Politics in Sports
American sports, especially football, have generally been seen as a politics-free zone, despite their striking similarities. They’re a key part of American culture, partially because of their connection to national identity and pride, often featuring national anthem performances and military flyovers.
Aside from these obvious patriotic displays, fan culture is what really holds it all together. There’s a strong “pick a side” mindset among fans who passionately support and defend their teams, sometimes going to great lengths, and sports controversies frequently become a battleground for left versus right-wing political debates.
Recently, the highly anticipated Super Bowl Halftime Show featured Bad Bunny. The announcement quickly sparked backlash, mainly from Republicans, who claimed he is “un-American” and suggested he wouldn’t connect with American audiences despite being one of the top artists worldwide.
Although these claims have been widely debunked, an alternative show was organized by the conservative organization, Turning Point USA, called the All-American Halftime Show. Ironically, the effort to “keep politics out of sports” resulted in creating an even larger political spectacle out of a beloved tradition.
Politics in Film
Film has always incorporated political themes through visual and auditory storytelling. Even films that appear to be purely for entertainment and not for YouTube video essay analysis rabbit holes are often full of political undertones.
2025, however, was a big year for political themes in film. Recent films, like Sinners and One Battle After Another, were very straightforward with their messaging. They brilliantly blended modern storytelling with themes of social tensions, race, and corruption, and they happen to align with current political events as well.
For example, One Battle After Another opens with a revolutionary group breaking into an immigration detention center and freeing detainees, a plot point that’s unfortunately perfectly timed with the rise in immigration-related social injustices.
Beyond the final product, their development, promotion, and reception from critics and audiences demonstrate the prevalence of political attitudes, values, and beliefs in entertainment. Even award shows get political! What we consider fun press tours actually double as campaigns for awards.
The really obsessed, speaking from experience, will gather around their TV about 20 times per year and support their favorite actors, films, and filmmakers in what are basically mini elections. The ups and downs of awards season are truly reminiscent of election years.
Politics in Music
In a similar way to films, music has always incorporated political themes that reflect the times. Lyrics, sound, and visuals all play an important role in expressing social values, cultural shifts, and identity.
In 2024, Beyoncé released her eighth studio album, Cowboy Carter. The album reinterpreted the country music genre, historically framed as white and conservative, by challenging genre norms and highlighting the Black roots of country music, from the banjo to Black artists old and new who continue to pioneer and shape the genre.
It was inspired after Beyoncé faced racist backlash when performing at the 2016 Country Music Awards, and she later went on to win Album of the Year at the GRAMMYs for it.
Still, Beyoncé was put at the center of widespread conversation about who country music is “for” and who can be recognized within the genre. When an album can evoke such strong reactions and debates over topics such as history and race, it proves the existence of the deeply intertwined relationship between art and politics.
Politics in Fashion
Historically speaking, fashion has always been a way to visually express political values. Colors have been used to reflect changing tones, trends have been used to reflect economic changes, and symbols and certain styles have been used to reflect advocacy and protest.
In recent years, statement accessories have become a staple in red carpet fashion. Pins with simple yet clear political messages are the new go-to. Now, whether or not these pins are effective in spreading awareness and representing their wearer’s opinions is a different topic, but their increasing popularity offers a new way for fashion to reflect politics.
During this year’s awards season, on multiple red carpets, many celebrities have been spotted wearing pins that read “Ice Out” and “Be Good” as a response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) presence in Minneapolis and the murder of Renée Good.
It’s becoming more in-your-face as we navigate through more politically tense times, but this isn’t new. Politics has always played a role in culture, whether you’ve noticed it or not, and it’s here to stay.
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