In this country, we are all entitled to our own political opinions/beliefs. We all have a lot to say when it comes to political and social issues because they often directly affect us and the people around us. I believe if you have a platform where you can share what you believe then you should take advantage of that to make a positive change. Celebrities are constantly in the spotlight, giving them access to the perfect platform for political and social change.
In the past, the best place to get your point across as a celebrity was in the middle of accepting an award at a televised event. Meryl Streep and Ashton Kutcher both used their acceptance speeches to speak out about Donald Trump, while others used their speech to advocate for issues that were close to their hearts. Patricia Arquette spoke about the gender wage gap, and Common and John Legend discussed the freedom and justice that African-Americans deserve. All of these celebrities and more have used their awards as a way to let us know how they feel about things that are going on in our world. Sometimes they present us with facts and problems with our society that were otherwise unknown. Celebrities are using their influence to educate and inform us about what is going on around us and how they feel we should deal with it.
Singers and athletes have also used their “professional platforms” to share their political views and advocate for issues that are important to them. I have been to concerts for The 1975 and Florence And The Machine in the past where the artists took a break from performing to express their political views against Trump or inequality in this country. Other singers have used their concerts, and their lyrics to talk to their fans about issues that they often feel are more important than their music or performance. For athletes, it is a little bit more difficult to send political messages while competing, but, throughout history, they have found different ways to do just that. Recently, football player Colin Kaepernick knelt during the National Anthem at his NFL games to protest racial inequality and police brutality that has been evident in modern American culture. Athletes might not have the opportunity to speak while they are performing like singers, but both are able to let their fans know what they are supporting and why they are supporting it.
In my opinion, the platform that the famous use most often to speak out politically is social media. Most of the celebrities that I have already mentioned have Instagrams and Twitters where, as I have shown, they are able to talk directly to their followers and the Internet as a whole. Chris Evans, who fittingly portrays Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, uses his Twitter to speak for and against certain politicians and issues that he feels strongly about. Michelle Obama advocates for everything from voting to education on her social media where she has built up a substantial following. Even more recently, the normally politically quiet Taylor Swift has spoken out the importance of voting in the midterm elections and how she is voting for the Democratic candidates in Tennessee. Many celebrities have been stressing the importance of voting this November, using their platform and influence to encourage people to vote for what they believe in.
You know what’s insane? If a recording came out today of Kavanaugh, not from high school, or even college, but from just a few years ago, where he said he could ‘grab women by the pussy’, he would be DONE.
Why is the president of the United States held to a different standard?
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) September 27, 2018
The uses of their platforms that I described above, prove that celebrities have a right to voice their political and social opinions, and it is important that they do so. I believe that celebrities should get involved in politics because they allow us to understand what they stand for and discover if we ourselves stand for the same things. Even if we disagree with them, their words and actions will help bring to light the issues that often deserve our attention. Their fame drives people to listen to them when they talk passionately and knowledgeably about an issue that potentially affects us all. I also believe that, in a sense, celebrities provide a voice for many of us who are essentially voiceless because they have the platform and the influence. If anyone is capable of making positive change happen, it’s them.
*All photos courtesy of the respective people’s social media