By Lily Nussbaum | Art and Life Intern
As a self-proclaimed fangirl, I’ve spent a lot of money, time, and resources keeping up with my favorite artists, actors, and personalities. That being said, I’ve realized that it’s okay to hold your “favs” accountable and criticize them when they’re behaving in a harmful manner.
Celebrities, like everyone else, can mess up. The only difference is that their mistakes are public. While it may not seem fair, their popularity allows them to be held at a higher level. More people have access to their content, and if they behave in a harmful way, that’s fine with their following.
To stop this phenomenon, fans need to feel comfortable raising their voices, and other fans shouldn’t attack them when they do so. I think there’s often a stigma within fandoms that if you speak badly of a celebrity, you’re not a true fan.
think again
By reviewing celebrity behavior, you encourage them to learn from their mistakes and grow, which inadvertently makes them better people and role models for their following.
For example, when Lizzo released a snippet of her single “Grrrls” in June, it contained a ableist insult. While the term may have a different connotation in the US than it does in the UK, the term still derives from “spastic,” which describes the movements of people suffering from spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy.
Fans called her out on various social media platforms, disappointed in her lyrics. Criticism has ranged from calls for the song to be removed from all streaming services, to having the lyrics changed and the song re-recorded. Rather than ignore the criticism, Lizzo acknowledged her shortcomings.
In a statement, Lizzo showed humility. She listened to her fans, took the song down, educated herself, re-recorded it, and apologized.
With fans ready to slam her, Lizzo had an opportunity to educate herself on an issue she knew nothing about and become a better ally for a marginalized community. Additionally, it helped teach any of her fans who were also unaware of the harmfulness of using the word.
Another example of this is Coldplay. It’s no secret that music tours are very bad for the environment. According to a report by Julie’s Bicycle, an environmental non-profit, live music causes 405,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year in the UK alone.
Music fans have been churning out these criticisms for a while, and in 2019 Coldplay was listening. They decided to stop touring due to environmental concerns.
After two years of consulting with environmental experts and finding ways to make tours more sustainable, Coldplay is back on the road and has committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 50%.
While this decision and change wasn’t just the result of music fans demanding better touring principles, the fans played a part in it. Additionally, fans who are now supporting these new initiatives are showing fellow artists that they care about the environment, just as much as seeing someone live at a concert is important to them.
Criticism can lead to improvements. If you claim to be someone’s fan and that person acts or becomes harmful, it’s your job to confront them.
Will your one vote persuade someone with 12 million followers to change their behavior? no But the reality is that change can happen when many voices come together, and your “favorites” will be better people for it.
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