3/16/24, 12:46 PM Beware the pitfalls of performative activism | The Straits Times

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Beware the pitfalls of performative activism

Malavika Menon

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The slogan, however well intentioned, felt vague and hollow to some of the people in Singapore. PHOTO: MISS UNIVERSE SINGAPORE

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UPDATED AUG 29, 2021, 05:00 AM

As another edition of National Day celebrations came to a close last week, I took stock of what
has been a particularly rough year for Singapore society, with many from minority races
reflecting on identity and belonging.
In the wake of black American George Floyd's death in May last year in US city Minneapolis after
a forceful police arrest, celebrities and influencers, including those in Singapore, voiced support
for racial inclusion and equality.

Almost exactly a year later, when minority rights were discussed amid a string of racially charged
incidents that took place in Singapore, the local advocates had all but disappeared, unwilling to
openly talk about racism in their own backyard.
Social media users quickly took notice, with Reddit and Instagram pages dedicated to minority
causes calling out influencers and local companies for virtue signalling - public expression
intended to portray moral high ground or good character - and shying away from polarising
discussions for fear of alienating their follower base.
Why speak up on racism in faraway America and stay silent on racism issues in Singapore? The
double standard showed how hollow social media activism can become when it is not coupled
with tangible commitment to a cause.
There is a term for such behaviour: performative activism, which refers to surface-level activism
undertaken to burnish a person's social capital, not out of genuine support for a cause.
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A recent incident raised eyebrows for this reason.

Among the most visible representations of Singapore's national colours this year was Miss
Singapore Bernadette Belle Ong's billowing red-and-white cape at the Miss Universe pageant,
emblazoned with a bold slogan, Stop Asian Hate.
While netizens, particularly members of the Asian-American community struggling with anti-
Asian racism in the West, applauded Ms Ong's costume, some Singaporeans wondered: Stop
which type of Asian hate and where?
As a Chinese Singaporean, Ms Ong is a member of the majority race here, whose privileges and
experiences are quite different from those of East Asian minority communities in the West.
At a time when race discussions in Singapore were heating up, I wondered which cause she was
aligning with - the treatment of Asians by other racial groups in the West or conflicts between
Asian communities in Singapore?
The slogan, however well intentioned, felt vague and hollow to some of the people in the country
she represented.
In an article in June last year, marketing and communications website Campaign Asia urged
companies to step up and give their take on systemic racism, no matter how difficult the
conversation.

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The writer, Ms Surekha Ragavan, recounted how she approached eight public relations, media
and creative agencies to get their take on why there was radio silence on race issues by brands,
only to be met with responses such as them not being fully informed on the issues, and that these
were too sensitive to comment on.

She suggested that companies should address social issues by evaluating their brand purpose and
workplace practices.
Her suggestion can be applied to other movements beyond racial equality.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

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Performative activism affects almost all social movements online. It is seen in the rainbow-hued
merchandise from companies and celebrities alike during Pride Month, ostensibly in support of
LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) rights without adding any real value to the
conversations on gay rights and stigmatisation against the LGBTQ community here.
It also takes the form of piecemeal discounts offered on cosmetics and clothes every
International Women's Day, even though local brands continue to ignore the lack of products for
brown and black women.

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Peeling back the glossy, packaged layer of marketing reveals that these brands also have much
work to do in terms of narrowing the gender wage gap and implementing inclusive hiring
practices.
So why do brands and individuals feel the need to take up social and political movements online?
For one thing, performative activism is an easy way to join a conversation without necessarily
initiating any change.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

Youth passion on social issues is positive, but patience is key to societal changes: Sim Ann

3 in 4 in S'pore think social media can hold people in power accountable

In a 2015 study on social media and activism, Associate Professor Bart Cammaerts from the
London School of Economics and Political Science highlighted that "lazy" activism resonates
with citizens who fail to make time in their lives for "active" activism. Such forms of action give
people a way to identify with a larger movement.

Social media activism can also be lucrative for companies, given how consumer behaviour has
changed over the years.

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A 2020 survey by the IBM Institute for Business Value and the US National Retail Federation
found that 40 per cent of respondents sought products that align with their values and lifestyle.
The poll was carried out on 18,980 consumers in 28 countries.
In response to such trends, brands put out content that align with consumers' interests, taking
the microphone away from grassroots organisations and civil society groups that have been
tackling race and issues for decades.

Rather than deflect attention from grassroots activities, some celebrities, such as American
singer Selena Gomez, help promote them. By allowing her Instagram account to be used by
different activists for weeks, Gomez has helped them share donation links, post recruitment call-
outs and raise awareness about ongoing campaigns.
Gomez, a kidney transplant recipient who has been open about her struggles with the
autoimmune disease lupus, has also designed sphere-shaped products for her cosmetics line
Rare Beauty, making them more accessible to people with arthritis and other nerve-degenerative
conditions. One per cent of all sales from the beauty line, as well as donations from partners, goes
towards a fund in support of mental health causes.
Similarly, in Singapore last year, actress Rui En mobilised her fan club RBKD to send 2,150 care
packages to healthcare workers, while television presenter Diana Ser and her husband, former
actor James Lye, supported the #ShowWeCareSG charity campaign to raise funds for The
Invictus Fund under the National Council of Social Service.

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Brands and personalities can follow in their footsteps, connecting their large base of followers
and resources online to civil society groups.

By dedicating proceeds from product sales to causes that are related to their industry and setting
up volunteer networks for these organisations, they will be walking the talk and not merely
playing lip service to trending issues.

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