Critics on social media have cited white activists’ performative behavior after a white cosplayer dressed as Katsuki Bakugo from “My Hero Academia” gained prominence at a “No Kings” demonstration.
Asian influencer Eunnuri Lee posted a “Get ready with me” type video on TikTok, saying that even at rallies against authoritarianism, racism, xenophobia, deportation, state violence and fascism, white people always find a way to focus on self-expression.
“Even in the midst of protests against authoritarianism, racism, xenophobia, deportation, state violence, fascism, white people can and will always find a way to make the moment revolve around their own self-expression,” Lee said.
While recognizing that cosplayers have strategies for attracting attention and raising donations, Lee noted that this behavior is still a form of strategy rather than solidarity. Lee believes that disclaimers about white privilege are no excuse for performative behavior.
“If you know that your whiteness gives you the privilege to turn protest into role play and you do it anyway, that’s not awareness. That’s indulgence,” Lee said.
Lee also addressed the death of Ashley Gail Paxton, an African-American cosplayer who went by the name “Squidward” online and committed suicide amid harassment from white cosplayers on TikTok. She questioned why Paxton’s death was rarely discussed in the cosplayer community.
Overall, Lee points out, this question sheds light on the problems of viewing political moments as requiring aesthetic capture. “Aesthetics silence criticism,” Lee said, noting that white people and their fans constantly view political events as opportunities to build brands.
“Not every serious political moment needs to be filtered through your brand lens. Protests are not Comic-Con,” Lee said. “When activism becomes pure spectacle, people start to mistake visibility for usefulness. People start to think that attention and solidarity are the same thing.”
Still, she stopped short of outright condemning artistic expression at the protests. “Humor, creativity and artistry definitely have a place in protest,” Lee said, emphasizing that the performances were being filmed and translated into what she was fighting against. “Do you have to film it and turn it into content? I don’t think so. Not because cosplay is inherently bad, but because white people need to understand when they should decenter themselves.”
Commenters responded by providing their thoughts and opinions as well as other examples of performative behavior in different types of demonstrations. Commenters noted that signs at Black Lives Matter rallies contained overtly racialized sexual language. “Also SIGNS!! Talking about ‘BBC’ on BLM, anti-ICE protests talking about ‘big ass Latinos’ like this is actually a march for them,” a commenter wrote.
One user rejected the idea that “you can become an activist just by going”. They wrote: “I hate it when people bring this up and annoying mfs say ‘at least they went’, like holding a sign that says ‘I love the BBC’ at a BLM protest, it’s not what you think of activism.”
Another commenter criticized women who attend anti-ICE rallies with “rattling posters.” “This is why I think the girls who go to ICE protests with their fierce competition posters should go to hell. People sympathize with them and talk about ‘at least they were there!’ They should leave those male-centric jackasses at home,” they said.
The final commenter criticized the double standard used when discussing performative behavior. “White people will always get a pass somehow, while people of color don’t get a pass and immediately ‘take responsibility,'” they wrote. “Stop trying to be oppressed and support the oppressed.”
Asian post-influencer Eunnuri Lee says white people are turning protests into content: “It’s not awareness. It’s indulgence.” appeared first on Where Is The Buzz | Breaking News, Entertainment, Exclusive Interviews and More.