This election cycle will go down in history as triggering the most surprising chain of events from presidential candidates. Given the amount of lying, sexual assault, and tweets surrounding it, it makes even the most sane person question what's going on. In polarizing times like these, the power of the celebrity as an influencer is stronger than ever. Whether that's good or bad is up for debate, but it's undeniable. New York magazine recently wrote about this issue in a piece called "Taylor Swift Will Not Save Us From Donald Trump," and they're right. A pop singer isn't meant to mend a country being torn apart by an insane election, but as a self-identified feminist and role model for girls, it is interesting that mum has been the word for her.
Though it's unfair to pinpoint Swift as the only silent feminist this election. There are a few other vocal feminists who have avoided the soap box over the past several months. It would be nice if a few of these leaders in the entertainment world reacted to the recent flood of stories about Trump's sexual abuse allegations and recorded comments about sexual assault. These women don't need to speak out to the extent that other notable women have like Amy Schumer, Lena Dunham, and Meryl Streep, but something is always better than nothing.
If you love Oprah and Oprah endorses Hillary Clinton, that matters. If you love Scott Baio (lol) and Scott Baio endorses Donald Trump, that too matters. If you love Taylor Swift, and Taylor Swift endorses no one... do you see where I'm going? Celebrities should not be put on a political pedestal, but their actions and inactions do go unnoticed in this highly-politicized climate.
Are these women practicing self-preservation, in order to not alienate fans, or are they avoiding the mic during one of the most important elections of our time?
Are these women practicing self-preservation, in order to not alienate fans or do they really, truly have nothing to say?
Beyonc é
It would be a dream to have Beyoncé drag Trump for all his misogynistic comments. The Queen Bey is obviously close with Obama, and is even being brought into the debates by ignorant commentators. She spoke out about discriminatory bathroom bill in North Carolina (even though she still performed there), and she involved herself in the #BlackLivesMatter movement. It wouldn't be far-fetched for her to make a statement about the important difference between the way she uses certain language in her songs (like, pussy) compared to the way Trump used it.
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock.
Taylor Swift
The pop star, as NY Mag writes, is most likely to involve herself in an election when her name is on the ballot (which very well could happen in the future). As a powerful role model for young women, it would be nice to see her post about the importance of sexual consent.
Photo: MediaPunch/REX/Shutterstock.
Emma Watson
While Watson is not an American citizen, she is a passionate feminist. In light of the allegations against Trump, this seems like a prime opportunity for Watson to talk to her fans, followers, and the public about women's rights.
Photo: Belen Diaz/ DYDPPA/REX/Shutterstock.
Rihanna
Riri is so not political, but she does have personal experience in dealing with men that let their power go to their heads. In some cases this even resulted in abuse. It would be empowering to hear her statements and criticism of someone like Trump getting away with crude comments about women in his industry. She would definitely have an epic clapback.
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