Last August, Chappell Roan decided to set boundaries with her fans. She told them to treat her like a normal person, and she received endless support. Her message even sparked discussions within the pop fandom on the normalization of parasocial relationships, a psychological relationship where a fan feels like they know their celebrity idol.
It forced people to reckon with the idea that celebrities are human too and that it’s unhealthy to idolize a stranger to the point of obsession. For once, it seemed like the internet learned that their obsessive actions do hurt celebrities’ personal, private lives.
But when Roan created two TikTok videos a few days ago stating she would not endorse the Harris-Walz ticket, it created an internet firestorm, and many of the same people who previously lauded Roan’s boundary-setting turned on her.
Roan is justified in not endorsing the Harris-Walz ticket. Criticism of their platform and its policies makes their campaign stronger. It gives a politician greater insight into what their constituents want from them if they win office.
The harassment Roan received after this non-endorsement has noticeably caused a drain on her mental health, something that she already struggles with. Days before this controversy, she announced she was diagnosed with severe depression. The harassment led to her canceling her performance at the All Things Go festival on September 28-29.
Some argue she is hurting the LGBTQ community with her lack of endorsement. They have called into question her support of gay people and transgender rights. This argument is completely out of touch with surveys of the LGBTQ community in this country.
More than 75% of LGBTQ adults believe that Democrats are not doing enough for the LGBTQ community, according to a recent Data for Progress poll. The word “transgender” was only spoken twice at the Democratic National Convention this summer even though transgender rights are increasingly under attack. Additionally, the Biden administration came out with a statement opposing gender-affirming surgery for minors last June.
The trend of LGBTQ+ people feeling alienated by present-day Democrats is one that Chappell Roan speaks to in her video.
Immigration is another valid reason why Roan might not lend her support to this Democratic ticket. In recent years, the Democrats have taken a much harder stance on immigration, alienating one of the fastest-growing groups of potential voters. They did this after polls showed the majority of the country now wants a decrease in U.S. immigration.
This is a very recent example of Democrats throwing a minority community under the bus for political gains. As anti-trans hate spreads in the United States, what’s to say that the Democratic Party wouldn’t throw transgender people under the bus for political gains too?
In her skepticism of the Harris-Walz campaign, Roan is advocating for the Democratic Party to shift toward her opinions.
And her opinions are shared by many voters.
Due to Israel’s ongoing war and humanitarian situation in Gaza, and the current invasion of Lebanon, there’s plenty of reason for Americans, especially Arab Americans, to be upset with the Biden-Harris administration.
Only 29.4% of Muslims in the swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Arizona plan to vote for the Harris-Walz ticket, according to recent polling by the Council on Islamic Relations. Many remain undecided or plan on voting for a third party, either for Green Party candidate Jill Stein or Justice for All Party candidate Cornel West.
While 77% of Democrats say they support an arms embargo on Israel, the Biden-Harris administration refuses to change their actions on this issue. That’s worth being frustrated about.
Imagine, for instance, that Harris is against something you care deeply for — whether it’s reproductive rights, marriage equality or something else. If you had the power, wouldn’t you rally together a coalition of voters? Wouldn’t you show Harris the votes she will lose if she backs the wrong policy? I know I would. That’s exactly what Arab Americans have been doing, and it’s what Chappell Roan is doing too.
Yes, the Republican Party would be worse for the LGBTQ+ community, for immigration and for addressing the crisis in Gaza. But we shouldn’t feel obligated to vote for the lesser of two evils. Democratic voters should fight to move their party closer to the policies supported by their constituents.
So, yes, for someone who cares deeply about Gaza, LGBTQ+ rights, climate change, and the future of young Americans, it’s justifiable for Chappell Roan to demand more from the Democratic Party.
One more thing. Before Chappell Roan came out with these statements saying she would not endorse Harris-Walz, she was pestered by online Democrats and politicians to endorse Harris. Democratic politicians used her songs to make political content. Harris-Walz made a hat that resembled some of her merch. All of this was a subtle way of trying to get her endorsement.
She shouldn’t have been forced to make a statement in the first place. Of course, celebrities should have a good influence on their fans, but Chappell Roan is not a politician, and she shouldn’t be pressured into making political statements. Nor should anyone. If you aren’t pressuring all of your friends to virtuously support Harris online, you shouldn’t be pressuring someone you don’t know to do the same.
