Let me start by saying that I think everyone should try to be active in their community. Nothing changes if we all sit on our couches wishing we had Selena Gomez’s hair stylist, so it’s important that we get involved with and/or discuss issues that mean something to us. However, it seems that as a society, we look towards the rich and famous to be perfect, stand-up citizens. There are a lot of very intelligent actors and musicians that spend their time and money in an honorable fashion, but just like the rest of us, they have specific values that they grew up with, endless room to grow, and more to learn. If your favorite actor has identified as a feminist and then promotes Hillary Clinton, that doesn’t mean that you should also promote Clinton on the spot. It also doesn’t mean that you should attack them on the Internet if you disagree. Just because they are famous does not mean they are the last word.
Recently, our focus has shifted to young, intelligent, and informed celebrities such as 14-year-old Disney Channel star Rowan Blanchard, who is changing the game by being open about her sexuality while being connected to the family-friendly network. She is very young, but up-to-date with popular issues today. Same goes for 17-year-old Amandla Stenberg. She uses her own experiences to talk about race and gender identity. For the record, I agree with what these two promote. One day, one of these girls may do something deemed unacceptable and offensive, and although it is hard to imagine this happening, it is quite common for us to applaud a young celebrity who identifies as female, and the next day pick on her every move. Someday, these people may make a mistake. That doesn’t mean that it should be ignored, but it also doesn’t mean that they should be blacklisted.
I believe that celebrities who use their fame and fortune to bring light to injustices and help others who are less fortunate are good people. On the other hand, I do not think people should look to them as the highest authority on social change and political support.
When we start expecting these people to be perfect or the most informed on what is happening in the world, we are just disappointing ourselves. First of all, putting famous people on a pedestal is just not logical (and I am the first to admit that I do this all the time). It's not fair to them because at the end of the day they are still refining and evolving their views like we are. This does not mean that we cannot also hold them accountable for what they do wrong, but if they say something inconsiderate and we attack them for not knowing what they did wrong, how is anyone supposed to grow? Why do we expect them to have any more insight on how to behave? I’d say the fact that most of them are trying to be active in society is a pretty big accomplishment compared to a decade ago when very few personalities were open and involved.
So here is a solution: inform yourself. Figure out where you stand on human and equal rights issues on your own. If you need guidance, look up to people who are known for their activism. Follow politicians you admire that have common values, like Senior Advisor to the President, Valerie Jarrett, who is the Chairwoman of the White House Council on Women and Girls, or Erika Andiola, an immigration activist who was just hired to be on Bernie Sanders’ staff. Form your own beliefs and give people room to figure out their own. Watch some "Last Week Tonight" for Christ’s sake.
