The Silence is Deafening: Why Celebrities Should be Expected to Speak Up

With the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, society has seen a real divide within views, this reflected on social media. Rightfully so, we have witnessed countless individuals speaking up in solidarity with Palestine, demanding an immediate ceasefire, but this has led to further issues.

When our governments seem to be staying ‘unbiased’ in the matter, many have called on celebrities to express their support for Palestine, and requesting that they use their platform to spread awareness. This has led to ‘block lists’, where people are blocking celebrities who refuse to take a stand for Gaza, ultimately boycotting these influencers.

It’s no secret that celebrities influence us and our behaviours, so speaking up, can chang things drastically. They have the power to encourage leaders to do the same, helping to fund relief in Gaza.

Others believe it isn’t important for celebrities to speak up on such pressing issues, seeing their platform as useless within the genocide. I’ve seen the excuse that some influencers feel they don’t want to say something untrue, possibly making things worse, however I disagree. This is purely ignorant. It isn’t difficult to educate yourself of a matter or simply repost a link for donations.

Other celebs have spoken out in support for Palestine, only to be met with an astounding amount of hate. This obviously a potential threat to their career and fame. But at the end of the day, shouldn’t morals outweigh money?

Let’s revisit my prior blog post for a second…

Is this really a humanitarian crisis, or a crisis of humanity?

Something that really pisses me off, is the lack of support from Taylor Swift. Arguably the biggest name within the industry, she holds the power to change the trajectory of our culture, with everything she does. She’s seen as this feminist activist, but many, including myself have called her out on her ‘white feminism’, and silence during the conflict. It seems she only cares when issues affect her directly.

‘But she would be unsafe if she spoke up…’ No, she wouldn’t. She’s a billionaire, with enough money to protect herself. She could hire a fire-breathing dragon security guard if she really wanted to. Taylor Swift alone, has changed society in multiple ways, so why can’t she use this same power for good?

Band, Paramore, opened for Taylor’s groundbreaking ‘Era’s Tour’, using this platform to highlight the important of ‘Doctors Without Borders’ and the work they are doing. Taylor’s producer, Jack Antonoff also shared his support for Palestine, followed by the likes of Priyanka Chopra, Joe Alwyn and Gigi Hadid.

Sadly, it seems that the queen of red-lips, picks and choices when she wants to be an activist. In 2020, she publicly endorsed Joe Biden and voiced other political opinions. In her own words, 'this is something that I know is right... I need to be on the right side of history.'

When Taylor Swift used her platform to speak out against music industry sexism and misogyny? She used her voice to call out the unfair treatment of women in the music industry, and it sparked a conversation that needed to happen.

Seems a little hypocritical…

The US Travel Association estimates that the entire economic impact of the ‘Eras Tour’, or exceeds $10 billion. So whilst Swiftie gets richer and richer, the innocent are left dead and displaced.

In a more positive light, The Weeknd has pledged over $4.5 million to help feed families in Gaza through his XO Humanitarian Fund, which aims to combat global hunger. He has worked hard, providing four million emergency meals for impacted civilians and using his platform for the better. As a WFP Goodwill Ambassador since October 2021, The Weeknd has set up his XO Humanitarian Fund with the World Food Program USA in March 2022 and has raised a total of $6.5 million to date to provide relief to those with limited access to food.

Look, I'm not saying everyone has to be an expert on everything Palestine - related, but a little awareness and support can go a long way. And if you're worried about offending someone, let me tell you - the only people who will be offended are those who are complicit in the oppression of the Palestinian people.

Celebrities have a unique platform that allows them to reach millions of people worldwide. They have the power to use their fame to raise awareness about important issues, and yet many of them are choosing to remain silent on Palestine. It's like they're ignoring the elephant in the room – except the elephant is actually a whole nation being occupied and oppressed.

They can also partner with organisations and charities to amplify their message and create meaningful change. Their unique privilege that comes with their fame. They can use their platform to advocate for causes that might not otherwise receive attention or funding. By using their platform for good, they can help level the playing field and create positive change. If Dua Lipa can convince you to buy a YSL fragrance, imagine the possibilities when it comes to benefiting for critical issues.  

Celebrities, you have the ability to form a legacy. To leave behind your mark on the world. To not look back in 30 years knowing you were complicit in genocide, left nursing your guilty conscience.

As people, there’s still so much that we can do:

• Don’t be afraid to criticise celebrities.

• Attend a protest, or continue to share information online about Palestine, Congo and other humanitarian crises the media is silencing.

• Educate yourself about Palestine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

• Follow Palestinian activists and organizations on social media.

• Share articles and videos about Palestine with your friends and family.

• Use your own platform (even if it's just your Instagram story) to raise awareness about Palestine.