Oct 20th, 2019, 03:54 PM

Bye Felicia, You've Been Canceled.

By Chelsea Kalumbu
Graphic by Chelsea Kalumbu
As cancel culture grows, we should cancel it!

Let’s talk about cancel culture, so we can cancel it. We all know someone who has been canceled. But did it creates a positive space for growth and learning not to repeat mistakes? I don’t believe so. Cancel Culture is the act of boycotting someone who shared an unpopular or questionable opinion. Most of the time, celebrities, politicians, or public figures are subject to being canceled.

When one is canceled, there is a massive effort to reduce their direct funds. People refuse to contribute to their success. This was highly promoted during the #MeToo movement, with people like R. Kelly who sexually assaulted underage women. People blocked his music, radio stations stopped playing his songs, concerts were canceled, and he was publicly shamed by many.

In this extreme case, canceling can be considered a way of social justice. In the case of James Charles, it’s complicated. I think Call-out Culture should have been the discussion people were are having. Cancel Culture does not bring attention to the real problem.

The term cancel culture entered the social justice world around 2016 with the #MeToo movement. It demanded accountability from public figures. It’s one of the most complicated trends to take flight on the internet in recent years. This mob mentality has also become entertainment because people love to follow how the story unfolds.

Graphic by Chelsea Kalumbu

 

There are numerous places on the internet to consume specific information on the same topic. They come directly from the source, commentary pages, or opinion pages. When the source has ‘receipts’ or further proof, it is provided to the online courtroom for judgment. It also reinstates accountability in the information the source provided. People tend to believe the story when it is backed up with receipts because fake news moves fast on social media.

People get canceled over comments that are racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or xenophobic. In many situations, this is something someone said in their past and has resurfaced, been found, and Instagram’s influencers will have a harder time than celebrities, bouncing back from scandals. Their businesses and brands live solely in the realm of the internet.

Celebrities have diehard fans who are willing to clutter feeds in defense and kill the cancelation. Celebrities can also hide behind a public statement, while influencers and YouTuber’s are expected to create an apology video that is subject to be analyzed by fans. Cancel Culture has ruined reputations and business opportunities.

These types of cancellations have been especially prominent in the beauty YouTube world. Over the years, we have seen YouTube beauty guru’s tear and snot on our screens, apologizing for their actions. James Charles, an iconic male guru, was the cancelation of the century. His cancellation came as a massive surprise to most and had major consequences.

Tati Westbrook, one of YouTube’s original beauty gurus, mentored James Charles as he entered the industry. She taught him everything she knew when it came to creating an online brand. Her advice worked because his fame exploded overnight. With millions of followers and well-paying brand endorsements, he was recognized and made the first Male face of Covergirl. He was praised by celebrities, influencers, and his fans he calls sisters. This came to a screeching halt when Tati released a 43-minute long video titled “BYE SISTER.” At the time of writing this, the video had been taken down. But before it did on May 18, it gained 47 million views. During this, Tati increased followers by 10 million, while James lost 2.6 million.

Graphic by Chelsea Kalumbu

 

James was exposed for marketing competitors’ brands and sexual predator allegations. Instead of creating a call to action for James, she simply listed reasons not to like or follow him. She was after his fandom and income. There was no room for James to apologize, act, and prove those changes. He was canceled overnight. He broke the record for losing one million followers in 24 hours. He similarly lost huge brand endorsements because of this.

So, is cancel culture good or bad? Neither. It’s complicated. Call-out culture, on the other hand, is essential because it starts a discussion where something can be solved. When you are called out for misbehaving, you are expected to resolve the problem and never repeat it. You are seriously holding people accountable for their actions.

Call-in culture is also extremely important. Loretta Ross says, “Calling-in is simply a call-out done with love. Some corrections can be made privately. It helps avoid the weaponization of suffering that prevents constructive healing. Calling-in engages in debates with words and actions of healing and restoration and without the self-indulgence of drama.” We should take a couple cents from Loretta.

Before you cancel someone, you need to step back and take the most useful lessons from past social movements. This might include discussing the issue in person or real life because holding people accountable is difficult and can get messy. We shouldn’t use social media as a tool to rush to judgment. We do not live in a courtroom composed of clicks. We stand united, and together, we grow united.