Performative activism has always, always been a thing, but there’s something to be said for how much easier it feels now with the advent of social media. I’m not afraid to admit that I feel good reposting mutual aid requests from those who need the support, and making my political sentiments known on my Instagram story. I also acknowledge that it’s not enough, and am less eager to admit that I don’t always do everything I can to truly make a difference.
Of course, I’m not the only one: so many of us — too many of us — are far more comfortable sharing a black square on our Instagram feeds, or a hashtag on X, than affirming those beliefs IRL. It’s the nature of our reality, blurred by the lens of social media and defined by screen time. But what happens when the tragedies overseas reach our shores, and we’re called to act — for real, this time? How many of us have the guts to get off the couch and put our bodies, not just our social media clout, on the line for a cause we actually believe in?
