When celebrities get political it’s easy to sneer. The vast majority of them fall somewhere on a scale between “very affluent” and “unimaginably wealthy”. They enjoy privileges that most ordinary people can only dream of. Magazines are full of photos of them posing in expensive clothes, showing off their luxurious homes, lounging on beaches in five-star resorts and tumbling out of exclusive restaurants and bars. It makes you wonder how they could possibly understand what life is like for ordinary people.
Depending on the issues they take up, film and pop stars can come across as out of touch, hypocritical, or cushioned by their wealth and status in a way that allows them to make lifestyle changes most people would find far more difficult – however passionately they’re instructed that it’s the right thing to do.
What’s more, we non-celebrities often feel a sort of ownership over the careers of entertainers. We put you there, the thinking goes, we can take it all away again. You’re supposed to be singing, or acting, or posing enticingly in a pair of knickers and a soaking wet white T-shirt, nobody asked for your opinions on feminist child-rearing or the plight of rainforest animals.
But while it’s reasonable to suspect that actors’ and musicians’ atypical lifestyles might limit their understanding of certain issues, celebrities are not performing monkeys. They’ve got as much right to express their opinions as anyone else – and if you find yourself with a platform and care about an issue deeply, why wouldn’t you try to use your position to do some good? At the same time, the instinctive resentment of the extremely successful that many people feel does speak to a genuine issue, with who is afforded a platform to air their views and why.
Perhaps, then, last night’s Golden Globes awards ceremony was a genuine step forward? Even as I type I feel myself grimacing at my own words, but such ingrained cynicism achieves nothing. There’s a limit to how pivotal glitzy celeb events can be in spearheading social change – particularly when celebrity culture actively promotes obscene wealth and conspicuous consumption.
That said, popular culture is, by definition, popular. And entertainment is entertaining. In the US, almost 20 million people tuned in to watch the Golden Globes live. Countless more across the globe will watch clipped highlights and read articles about the event. Political activism requires you to reach people, and events such as this do present an opportunity.
What was different about last night was that several politically active stars chose to capitalise on this chance. Instead of simply speaking out themselves, they attempted to elevate the voices of others. As well as wearing black in an attempt raise awareness of the #TimesUp anti-sexual harassment initiative, Emma Watson, Meryl Streep and several other A-list women all brought female activists as their plus ones.
Streep was accompanied by Ai-jen Poo, director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance in the US, while Watson brought Marai Larasi, executive director of Imkaan, a UK women’s organisation dedicated to addressing violence against black and minority ethnic women and girls. Amy Poehler’s guest was Saru Jayaraman, president of Restaurant Opportunities Centers United. Shailene Woodley brought Calina Lawrence who campaigns against social injustices impacting tribal reservations and urban Native American communities. Michelle Williams invited Tarana Burke, creator of the #MeToo movement and senior director at Girls for Gender Equality.
Susan Sarandon walked the red carpet with Rosa Clemente, a community organiser and independent journalist who campaigns on issues including voter engagement and media justice. Laura Dern came with Monica Ramirez, the co-founder of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, an organisation which advocates for female farmworkers across the US, which published a letter in solidarity with Hollywood actors against sexual assault and requested support with similar issues in their own industry.
Hopefully, all those women will now find themselves inundated with interview requests and other opportunities to raise their profiles and further their activism. Last night’s appearances alone will likely have inspired many people to Google their names and find out more about their work. Hopefully, the event will set a precedent. A-listers who wish to use your fame for good: this is how you do it. Seek out voices to elevate and provide them with new opportunities to speak out.
• Abi Wilkinson is a freelance journalist
