If the past couple of months are anything to go by, it’s pretty clear that many of the people working in the entertainment industry have plenty to hide from the view of the public. Personally, I feel that this is a good chance to re-evaluate our perception of celebrities who use their star-status to support humanitarian ventures, specifically feminism. I’ve heard a lot of my classmates wanting to write their essay on popular champions of gender equality, but I can’t help but feel skeptical.

I feel that celebrities getting publicly involved in feminism is sketchy, simply due to the implications as a result of their relationship with the general public. Firstly, popular figures are already adored by millions of fans worldwide; the choice to get involved in feminism, a currently popular movement among young people, only amplifies this celebrity worship. Celebrity worship is problematic, as it makes superheroes out of humans. For instance, Wonder Woman works so well as a feminist icon because she is a character; she can’t say or do anything out of turn that would taint her reputation as a feminist. Beyonce or Emma Watson, however? They are human, and infinitely fallible compared to a character; young, adoring fans would be crushed by revelations that contradict their heroes’ feminist posturing. Secondly, celebrity feminism creates a political relationship with people that is unnecessary. When I speak of political relationship, I am referring to the codependency of politicians and voters; politicians need voters to vote, and voters need politicians to govern. Celebrities, however, are entirely dependent on fans. By endorsing feminism, they create the notion that fans need celebrities to fight for their values, and politicize themselves as a result. While this post may come off as overly cynical, I think it’s something that needs to be acknowledged.