Since the turn of the century, the cocktail of the 24-hour news cycle and the stream of headlines that make up the internet has created a generation and an era of people who would probably consider themselves hyper-aware. While distinctions between awareness and being informed should be drawn, with many considering the current state of affairs to lean more towards the former, it is with no contention that one could conclude we possess a vague idea of how the world is in places beyond our vicinity.
This has, of course, created, for many who are members of marginalised communities, a sense of being adequately seen in the mainstream for the first time. Accompanying this has been a wave of solidarity for these communities. However, this solidarity can at times be a performance, and with it comes a sometimes-overlooked peril. In this article, we will examine the dangers of performing solidarity for marginalised communities.
What is Performative Activism?
It seems redundant to elaborate on a self-explanatory term in this article, but to understand the dangers posed by performative activism and solidarity, it is important to define them precisely.
Performative activism refers to the solidarity displayed by members of the general public towards members of a marginalised community; however, this solidarity is often no more than surface-level. People might join a protest or parade or repost on social media to signal their awareness and morality. This is, however, done with no intention of learning or aiding in dismantling the very systems that cause the subjugation they say they’re opposed to; sometimes they’re willful participants.
A simpler example of such is the plethora of black squares on social media as well as protests across the United States and much of the world in the wake of the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police officers. Since then, despite many within the black community pushing for police reforms, there’s been little indication or interest in aiding these actions from the majority, who in 2020 seemed to be on the side of solidarity.
The Dangers of Performative Activism
This performance of solidarity comes with a lot of perils, in particular for those of marginalised and minority communities. Chief amongst them is the idea of security in solidarity. As most people who belong to minorities have dealt with discrimination or oppression or at times a combination of both, the idea or presentation of a massive wave of solidarity creates an alleviation of generations of trauma-induced stress.
However, when this wave of solidarity is only feigned by people who are, more often than not, unaffected, it creates a false impression that conditions have improved beyond mere concern.
This often creates whiplash once the veneer of improvement of the situation fades. Once much of the Black Lives Matter protests had subsided from the mainstream’s attention, no tangible policy change to address repeated police brutality in the United States materialised. As a result, during Trump’s second term as president, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (abbreviated as ICE) has continued a trajectory of racially profiled encounters.
Why Do We Perform Solidarity?
Performative solidarity rarely stems from a single motivation. For many, it is a product of social pressure. In an era where opinions are constantly visible through social media, remaining silent on a widely discussed issue can be interpreted as indifference. Public displays of support therefore become a way to avoid criticism rather than a genuine commitment to a cause. Posting a hashtag, changing a profile picture, or attending a highly publicised protest can provide the appearance of engagement without requiring the difficult work that meaningful activism demands.
Another factor is the desire for social validation. Supporting popular causes can reinforce a person’s public image as compassionate, progressive, or socially conscious. When activism becomes tied to personal branding, the focus gradually shifts away from the affected communities and toward the individual demonstrating solidarity. The issue itself becomes secondary to the perception of being “on the right side of history.”
This does not mean every public expression of support is performative. Raising awareness, attending demonstrations, and using social media can all be valuable tools for social movements when they are accompanied by continued learning, advocacy, donations, volunteering, or political action. Public solidarity becomes meaningful when it serves as the beginning of sustained commitment rather than its conclusion.
Conclusion
Performative activism is not inherently harmful because it is visible; it becomes harmful when visibility is mistaken for progress. Marginalised communities benefit most from consistent advocacy, policy reform, and long-term support rather than momentary displays of outrage or solidarity. While public awareness can be an important first step, it should never be viewed as the final destination. Genuine allyship requires listening, learning, and acting even after media attention has faded. Ultimately, the measure of solidarity is not how loudly it is proclaimed during moments of public scrutiny, but whether it endures when the spotlight has moved elsewhere.
Let us know your thoughts. If you have burning thoughts or opinions to express, please feel free to reach out to us at larra@globalindiannetwork.com.
