Moving Beyond Performative Activism: Why It Matters and What You Can Do

Hi, I’m Jonelle, co-host of the podcast White Women Wake Up. In our first episode, Karen and I tackled a topic many of us need to face: performative activism. You’ve probably seen it—or done it yourself. It’s when we do something that looks like allyship but doesn’t lead to meaningful change. Think sharing a hashtag, wearing a bracelet, or posting a black square on Instagram.

If you’re wondering why this matters, let me break it down. Performative activism often causes more harm than good, but there’s a way to move beyond it and make a real impact.

What Is Performative Activism?

Performative activism is about appearances. It’s when actions are taken to show support, but they lack substance or fail to create real change. For example, during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, millions of people—including me—posted black squares on Instagram as part of #BlackoutTuesday. While the intent was to show solidarity, the movement backfired. Those black squares clogged hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter, silencing critical resources and Black voices.

At the time, it felt like a simple way to show I cared. But I later realized it was performative—it didn’t address systemic issues or amplify marginalized voices. It just made me feel like I’d contributed when, in reality, I hadn’t.

This happens all the time, especially on social media. Brands release statements about “standing in solidarity” but rarely take tangible steps like diversifying leadership or addressing pay inequities. It’s activism that prioritizes optics over impact.

The Blue Bracelet Trend

On the podcast, Karen and I discussed another example of performative activism: the blue bracelet trend. After the 2024 U.S. election, some white women began wearing blue bracelets to signal, “I’m a safe space” or “I didn’t vote against your interests.” Karen admitted she could relate to the impulse because she had a similar reaction after the 2016 election. “I wanted a big sign that said, ‘No, no, no, I’m not the white woman they’re talking about.’ But the reality is, I am the white woman they’re talking about.” — Karen

Her honesty resonated with me. These gestures, while well-intentioned, often feel self-serving. They’re about making us feel better rather than addressing root causes of inequality. Worse, they shift attention away from marginalized communities and onto ourselves.

As Karen and I discussed, white women have the privilege of stepping away from these conversations when they get uncomfortable. For our BIPOC peers, that’s not an option. If we’re serious about allyship, we need to stay engaged and do the work.

Why Performative Activism Is Harmful

Performative activism isn’t just ineffective—it can perpetuate harm. Here’s how:

It Centers the Ally, Not the Cause-Actions like posting a hashtag or wearing a bracelet often make the “activist” the focus, rather than the communities they’re supposed to support. True allyship amplifies marginalized voices and addresses systemic issues.

It Creates Emotional Labor for Marginalized Communities-Karen shared a story about a Black woman in a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) workshop who told her, “You leave this room, and you are white outside in the world. I leave this room, and I’m Black in this world.” That moment highlighted how often white people expect marginalized groups to educate them, adding unnecessary emotional labor to an already heavy burden.

It Prioritizes Optics Over Impact-Performative gestures, like posting a black square, require minimal effort but rarely lead to meaningful change. Worse, they can detract from actionable resources, like petitions, protests, or donation links.

How Performative Activism Has Shaped Movements

This pattern is evident in many social justice movements. Consider these examples:

The “Challenge Accepted” Trend-Women posted black-and-white selfies on Instagram to “empower” each other, but the campaign lacked substance. It didn’t connect to real issues like gender-based violence or pay inequality, making it another hollow gesture.

Corporate Virtue Signaling-After George Floyd’s murder, countless brands issued statements about racial justice. But many of these same companies failed to diversify leadership or invest in Black communities, exposing the gap between their words and actions.

Why White Women Need to Care

We’ve been socialized to avoid discomfort, but growth doesn’t happen in comfort. If we truly care about equity, we need to confront our blind spots, embrace discomfort, and commit to meaningful action. “Being uncomfortable is not comfortable, but I need to stop running away from the discomfort.” — Karen

Performative activism distracts from marginalized voices, shifts emotional labor onto others, and lets us feel good without making a real impact. We owe it to those communities—and ourselves—to do better.

What Can You Do Instead?

Here’s how to move from performative activism to authentic allyship:

Center Marginalized Voices-Instead of posting a black square or wearing a bracelet, amplify the voices of people directly affected by the issue. Share their work, quote their words, and give them credit. As I said on the podcast, “Instead of putting up a black box, I could’ve shared a quote from a Black author.”

Take Action-Donate to organizations led by marginalized groups, volunteer your time, or advocate for policy changes. Meaningful actions speak louder than hashtags.

Do Your Own Research-There are countless books, articles, and podcasts available to help us learn. It’s not the job of marginalized people to educate us—it’s our responsibility.

Embrace Discomfort-Growth is uncomfortable. Karen suggests asking yourself, “Does this harm me, or is it just uncomfortable?” If it’s the latter, lean in and reflect.

Let’s Do Better Together

Performative activism is a distraction. It lets us feel like we’re contributing without addressing the systems of oppression we claim to oppose. But by centering marginalized voices, taking meaningful action, and committing to lifelong learning, we can move from performative allyship to authentic advocacy.

This isn’t about being perfect. Karen and I don’t have all the answers—we’re learning too. But we’re committed to asking the hard questions and staying curious. Together, we can create real change. Let’s keep waking up

-Jonelle