People often repost and share political content to signal to followers they aren't racist, sexist or homophobic, not because they truly care about the issue they are discussing.
Boston Medical Center defines performative activism as, “activism that is done to increase one’s social capital rather than because of one’s devotion to a cause.” It’s especially prevalent on social media.
Many people argue performative activism accomplishes nothing. Reposting a video or sporting a pin showing what you stand for doesn’t advance a cause or show any genuine commitment. Even corporations participate in performative activism as a marketing tactic, like changing their social media profile pictures to a rainbow logo during Pride Month and reverting to their original design on July 1 after it's over.
This is known as “rainbow washing,” which is associated with profit and better performance. Corporations tend to make themselves look politically correct and morally good as a marketing tactic, but these actions “take second place to profit.”
However, I believe performative activism is more important than avoiding being “cancelled” and protecting your image. It still has value by spreading awareness and amplifying issues, the essential first steps towards tangible change.
Change can’t be made if people aren’t aware of an issue, and “performative” social media activism provides this initial exposure. Posting an infographic or going to a local protest with friends is important, but introducing people to an issue or event they may not already be aware of is equally important.
As visibility increases, social movements gain traction and reach a wider audience, which guides resources, opportunities and information to the people who are willing and able to make a meaningful difference.
One popular example of performative activism that made a change occurred in 2020, following the murder of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer in Minneapolis. The murder sparked a nationwide resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, known as BLM. People began using #BLM on social media, accompanied by black squares on their feed for “Blackout Tuesday” to take a stand against racism and police brutality.
After Floyd was murdered on May 25, 45% of Americans said they supported BLM. Nine days later, 52% said they supported the movement. Although the movement was founded in 2013, it gained significant traction in 2020 through social media activism many viewed as performative.
This popularity and shift in public opinion led to many changes at the time, such as policy changes like body-worn cameras for officers. The movement also brought light to taxpayer dollars spent on police brutality payouts and led to more federal supervision in cities where police brutality was an issue.
Social media amplifies the frustration about performative activism, like mocking or calling out performative activists during the No Kings Protests on Oct. 18, 2025, to combat President Donald Trump and his administration. The main message was, “America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.”
One TikTok user reposted a video of a woman excitedly talking about her outfit to the No Kings Protest, replying, “If that is like the front lines, things are never getting better.” This response implied her enthusiasm about her outfit, making her contributions less legitimate and undermining the seriousness of the cause. The top comment on the video, which has over 5,000 likes, says, “If we continue to police how people show up, we will never ever make progress.”
While the original creator might seem more excited about her outfit than the protest itself, her participation matters. There is strength in numbers, and the No Kings Protests had seven million attendees across all 50 states.
Harvard research says, “No government has withstood a challenge of 3.5% of their population mobilized against it during a peak event.” In other words, when even a fraction of the country unites in protest, meaningful change from the government becomes inevitable. If America wants to take a stand against the government, widespread participation is essential. We shouldn’t condemn small or imperfect efforts when they contribute to collective action that can drive progress.
Performative activism isn’t supposed to be the finish line; it’s the first spark. Think about it as a starting point, saying “I see you and I care” by pushing powerful moments into the public view. Awareness is the first step towards mobilization, and no movement succeeds without people taking that step.
Abby Shriver is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Abby about their column? Email them at as064024@ohio.edu or on instagram @abbyshriver_
