SOME INFLUENCERS SHOULD BE FORGIVEN, OTHERS SHOULD BE CALLED OUT

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A post shared by Gabbie (@gemusiclover) on Sep 9, 2020 at 4:18am PDT

So I experienced something that I talked about at length in a video that I posted on Facebook. I was warmed by the response that people gave the video because I really thought not many people would bother watching it.

It all started with waking up on Tuesday morning (last Tuesday) to see that one of the creators I liked and followed on TikTok had commented in support of a song that contained fatphobic lyrics. The lyrics questioned the beauty of fat people and also insinuated that no fat person could do jumping jacks, run a mile or live past a certain age.

I was disheartened by this and decided to call the creator out for it. While she didn't respond to me, she did respond to one of my followers by saying "we can still co-mingle without having the same opinions."

I talked about this at length in a different video that also got a great response.

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IF YOUR "DIFFERENCE OF OPINION" MEANS YOU THINK MY LIFE IS LESS VALUABLE OR SHOULD BE MOCKED BECAUSE OF HOW I LOOK, I REFUSE (& OTHERS SHOULD REFUSE) TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT YOU.

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Cancel culture is a thing, and it is rather toxic because it takes attention away from those who really need to be called out.

As a means of example, I love KPOP music. BLACKPINK is one of my favorite groups. They recently collabed with Selena Gomez, and a bunch of BLACKPINK fans were out to "cancel" Gomez because she had more lines than one of the members of BLACKPINK.

To me, this is just nonsensical. It is also nonsensical to me that we apply harsh penalties to people who have done something wrong, but easily forgive others who have done the same. 

This opinion is going to be controversial: We should move on from this Shane Dawson nonsense. I started watching one of Ryland's new videos that has Shane in it.

​It is crazy to see the amount of steps they're taking to stay out of hot water with people. Comment policing, proving they purchased something from an artist, etc. 

Yet so many people are willing to forgive Jenna Marbles for some of the things she has said and done. Thankfully, Jenna didn't take a free pass from her fans and also decided she was wrong for what she had done in the past. The thing I don't get with Shane is why people keep bringing up things he has addressed over and over.

They were disgusting, wrong, racist and uncomfortable to listen to. If he had a proven record of actually committing racist acts or violating children, I wouldn't be writing what I'm writing. Now, Jeffree Star on the other hand DOES have a record of saying racist things to people of color. 

I can't logically speak up for criminals who have harmed others being treated fairly by society and the police without speaking up for creators who have done the same. It is possible to change. The people who don't change make that apparent. With Shane in particular, people don't see sincerity in his latest apology, but forget that he has addressed his past more than anyone else on YouTube. I can totally understand getting exasperated over it. 

Influencers 100 percent should be called to the carpet for what they say. However, if they address it, apologize and have no actual record of doing the things they talk about, let's move on. When you get defensive and try to legitimize what you say or do by saying "they said something to me first," or anything else, that's proof they aren't really changing.

And when I say legitimize, I don't mean saying that "jokes were different back then." That's so true. There are things I remember hearing growing up that you could never joke about today without being canceled. I was watching "Sister, Sister" on Netflix, and the neighbor Roger actually said "let's get busy" to the girls in a sexual way. Never would we have something like that on TV: underaged kids talking about sex/intimacy. 

So please, continue to comment and choose to support who you support. Just remember that people change and grow from day to day, let alone year to year. 

Call them out, gauge their sincerity for yourself and choose what you'll support. It is ultimately up to you. Just keep what I've said in mind.