Whether you know her from her top charting songs, social media, or simply word of mouth, it’s safe to say that Chappell Roan’s overnight fame has extended to anyone aware of pop culture. That being said, “with great power comes great responsibility,” and like every star before her, Roan’s life and persona will now forever be held to a public standard. Recently, she has come out to express her consciousness of this standard, as well as refute it.
Recently in an interview on the podcast Call Her Daddy, Chappell Roan has complained about the expectations placed upon her as an activist in the public eye. She expressed the hardships of a celebrity and the pressure to “know everything” when everyone is “looking to [her] for some political answer”. While sympathy and grace can and should be extended to pop stars, as even they have their own set of struggles, this expectation from her fans should come as no surprise to Roan. No one asked her to know everything, but it makes sense that her followers look to her for these answers, because of the way she’s constructed herself and her brand.
What Roan responded to in the first place was her speculated silence on President Trump’s first term. It’s safe to say that the majority of her fanbase are liberal, or at least anti Trump, and were expecting her criticism of his recent decisions.
As a fan of Chappell Roan’s art and broader message, this came as a shock and disappointment. I wouldn’t say that I’ve ever “looked to her” for any kind of answer, but I did respect the usage of her platform for awareness on the important topics she was seemingly passionate about. Her sudden and drastic change in perspective has not only saddened her following, but sparked a conversation about performative allyship in the media.
Living in a world where most celebrities seem to align themselves with the correct causes and beliefs by speaking out, donating, and appealing to their audience, it’d be naive to believe that they are all genuine. Chappell Roan, who has repeatedly used her fame to bring awareness to LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive freedom, and the war in Gaza, has followed this same pipeline. I thought her to be among the more authentic kind of star, but lately she’s proven otherwise. It hurts fans to see her abandon these morals when things get too tough.
Her excuses read as careless to her fans and without reason. Most people have life just as tough or likely even tougher than Roan, and still make the effort to educate themselves. She doesn’t merit any praise for only speaking out when it’s convenient.
While Chappell Roan has expressed a distaste for President Trump in the past, throughout the election and even now when he is in office, she’s stayed surprisingly neutral for someone normally so passionate about politics. Her passion seems to be limited to certain topics and even insincere when she uses her celebrity status as reason to excuse her silence.
