Author: Sydney Knotts

As an MSA student, I can firmly say that my Sundays, without fail, are exactly the same. I wake up around 11:00pm after getting a solid night’s sleep for the first time in two weeks; I sleepily trudge downstairs with an objective: move my clothes from the washing machine to the dryer. I am greeted by my dog, excitedly shaking the rubber bone he carries in his mouth. I make the same two grilled ham and cheese sandwiches that I always do and pour out the crushed remains of the same lightly seasoned tortilla chips my parents started buying a few months ago. I eat, go back upstairs, and begin to back my things. It doesn’t take as long as it used to because I’ve finally learned how to appropriately pack for a weekend.

My dad arrives around 3:30pm. I’m already sitting in the living room with my mom; my luggage waits for me in the laundry room. I greet him and my stepmom, hug my mom goodbye, and bring my things to the car with help from all my parents. We chat about mundane things, but the conversation is still comfortable, even fun at times. My dad pulls into the drive through at a McDonald’s in Collins, just like we always do, and I hold onto my food as we cut the long, sharp turn that takes us back to Highway 84. I gaze out the window as I sip on my drink; the familiar taste of a strawberry-banana smoothie dances around my mouth.

As I stare at the greenery flying past, something dawns on me. I will only make this trip twice more before everything shifts. Realization sinks in. An entire year’s worth of trips from Soso to Brookhaven awaits me, but after May 16th, I will not drive here with the intention of greeting the same people, nor with the standards I have placed on myself as a junior literary student. While I make my first solo trip in my new car, the class of ‘21 will be spread out across the country, turning the page in the first chapter of their new lives, and the upcoming class of juniors will be anxiously fiddling in the backseat of their parents’ car as I did on move-in day. I will be faced with an abundance of new responsibilities and obligations, and I will not be the person I am in this moment.

The drive continues, despite the sinking pit in my stomach. The drive continues, despite how desperately I don’t want this chapter of my life to close. The drive continues, because it’s time to turn the page.

I glance back up at the trees on my right. It’s a straight shot from my house to MSA: ninety minutes of the same road and the same trees I’ve passed dozens of times before. A strange feeling rises in my chest, and I tell myself it is because everything around me looks different now, that I’m seeing things through a new perspective. But, that’s not true. This sensation only comes from my acknowledgement of the sameness. Instead of trying to find significance where there is none or searching for beauty where I know I don’t see it, I try to absorb my perception at this very moment. I intake the rattle of the car against the cracked streets and the way the bright sun makes my eyes squint. The sound of the seats rattling in the car, and the smudges on the window. The whirl of green that’s so intense it is nauseating at times. The static cutting through subpar music as we break past the limits of our local radio stations.

All students take a unique journey to MSA, in both a literal and figurative sense. No one will make a trip identical to yours; nobody else will pull out of your driveway and into the driveway of the school with the same perspective, the same emotions. Not a soul on this earth will get the gaze on the world around you with the same lenses that you hold presently, in this exact period of your life. On your next trip here, inhale the moment and let it fill your lungs before it becomes a fleeting memory that you only recognize when the shift happens. Cherish and document who you are now, because once you evolve into the more mature, sculpted version of yourself, it’ll be gone forever.

On December 11th, 2021, popular English content creator and songwriter Wilbur Soot released his sixth single, a fun, upbeat tune titled “Your New Boyfriend.” It is the third in a series that follows the protagonist, Lonely Boy’s, infatuation with an e-girl, the prototypical version of which is a young woman who spends an atypical amount of time online–whether it be gaming, posting, cosplaying–and whose style is inspired from both European alternative and Asian street fashions. On the surface, this song appears to be an amusing, lighthearted track, perfect to belt out the lyrics to on a road trip with friends and head bang to the beat on the way to an afternoon class. Behind the comedic lyrics and unforgettable melodies, there lies the disturbing yet common story of an outcast finding solace in his obsession and parasocial relationship with a Twitch streamer. Littered with metaphors and allusions, Wilbur Soot charmed this intense cautionary into the minds of over two million unsuspecting listeners.

Soot repeatedly references the age of Lonely Boy to characterize him as fixated and fanatic. In the first stanza, the narrator recalls, “When I was a kid on VoIP / I thought when I get older / I’d marry her, I told her / Now I’m 26 and I work in an office.” He alludes to VoIP, aka Voice over Internet Protocol, which is an older program used to make telephone calls from a computer. In the chorus, Lonely Boy says, “Oh, she’s living the dream / From back when we were 17.” These excerpts of the music tell the listener that his potent obsession has been brewing inside for nearly a decade and ultimately raises the stakes for the streamer’s safety. He sings about the beautiful love he believes is shared between them, but in reality, he is a stalker desperate to fulfill his fantasy of having the perfect relationship with this woman. This is known as a parasocial relationship, where one person extends emotional energy while the other is completely unaware of his or her existence. Lonely Boy vents, “You hit it off instantly / I know ‘cause you won’t stop telling me.” This relationship is entirely one-sided, so she’s not intentionally communicating anything to him; because the setting of this story is their shared online space, the listener can assume that she is posting on social media about her boyfriend. Lonely Boy feels that she is telling him personally about her new relationship.

Lonely Boy is convinced that he is the only person who could make her happy, and that despite all of his flaws, he would be the ideal partner and provider. He says, “I’ve got the key and he’s just a doormat / ‘Cause even though he’s got social skills / That doesn’t mean I can’t pay the bills.” The writer uses the metaphor of the current boyfriend being a doormat to further Lonely Boy’s perception that her relationship is a place for her to wipe her feet while traveling down the path of genuine connection, a path that leads to a door for which he exclusively holds the key.  Despite his irritation with the situation, the tone of the song stays joyful, showing that he does not hold her accountable for the perceived mistakes she makes. Soot further unravels the delusions of the protagonist by introducing the fact that he feels attraction to the woman’s partner. Towards the end of the song, Lonely Boy admits, “I think about him a lot as well (I think about him) / Maybe if he wasn’t fine as hell (he’s really fine as hell.)” He is so infatuated with this person that he favors all the things she does, including people, despite being neither romantically nor sexually attracted to men. 

From the cheerful tone to the playful, strategically-placed adlibs, this song is ultimately disarming. Being a twitch streamer himself, Wilbur Soot understands that this is a serious issue that plagues female streamers. He utilizes figurative language to weave this chilling story into a bright, colorful basket that his fans would find easier to digest. Presented with the archetype of the lonely man, the popular woman, and her seemingly perfect partner, the listeners are given circumstances that they would typically find themselves chuckling at. Not everyone who streams the track takes the time to unpack the complex story behind it, but Soot has planted a subconscious seed of familiarity that will sound off alarm bells for those witnessing or operating in a similar situation.

Looking at my class schedule for junior year, I am terrified by the idea of taking poetry. I have never done well with abstract concepts, nor am I quite sure how my writer’s voice will translate from paragraphs to stanzas. Unexpectedly, a specific type of poetry becomes my favorite genre to write; the form is narrative poetry and tells a complete tale through developed characters and evolving situations. In “Inscriptions of an Illusory Inamorato, a sestina”, I explore the narrative of a lonely, naïve woman coming to terms with her lover and correspondent’s deception. As I analyze this piece and consider how it can translate into fashion, I examine the imagery and word choice that coat the poem in a warm tone, the intensity of the metaphors, the rigidness of the structure, and the time period in which the story takes place. 

This is a time where letter writing is the primary form of communication and distance between companions is a feat to close. The narrator would wear her hair down, in braided or twisted sections, because she craves the feeling of being desired that comes from presenting femininely but needs something practical that will not physically distract her from her activities. The structure of this poem is very formal and this is because I want to illustrate that this affair nor the characters are casual; the clothing is expensive, elegant, and bridal because for a time, the narrator is attached to a sophisticated person whom she believes is the love of her life. I incorporated the use of warm tones in the dress, shoes, accessories, and makeup because the recurring words burned, heatwave, and warmth and lines such as “…your expressions struck and burned the pale skin of my cheeks with shameful blotches of flushed warmth” all spark red and orange imagery. The makeup look is bold and intense because, like the metaphor of a heatwave implies, this relationship is intense, passionate, and suffocating; the inspiration for dark lip and eyeshadow shades came from the line, “…I inhaled the ashes of us and required no solace.” 

The outfit reflects the changed nature of the narrator. She still bears the polished outlook the pen-pal instilled in her through their exchanges, as well as the trauma from their toxic relationship. The dress is a reminder of both the past and her personal worth; she no longer wears it for her partner but for herself. She has immeasurable endurance and assuredness in herself and her decision to seek revenge by torturously refusing to read the love interest’s letters, as shown by the striking cosmetic application. Overall, she has a strong, confident energy surrounding her despite being scorned by the relationship.

It has been a ridiculously long time since I came on this blog to have a genuine conversation with you–you being, well, anybody. I’m not sure who exactly I imagine reading my blogs, but I hope at least some of you out there are future students of MSA.

Even now, I can recall the joy that overtook my face when I discovered the literary blog. Seeing my senior’s work made my heart soar, and I found myself checking back frequently to read their posts. Callie Matthews wrote several advice blogs for rising juniors, and they always made me feel so comforted and reassured, so I decided that I would make a series of those as well! I’ll touch on some general points in these posts, but if you have any questions please, reach out to a student! We would be more than happy to talk to you about life on campus.

Invest in Your Space

About a month ago, I moved into my own dorm, and I took this as an opportunity to turn a room into a home. I think one of the biggest challenges of living at a boarding school is feeling comfortable in a unfamiliar environment. It’s a difficult transition for everybody, but one thing that can definitely help is decorating your space in a way that brings you joy. I bought a tapestry, a diffuser, string lights, and fake vines to embellish the dorm, but it’s also filled with small things I’ve collected over the years and photos of my friends from back home. Class of ’23, it is highly unlikely that you’ll be sent home for extended periods of time due to COVID-related things, so consider taking the things from home that make you happy in your dorm. You don’t have to spend big to make your space feel more cozy; DIY projects are a wonderful way to bring life to a dorm without breaking the bank, and small, inexpensive decorative items can go a long way. Also, if you do plan on buying new items from your dorm, check over the list of allowed items before you make any purchases! Here are a few pictures of my dorm, if you need an idea of what you’ll be working with. Keep in mind that the majority of you will have a roommate next year, so be mindful of that shared space when you’re picking out things.

Personally, the desk chair was a good investment for me, it’s especially nice if you work primarily at the ‘big desk’ like I do. Each desk has a comfortable chair provided with it, so it’s all down to preference at the end of the day. I have throw blankets over mine just for the sake of adding more color to the room; I bought a cushion for the chair beside my bed, so I only have the blanket hanging over the backside of that one.

Before you move in, you and your roommate will have to make a decision about who’s sleeping where; the typical agreement is that the person who takes the bottom  bunk will have the two small desks and whoever takes the top will have the big desk under it, but it varies from situation to situation. Chose wisely; get a cute twin xl bed set, mattress topper, and mattress cover; invest in comfortable pillows; and you’re all set. Sleeping on the top bunk isn’t as terrible as some people think; I slept there before I moved rooms, and I never came close to rolling off during my sleep. I promise, your body knows where you need to be to stay safe, even when it’s asleep. If you do end up with the top bunk and you’re still feeling anxious, consider buying a bed rail. I’ve only ever seen these made for children’s beds, but still, they are a decent enough length to keep you from falling.

You can’t see them in the pictures above, but on the east—or west, depending on which side of the suite you get—wall, you have three large sets of dressers, closets, and vanities. You’ll have enough space to store whatever clothes, shoes, and accessories you need. Another thing: consider bringing your own mini-fridge. If your roommate has one, and they’re willing to share, that’s great, but you might appreciate having your own space for food and drinks. If you bring your own dishes, please bring dish wash and a sponge to clean them. You do not want to be struck trying to wipe down your cups and bowls with wet paper towels.

Now let’s talk about the bathroom. You and your roommate will be connected to another pair of roommates by a bathroom. It’s a pretty large space, and you’ll have the necessities of a two sinks, a mirror, a shower, and a toilet.

I only share a bathroom with one person; again, this probably will not be the case for you. Each side has a four-unit storage shelf with three small drawers under those and two towel racks: one of the door, the other beside the shelves. I keep a chair on my side just so I don’t have to stand while I’m doing my dental and skincare routines and my makeup. My suite-mate has some of their artwork up to make the place feel more welcoming, and I really appreciate that aspect of our shared space.

It’s a good idea to connect with your suite-mates (which is a term that includes everyone you share a bathroom with) about what you want to get for the bathroom. Your must-haves are a shower curtain, a trash can, paper towels, hand soap, toilet paper, a plunger, and cleaning supplies for every part of the bathroom, including the mirror and toilet. You might be interested in buying a tiered shower caddy that can hang on the shower head, so you don’t have to make due with limited room for your products or take them in and out each time you take a shower. Bathmats and toothbrush holders are worthy considerations as well.

Before you move in, I would pick a day and make note of everything you use over the course of 24-hours; naturally, things will operate a bit differently in your dorm than they do in your bedroom back home, but it’ll help you get a sense of what you actually need to bring and what will be sitting untouched in the top shelf of your closet for the next school year.

…and that’s about it.  Thanks for spending some time with me, and I hope you find this helpful. Until next time!

Imagine you are in your high school chemistry class, wedged between the edge of a square lab table and the chilled, metal spine of your chair. The professor is droning on and on about the upcoming lesson, but your eyes wander around the room, bouncing between each of the nauseatingly bright and corny posters. The static buzz of the warm overhead lights does nothing to drown out her booming voice. You rhythmically tap your pencil against your desk and observe the faces of your classmates. Most seem just as bored and preoccupied as you, but one, you notice, sits with their eyes squeezed shut and hands tugging at the ends of their hair in visible distress. Like most high school students, you probably can not recognize the signs of sensory overload, nor are you educated on neurodivergence enough to know that this student could have autism spectrum disorder. Autism spectrum disorder refers to a broad spectrum of cognitive differences that can present challenges in a person’s sociability, communication skills, and behavior. Since this form of neurodivergency manifests in an innumerable amount of ways, the needs from person to person varies greatly. Secondary students with autism have to navigate a uniquely strenuous landscape during their education, and in many cases, they do not receive proper accommodations from a school’s faculty nor full support from their peers. Teenagers with autism face unique difficulties in both educational and social settings, and it is the responsibility of everyone involved in the schooling system to be helpful towards and understanding of the specific challenges neurodivergent students face, like sensory perception issues, language difficulties, and communication barriers.

In the physical classroom, students with autism encounter distinctive obstacles. One of the most overlooked complications of having autism is experiencing deficits in sensory processing; sensory overload occurs when a person’s five senses are receiving more input than their brains can process. An average high school classroom can be both inhibiting and overwhelming to students with atypical needs. Many professionals find that students with autism find it easier to learn visually; however, as students make the shift from elementary to secondary school, lessons tend to become more lecture focused. Accredited Schools Online quotes Jessica Leichtweisz, CEO of Hope Education Services, as saying, “This type of instruction is not well suited to children with autism, who often have a difficult time understanding the information presented. For this reason, as children with autism get older, it can be far more difficult for them to keep up.” In a similar vein, students on the autism spectrum can have trouble communicating with their peers and educators, especially when students who have this issue are in an unsettled environment with people they cannot feel unworried with. Being forced to participate in activities or lessons that are not engaging can lead to attention difficulties, and this can result in students being labeled ‘bad kids’ by teachers who do recognize the symptoms of their cognitive difference. In addition to these issues, students on the spectrum often find challenges in navigating the complicated social environment that is secondary education.

 Even the most mundane of social activities can be strenuous for teenagers with autism. For starters, the possibility of sensory overload limits the environments each individual person is able to comfortably spend time in, as well as what functions they can attend. While collaborating with Judith Newman for an article about his experience, Gus, a 16-year-old with autism touched on the language barriers he experiences. He explains, “Also, I always mean what I say. This is called being literal minded, and it means that it’s difficult for me to understand puns, riddles, or figures of speech.” Literal mindedness can cause disconnect between two people having friendly conversation;  people with autism can be perceived as rude due to their bluntness or unfunny due to their not understanding certain jokes. Impatience from neurotypical people worsens the strain people with autism endure in social situations. Fortunately, there are ways for peers and educators to ease the stress of the day-to-day life of students with autism.

A multitude of steps can be taken by faculty and fellow students to accomodate the needs of each student with autism at their school. All around, a better job needs to be done of educating the school’s community on neurodivergency and what it truly means to have autism. Students can be provided with information about how they can manage their personal sensory output, and requirements for both teachers and staff members to receive training on how to recognize and respond to the needs of students with autism. All teachers should be informed on the best methods of instructing neurodivergent students, and it needs to be encouraged that they do not dismiss the benefits of visual instruction for older students. Most importantly, patience and compassion needs to be shared by everyone in the community to cultivate a safe, inclusive environment where students with autism can flourish.

Each piece of an educational environment’s ecosystem has to do their parts to ease the strife of students with cognitive differences. With autism specifically, teenagers face a number of unique issues, including problems with verbal communication, overstimulation, and socialization. People who have Autism Spectrum Disorder have been ‘othered’ by the American secondary education system for far too long; they are often bullied by their classmates and dismissed as being weird by their teachers. They, like all students, deserve to be provided with circumstances that they can thrive and fulfill their potential in. If everyone in their lives showed a bit more consideration and kindness, the lives of high school students with autism could be improved drastically.

As we edge past the corner of 2021, climate changes are rapidly chipping away at the integrity of the planet we call home. Evidence to support the existence of climate change is unequivocal; from global temperature rise to sinking ice sheets, scientists are making note of it all, as well as how living things on Earth are being affected by it. Though many argue that the urgency surrounding climate control is foolish because it is caused by natural processes, they are incorrect. Climate change happens due to a combination of both anthropogenic and natural factors, but research shows that human activity starting in the mid-21st century has significantly increased the rate at which these natural changes are occurring. 

The greenhouse effect is the natural warming of Earth’s surface and atmosphere. Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor are reradiated skyward, and because they are excellent absorbers of radiation, provide Earth with enough warmth to sustain human life. Human activities that produce things like fossil fuel emissions have drastically increased the pace at which carbon dioxide rises into the air. In accordance with climate models, scientists predict that temperatures are likely to increase by 5 degrees Celsius by the 2100. If this is not addressed and regulations are not put into place, the Arctic could become ice-free, sea levels have the potential to rise 1-8 feet, more droughts and heatwaves will occur, and hurricanes will become much stronger.

It would be easy to convince ourselves that there is no point in combating climate change, that we are already too far gone to undo the damages, but the only thing that decides if we’re too far gone is the actions we take today. As a country, the United States needs to enact a plan that will set us on the path to decreasing our greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. In 2018, we produced the second largest amount of carbon dioxide greenhouse gases: 5.4 billion metric tons. The first change our country needs to make would be to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, which we formally left in November of 2020. Globally, all countries need to work to cut emissions in order to avoid the worst consequences. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, we would need to stop deforestation, find a means of using a newer, more efficient transportation system, and drastically alter the way we use and produce electricity.

We cannot stop climate change, but we can slow it. We can give our planet and future generations of life a chance of survival, but only if all countries take part. Taking action in the United States would help significantly in the reduction of carbon emissions; however, it is the combined efforts from many–if not all–that will give us a fighting chance at saving our world from the destruction we have brought upon it. 

Resources:

https://climate.nasa.gov/ 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_in_the_United_States 

https://www.npr.org/2020/11/03/930312701/u-s-officially-leaving-paris-climate-agreement 

https://www.ucsusa.org/climate/solutions

      Last week, the southern United States was hit with an unusual winter storm.  Although Mississippi was not struck as harshly as places like Texas, we still got our fair share of icy roads, power outages, and boil water notices. On Sunday, we were invited to return to school five hours earlier than usual for the sake of avoiding the weather, but once sleet began to fall, all students who were not already more than half way to the school were directed to turn back. We were left with half as many students on campus and even less staff members. (Special thanks our faculty! They were amazing through all of this!) Bored, cold, and with some extra downtime from having virtual classes, the teenagers here did what any art school students would do; we walked–well, slid–around campus and had a photoshoot.

This photo was taken outside of the SLC on the first day we had a full blanket of ice greeting us each morning.

After a failed trip to Dollar General, which, like most stores, was closed at the time, I snapped this outside of the Johnson Institute on my way back.

My senior Maleigh and I had a photo op outside of the Phoenix.

…the rocks were slippery.

Here is our grade-A photographer in action.

We attempted to slide down the ramp with trashcan lids. Not our finest moments, but we made it work. Sorta.

 Had to take a snap of the frozen news paper. You know, for the aesthetic. I’m sorry, let’s just move on.

Gardening Club has a small garden outside of the SLC, and unfortunately, our green friends got frozen over. A couple of distinguished birds (they’re decorations, but don’t tell them that), got to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous scenery. 

The breathtaking view from the top floor of the SLC. From one of the tallest buildings in Brookhaven, you can see the rooftops of the dozens of stores and restaurants in downtown. I am still in awe of this.

Last December, I revisited a couple of my “Let’s Talk About…” commentary blogs, and I decided to rewrite them into professional essays. With these revisions, I think I accomplished my goal of expressing my thoughts on the issues I discussed in a more eloquent way, so I wanted to share one! This was originally titled “Let’s Talk About…The Social Responsibility of Online Influencers.”

In 2020, our world was introduced to an inordinate number of tragedies, but unlike the world-shifting global pandemic, the campaign to end racial inequality and police brutality is nothing new. Black Lives Matter is considered one of the largest social movements in the history of the United States, but the seeds of the network of advocates were sown from the use of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media in July of 2013. Outraged and profoundly horrified by the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the fatal shooting of a black teenager named Trayvon Martin, a woman named Alicia Garza, who works as domestic worker rights organizer in Oakland, California, published a series of Facebook posts called, “A Love Letter to Black People.” It is in this series that she expressed, “…black people, I love you. I love us. Our lives matter.” Patrisse Cullors, an anti-police violence organizer in Los Angeles, replied to the post saying, “#BlackLivesMatter.” With the support of their mutual friend Opal Tometi, these two women created the movement, though the hashtag did not begin to trend until the murder of Michael Brown in 2014. Within three weeks of Michael’s death, “#BlackLivesMatter” was being used on average almost sixty thousand times every single day. In late November, a grand jury decided to not charge Darren Wilson with the murder of Michael Brown, and within those subsequent weeks, the hashtag was used over 1.7 million times.

Inspired by the 1960’s civil rights movement, Black Lives Matter organizers have revolutionized advocacy and activism with their strategic protesting strategies, using social media to garner widespread media coverage, and publically challenging and demanding support from politicians. After the murder of George Floyd on May 25th, 2020, at the hands of police officers Derek Chauvin, Alexander Kueng, Thomas Layne, and Tou Thao, the movement saw what is often described as a revival. However, as many black activists have said, Black Lives Matter never “fizzled out” for them as it did for the nonblack allies who associated themselves with the movement in its initial formation. An accurate description would be that during this turbulent time in our world, a great deal nonblack people took the opportunity to educate themselves on the issue of racial inequality against black people, more influencers and celebrities spoke out against the injustices, and therefore, the movement received more social backing. White people in systemic positions of privilege are recognizing the disconnect between the way they and people of color are treated in the world, and an unprecedented amount are publicly acknowledging this and responsibly using their platforms to build support for the movement.

Unfortunately in the wake of “#BlackLivesMatter”’s surge on social media in recent months, those genuinely advocating for change are being met with a whirlwind of what are known as performative activists. Wikipedia states, “Performative activism is a pejorative term referring to activism done to increase one’s social capital rather than because of one’s devotion to a cause. It is often associated with surface-level activism, referred to as slacktivism.” In this new age of technology, people are able to effortlessly hide behind their screens and project an idealized image of themselves, and this has resulted in a number of people showing up for black people in convenient, online settings. One might recognize someone like this in their own life when they compare the way this person acts on social media to the way they do in real life. On their Instagram story, they firmly state that they will not tolerate any kind of ignorance towards the black community, but they are silent when presented with people making harmful judgments about black people and the movement as a whole. They leave supportive comments on black activists’ posts, but do not correct their nonblack friends for using racial slurs. They share links to petitions that they have not even taken the time to sign themselves. 

Performative activists want the positive attention they are sure to receive from feigning a “woke” appearance on social media, but are neither educated enough nor willing to defend black people against those who try to justify and/or dismiss the hardships they have endured. They pat themselves on the back for doing the bare minimum, because that is all a white person needs to do in order to be deemed a good person by our society. To lay it out simply, if someone chooses to continue a friendship with someone who supports the countering movement All Lives Matter and makes no attempts to educate that person, they are not an ally. If they speak on behalf of the community instead of bringing attention to the thousands of statements made by black people online, they are not an ally. If they sit by idly while their peers make racist comments, they are not an ally. If they support influencers who have been radio silent about the movement, they are not an ally. If they think people can “agree to disagree” about racism, they are not an ally. They are not an ally, and others must learn to stop titling them as shut because the world has conditioned people to think white people deserved to be praised for doing anything remotely positive.

Why are nonblack people being applauded for their activism at all? Why is it that when some, mostly other nonblack people, see a content creator retweet a single link to a petition after months of noiselessness about the movement, their innate response is to compliment them? Why is it acceptable for these musicians and actors with net-worths of tens of millions of dollars to do nothing more than like one comment saying, “Interact if you support BLM!”? Why are people still embracing this idea that white people deserve to be thanked for doing the absolute least to support a movement fighting for equality and justice? Advocating for black lives is not a skill or favorable quality, it is a very basic action that any moral person would do. Respecting the minimalist idea that black people are human beings who deserve to experience life not plagued by constant fear and shrouded in danger is nothing exceptional. More importantly, why do some nonblack people act like they’re doing the black community a favor when they take the slightest action to help?

Performative activism can be incredibly damaging for a movement like Black Lives Matter that is rightfully demanding significant and important change. False allyship does nothing to aid black advocates and ultimately serves as a deterrent, and those who are pushing a facade of caring about the movement in order to gain social standing must take accountability for this. It is a necessity that they educate themselves on how to be effective allies and take those steps–not because they want to save face, but because they understand that is their obligation as a person to help their fellow human being when they are faced with grave injustices. 

Recently, this tweet stumbled across my timeline:

    For some reason, it really inspired me at 2pm on a Thursday afternoon, so I decided to write a story about it. The excerpt below is the first two paragraphs I wrote, so the ‘intense slowburn’ aspect is a bit limited. However, I am super proud of this, and I wanted to share it. No, I will not tell you the plot–that would be too easy.

     Before he even thought to open his eyes, Esmond squeezed them shut. Overwhelmed by the rays of glaring, white light, his left arm instinctively rose to shield his face. If not distracted by the intense pulsing sensation inhabiting the pack of his head, he would have been startled by the heaviness of his own limbs. The joints of his knuckles cracked with each cautious movement his stiff fingers made, and his throat stung with the dryness of a lake drained by the heat of a thousand wicked suns. He did not notice the pressure of someone absentmindedly tracing her thumb along the lines of his palm until she tugged her arm back in haste. The pullback made his entire right side feel vulnerable, as if she had been guarding him from the openness of the room they occupied. The scent of stale ocean water and dried blood left with her, and though he did not have the strength to pry open his own eyes, he hung on to the swelling feeling her presence spun into his chest. Something began to scream at him, demanding that he find her again.

     The tranquility she brought to the room vanished after a few fleeting moments, and it was swiftly replaced by the sounds of dense shoes echoing off the stone floor and muffled speech. A large door screeched loudly, and the space became congested with a frantic, oppressive energy. He suspected that the people whom those voices belonged to were trying to communicate with him, but he could not understand a word they spoke; though he sensed their concerned presence right next to him, it sounded as if several concrete walls separated them. A broad, icy hand grabbed Esmond’s shoulder and brutishly joggled it, causing his entire chest to rattle. Fear incited a spark of adrenaline that spread from his air-stricken lungs to each inch of his bruised, swollen skin; it subdued the hissing white noise that numbed his sense and unbolted the locks of disarmament that held his eyelids together. He jolted upright, momentarily blinded by the brightness of the room.

     Almost exactly one week ago, I found myself falling down the endless void that is my TikTok ‘For You’ Page for the second time that day. About twenty minutes passed before I stumbled across a familiar face: Jojo Siwa. For those of you who are unaware, Jojo is a dancer, singer, and social media personality who is best known for her hit song “Boomerang,” being on two seasons of Dance Moms, and her wild, colorful style. In this video, the 17-year-old sported her iconic ponytail and glitter-covered bow hairstyle and lip-synced to Lady Gaga’s pride anthem “Born This Way.” 

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMJEmHSTu/

     I immediately had the feeling that this video was more than it appeared to be at the surface level, and my suspicions were confirmed a day or so later by the gray ‘liked by creator’ tag hovering below many of overwhelmingly supportive comments congratulating her on coming out in her newer tiktoks. Four days ago, Jojo took to Instagram to express her gratitude towards humanity and said, “For the last–what would it be now?–72 hours, I have gotten the most endless amount of love and support…I think humans are really incredible people.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKZp4ZLh7Qp/?igshid=1m2foe6nrq3mv 

     A certain warmth encapsulated my heart when I realized, and I am still overjoyed by this wonderful addition to the community. Many people have taken to social media to reflect on their experience as non-straight youth, and they expressed how the lack of Sapphic representation in media affected their understanding of their sexuality. Positive representation not only reaffirms for these kids that they are valid in their attraction and experience; it also serves to increase acceptance and support for the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. 

     Like always, there is still a small minority of people spreading bigotry-fueled negativity. A handful claim that Jojo is too young to understand her own sexuality–you heard it first hear folks! You have to be 18 or older to figure out if you’re not straight, but of course, those who are heterosexual are ‘allowed’ to know what their sexuality is the second their parents decide that they want to start forcing heteronormativity on their children. Some parents have expressed concern with their children consuming Jojo’s content. Next up on news: having a gay idol does not make anyone gay. If a person realizes something about themselves after witnessing someone like her live authentically, it was already who they were to begin with.

     In spite of this, Jojo has remained resilient. She responded to one of these negative comments on Instagram in true-icon fashion, silencing the crowd with only four letters.