Op-Ed: Celebrities shouldn’t be pressured into giving political endorsements

The modern “celebrity” and their politics have never been more accessible. Fans have direct communication to engage with superstar performers and athletes daily. Now as younger generations, particularly Generation Z, turn to social media for information about politics and pop culture, their favorite celebrities’ political alignment has become a source of gossip, news and campaign clout.

Celebrities are entitled to their political opinions just like anyone else and it’s their right to use their platforms to elevate or criticize policy and political figures – many do. But people, fans and media should stop baiting them into giving political endorsements. Celebrity endorsements are mostly meaningless in terms of affecting voter participation, while also alienating populations and oftentimes delivering incomplete or inaccurate information.

It shouldn’t be a requirement for anyone to share their political views publicly or online. Instead, celebrity and culture should work toward alleviating polarization in politics.

After Taylor Swift endorsed Joe Biden in 2020, many on the left expected another endorsement from the pop star in 2024 and criticized her for remaining silent for as long as she did.

Swift ultimately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris on Sept. 10. Prior to the endorsement, Trump’s official Twitter account was using an AI generated image of her likeness to garner support. Following the endorsement, he posted, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT.”

The controversy provoked a heated debate over how much Miss Americana’s endorsement would impact election results. The nearly unanimous conclusion: not much.

Apart from an initial bump in voter registrations following Swift’s endorsement, a recent poll showed no significant movement in the presidential race among voters. 60% of Gen-Z and Millennial voters said the endorsement did not influence their vote choice at all. The vast majority of voters, even young voters, have already made their choice, and remain unmoved and uninfluenced by Swift’s endorsement.

But that doesn’t stop the buzz around celebrity endorsements. They make legacy newspaper headlines, pop culture podcasts and can even influence social media strategy. And that perpetuates the cycle with people and the media demanding more. The end result is more polarization.

When asked if she’d support either candidate, popstar Chappell Roan said, “I hate both sides, and I’m so embarrassed about everything going on right now.” That answer was not what the public wanted to hear. It sparked negative reactions online, her left-leaning audience especially taking major offense, prompting clarification videos, a mental health break, and show cancellations.

Swift’s friendship with Brittnay Mahomes, a self-declared Trump supporter, became the subject of similar internet “backlash” after Swift hugged Mahomes.

Their relationship exemplifies what the political parties, and their hunger for celebrity endorsements, are working against – democratic discussion. Instead of championing the democratic nature of this friendship between two women with differing politics, the fans, media, and parties have used it to air their grievances with the other side.

We should be able to hug our friends without the fear of political scandal. You should be able to maintain cordial relationships with family members on Thanksgiving. You should be able to have friends with differing political beliefs.

The media, on both sides of the aisle, have been consumed with pitting people against each other. The parties have embraced it, and winning over celebrities has been a tool to attract people to their side. As a result, politics has increasingly become a popularity contest where you can only sit at one lunch table and talk to one group of people – only expanding our divide.

But, regularly engaging with individuals of different political preferences is the best way to challenge, and reaffirm your own beliefs. If more people were influenced by Swift’s openness, rather than her political stances, we’d be closer to reconciling our growing political gap.

It’s time we ditch the endorsement frenzy. Your vote is too important to give to a celebrity to decide.

Instead, we should call on celebrities to use their platform to advocate for what matters: bridging our political divide.