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    • Chappell Roan didn’t say anything wrong. Generation Z should settle down
    Washington

    Chappell Roan didn’t say anything wrong. Generation Z should settle down

    Madoc Meredith Posted on

    Although I like Chappell Roan’s music, I don’t feel the need to know who she chooses. Her statement that she would reluctantly vote for Harris sounds like many other Gen Z people I know.

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    Chappell Roan, 26, is a rising pop music star. Her hit album “Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” was released a year ago and she was just named Best New Artist at the MTV Video Music Awards. Her fans include Elton John and RuPaul. She is undoubtedly one of the most famous artists of Generation Z.

    If you’ve heard of Roan’s work, it’s easy to see why. Her high-energy music is lighthearted and anthemic for LGBTQ+ Gen Z youth. That’s why I’m so surprised that people – her own fans – have turned against her.

    Last weekend Roan had to cancel her participation in the All Things Go music festival due to health reasons. The decision came after intense scrutiny of her decision not to directly support Vice President Kamala Harris and after weeks of discussions surrounding the singer.

    “Things have become overwhelming over the last few weeks and I’m really feeling it,” she said in a statement on her Instagram Story.

    I’m proud of Roan for making her health a priority – even if it upsets other people. While I understand the frustration of missing your favorite artist’s performance, there is a real problem with the way we treat famous people that needs to be addressed. Roan seems to be leading this conversation.

    Why did fans turn against Chappell Roan?

    The Roan controversy stems from two interviews. The first was at Rolling Stone, where she said she “doesn’t have a side because I hate both sides.”

    Then she reiterated this opinion in an interview with The Guardian.

    “I don’t feel pressured to support anyone,” Roan said. “There are problems on both sides. I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, to use your voice – vote small, vote for what’s going on in your city.”

    This sparked strong reactions on social media.

    “Chappell Roan is an embarrassment to lesbians,” Maya Luna, executive director of Progress Libs, posted on the One Who Protects It.

    “How are you, queer, an ardent supporter of the drag community and kind of a ‘both sides are bad’ person,” another user wrote.

    Some even accused her of being a secret supporter of former President Donald Trump. She then tried to fix the issue by posting a video on TikTok in which she said she would vote for Harris but did not support her.

    “There is no way I can support some of the completely transphobic and completely genocidal views of the left,” Roan says in the video.

    Even that was more than she needed to say. She didn’t have to explain herself to people who already knew where she came from. But her very justified beliefs about how politicians should be held to a higher standard have raised some doubts about whether she is even prepared for stardom.

    Opinion: Chappell Roan’s speaking out about the abuse she experienced doesn’t make her unfit for fame

    Roan was the soundtrack to my life

    I have to admit I’m biased – Roan’s music is special to me.

    A friend from college showed me Roan’s music in 2022. Since then, I have associated them with valuable, formative moments of the last few years.

    I have a video of my friends dancing to “Pink Pony Club” at a birthday party in 2023. Later that year I sang along to “Red Wine Supernova” with friends when I went to see the band boygenius. “Naked in Manhattan” reminds me that when I move to New York and go to gay bars, I know the “HOT TO GO!” Don’t even get me started on “casual.”

    It’s safe to say I’m a fan. Roan’s infectious, unapologetically sapphic pop music makes me feel seen. She put my coming out story to music. Many others can relate to her in the same way.

    I thought we were better at mental health care

    I didn’t realize until recently that Roan and I struggle with similar mental health issues. Roan had previously spoken out about having bipolar disorder and was recently diagnosed with major depression.

    I know firsthand how difficult bipolar disorder and depression can be. I can’t imagine taking care of myself while the world watches. I completely understand why she had to take some time off – and I’m surprised so many people are upset about it. I thought we had made progress in dealing with mental health, especially when it comes to young female celebrities.

    Roan had also previously spoken about the way some of her fans interact with her, pointing out the “abuse and harassment” she receives from fans. This also sparked controversy – although she simply asked that people not stalk her and her family.

    “I don’t care that it’s normal,” Roan said in a TikTok video. “I don’t care that this crazy behavior comes with the job, the career field I chose. That doesn’t make it okay.”

    Opinion: Did the algorithm kill the pop star? What Chappell Roan, Charli XCX and “Brat” tell us.

    The video was parodied in a “Weekend Update” segment on Saturday Night Live, with Bowen Yang dressed as viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng.

    The video was met with some backlash, leading Yang to say, “If my personal stance and the piece aren’t entirely clear about support for her, then I guess that’s it.”

    I’m disappointed by the jokes at Roan’s expense and disappointed by the general discussion surrounding Roan and her decision to cancel performances. We’ve come so far in tackling mental health, and it’s an issue that Generation Z in particular has been vocal about. Yet for some reason, we can’t afford to extend the same graces to a celebrity that we often demand of ourselves and others we care about.

    We can criticize Harris and still vote for her

    Although I like Roan’s music, I don’t feel the need to know who she chooses. Her statement that she would reluctantly vote for Harris sounds like many other Gen Z people I know.

    People my age are upset about what is happening in Gaza and how the war is spreading to the Middle East. We are dismayed by the number of anti-trans laws passed in the United States in recent years.

    Many of us will still vote for Harris. According to Harvard, she leads by 31 points among 18- to 29-year-old voters. But that support comes with the knowledge that the Democratic Party has failed to address some problems. We can criticize a system we are a part of and candidates we will ultimately support.

    Plus, it may not matter if celebrities provide endorsements. Sure, Taylor Swift sent 400,000 people to Vote.gov immediately after she endorsed the Democratic presidential nominee on September 10, but it’s unclear whether those people will actually vote — or whether they’ll just vote because Swift said they would .

    Overall, Roan’s endorsement of a candidate would likely make little difference in the election.

    I don’t think Roan needs to give full support for people to know where their politics lie – especially if it costs their well-being. I hope other people can learn to respect her privacy and give her the space she needs.

    Follow USA TODAY election columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter, @sara__pequeno

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    Madoc Meredith
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