performative activist

Once again we enter the world of social media where it is important to maintain an image, particularly if you are an influencer.  A performative activist is someone who pretends to espouse a cause, even if they have no interest it, because it is likely to improve their standing in social media, and not appearing to be involved and supportive may produce a negative response.  It is a term that became popular in the George Floyd protests so that dates it as 2020.

Performative activism is also known as trendivism, slacktivism, performative allyship, performative wokeness, and momentary, fleeting or selective activism.  The fact that there are so many names for it shows how down on it people are.

In Australia it is largely Indigenous issues which produce this response.  And the question  for those who visibly support the cause is: Are you doing good or just looking as if you are doing good?  If the latter, then it is done entirely for your own benefit.