Lesbian pop-princess Chappell Roan is making headlines again, with her recent comments on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast hosted by Alex Cooper.
Roan made it clear during the 2024 election cycle in interviews with Rolling Stone and The Guardian that she sees no need, as a pop star, to discuss politics or endorse a specific political candidate.
In her interview with Rolling Stone, Roan explained, “I don’t have a side because I hate both sides.” This claim angered a lot of fans who believed that Roan’s endorsement of a specific candidate would be beneficial, considering how much influence she has as a celebrity.
Roan continued these sentiments, taking the issues to her TikTok page and explaining once again that she sees corruption on both sides and does not feel the need to endorse anyone.
In her appearance on “Call Her Daddy,” the topic of celebrities and spreading political information came up and Roan once again shared a similar sentiment of not looking to celebrities for political answers.
She explained that, “Are you looking to me for some political answer? … I’m a pop star. I wish the president was a pop star, but she’s not,” Roan said.
Obviously, these comments have once again angered fans, and Roan is facing backlash for her opinions. However, it is clear that Roan does not care about the backlash she receives in these matters.
As a fan of hers, I feel very conflicted about Roan’s views and her need to constantly talk about this online.
For starters, I honestly think Roan should just be quiet. I appreciate her honesty and her unfiltered attitude. I think she’s funny and real, but in all honesty, it feels like this situation is just beating a dead horse. Let it go, girl. We already know how she feels about speaking about politics, so bringing it up at any chance she can get is just getting tiring. It’s like she knows she’s going to get backlash and does it anyway.
To me, this presents an interesting dilemma. Roan feels as though she should not have to speak out on politics and share her beliefs with fans, but feels comfortable talking about not wanting to talk about politics. When she’s told to maybe keep her mouth shut, she doesn’t. Pick a side. If you’re not going to talk about issues, don’t talk about anything related to them.
I think Roan can say whatever she wants at the end of the day, but she can’t get upset when she receives the backlash.
Roan is a celebrity who has built her career upon something inherently political: drag. Whether she likes it or not, this community will always be political and it is important that if she is going to represent that, she must also support the politics that go along with it. She gets upset when people ask her to speak on politics as if she is an unassuming little pop-star. She is one of the biggest in today’s world and one of the biggest people supporting the LGBTQ+ community with her performances and songs.
She has to understand that she has made a brand for herself that demands certain political attention. It is her responsibility to advocate and support her causes.
oparisi@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of Rolling Stone
