Hyperchampioning
Sometimes in your effort to not be the asshole, you can become an asshole.
After last week’s live about nuance in digital spaces (Re: Rachel Hollis’ “masterclass” on what not to do!), a trend kept coming up in my DMs.
For the sake of this post I’m going to call this phenomenon, hyperchampioning.
You’ve seen it before and you may have taken part in it too.
I define hyperchampioning online as flooding social posts and channels with comments with the intent of championing BIPOC but the impact of just hyping up your own ego. It’s often rooted in the guilt that comes from recognizing white violence and privilege. You recognize it, you’re working on turning from that, and so you go further than you need to in an online interaction so you can pat yourself on the back. But what does that actually accomplish?
Nothing really. Maybe a tiny feeling of validation but no concrete changes. But that's because hyperchampioning is designed to solve one problem -- shame. Thoughtful consideration gets blown out of the water. There’s rallying in the comments but there’s no organization. There’s no clear intent other than to show you’re not the “burn a cross in your yard” kind of white person. That's not for the betterment of BIPOC, that's for the betterment of ego.
Using buzzwords for likes can lead to tangible metrics but not tangible outcomes. What it actually creates for a lot of BIPOC is more distrust. It's not centering our pain, harm reduction, or even solutions to the issues we face. It's centering whiteness yet again. So if you're white, before you pop off in the comments when the next Rachel Hollis has her moment on social media, ask yourself the following questions:
Have I done research into the organization/person/business/writer first to determine if this is their character or a mistake?
Is there someone, particularly a BIPOC voice speaking to what I’m about to say that I can support? How can I elevate them?
Is there a way I can reduce the harm this view/post/opinion could have on BIPOC in my sphere of influence? How can I prioritize that?
Where are places you've hyperchampioned?
For more thoughts on what to look out for, catch the replay of the “Girl, We’re Having A Nuanced Conversation" here.
