Over the past couple of weeks, pop-sensation Chappell Roan has made several statements on social media, setting boundaries with her fans and expressing frustration with her “hundreds of stalkers.”
On Instagram, the “Hot-to-Go” singer expressed frustration with those who are harassing her and her family: “I’ve been in too many nonconsensual physical and social interactions and I just need to lay out and remind you, women don’t owe you s***. I chose this career path because I love music and art and honoring my inner child, I do not accept harassment of any kind because I chose this path, nor do I deserve it.”
The internet has become divided on the issue with many speaking out against Chappell Roan. They say she is naïve, that so-called superfans are just part of stardom. Many believe she needs to accept this type of behavior in order to succeed in the industry.
We need to examine the unusually fast path Chappell Roan took from small Indie artist to full-blown star. The Missouri native released her first studio album, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” just under a year ago on Sept. 22, 2023 (the name is a nod to David Bowie’s “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust”).
Chappell was not an instant hit. She spent several months in obscurity before a professional connection with a producer landed her a gig opening for popstar Olivia Rodrigo.
She then rose in the charts almost overnight, with her songs “Casual,” “Red Wine Supernova” and “Pink Pony Club” finding wide success. Over the course of one ummer, Chappell Roan has become a cultural celebrity and an LGBTQ+ icon. She recently headlined one of the largest Lollapalooza’s ever.
Most celebrities have ample time – a subtle rise in fame – that allows them to adjust to the life of a celebrity. Chappell Roan only had a few months of back-to-back shows before she returned home and found her normal life completely changed. She can no longer go to the supermarket without being rushed, and her family is constantly being bothered and stalked.
Are you telling me you have no sympathy for how overwhelming that must be? She has had no time to get used to the constant attention or figure out a security system that works comfortably for her. If she really wanted that level of fame, she wouldn’t be performing in a full face of drag makeup under a stage name.
Parasocial relationships are toxic, and the notion that a celebrity does not have the same rights as any other person is unsettling. While public figures do forego a certain level of privacy, fans need to ask themselves if it’s healthy to be so obsessed with another person.
Do we really want to live in a society that considers celebrities to be something other than human? Especially when many of them, like Chappell Roan, just want to create their art for a living.
I think we must also consider the sexist element of this argument. Hollywood has a long history of perpetuating the exploitation of women, but that does not mean we have to be complicit in it. Since when did we become comfortable with the horrible status quo?
There are so many cases of famous women being victims of violence, such as the 1995 murder of Selena Quintanilla-Perez, who was shot by the president of her fan club.
Every so often, compilations of celebrities being asked invasive, sexist questions will begin recirculating, such as when Arianna Grande was asked by a radio DJ if she would rather go without her phone or without makeup. We don’t have to normalize this behavior. We really don’t.
Male celebrities are also treated badly by the public, but not nearly to the same degree. Consider Eminem’s 2000 song “Stan” where he sang about an obsessed fan. Was he, like Chappell Roan, called ungrateful or naïve? No! To this day, the song is very highly regarded.
There is a double standard looking down on women who assertively call out toxic fan behavior.
Chappell Roan’s statements hold true to what she and her music stand for. Like her song, she is a “Femininenomenon,” unafraid to use her voice in a way thar empowers women. We shouldn’t be tearing her down for advocating for herself and her family. We should applaud her bravery. We should remember she is human. We should respect the boundaries she sets.
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