Why do people care that Chappell Roan won’t endorse Kamala Harris?

Chappell Roan isn’t endorsing a candidate for president. While this seems hardly newsworthy, the internet virtually erupted in horror that the 26-year-old musician, who shot to fame earlier this year, doesn’t want to use her frame to urge fans to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“I have so many issues with our government in every way,” Roan told The Guardian last week. “There are so many things that I would want to change. So I don’t feel pressured to endorse someone. There’s problems on both sides. I encourage people to use your critical thinking skills, use your vote—vote small, vote for what’s going on in your city.”

Backlash to Roan’s comments swiftly proliferated online.

“Chappell roan is an embarrassment to lesbians,” one X user wrote in a post with more than 4 million views. “You can’t borrow from drag aesthetics and embrace your sexuality and then pretend the party that would criminalize our happiness is the same as the one who protects it.”

“How do you feel about tens of thousands of pregnant rape victims forced to carried their rapists’ children to term?” reads another viral response. “LGTBQ+ rights? The future of democracy? The future of the planet? Anything???”

These users weren’t alone in their outrage. One post on X detailing the interview has 74 million views and counting, with tens of thousands of comments and quotes debating Roan’s comments.

The political opinions of a random stranger shouldn’t normally spark outrage—that is, unless you’ve developed an intense parasocial attachment to the subject of your ire. In this case, it’s a Gen Z pop musician whose primary contribution to culture is a catchy tune about go-go dancing. 

The problem with the internet outrage over Roan’s relatively minor comments isn’t just that it reveals an obsessive fixation with the star. Those horrified that Roan wouldn’t endorse Harris show an overfixation with politics itself. Not everything has to be about politics—and not every celebrity has to use their platform for a “good cause.” 

Roan’s one and only job is to make good music. If fans—or critics—want musings on the upcoming election, they’re better off looking elsewhere (to Reason magazine perhaps!) The expectation that our favorite celebrities will always agree with us on the political issues of the day is unrealistic and certain to end in disappointment. 

The fury over Roan’s comments is misplaced for another reason. She made a pretty good point. It’s perfectly reasonable—or even good—to refuse to pick a side in the face of stifling deeply disappointing political binarism. 

While Roan—who refused to attend a White House Pride event earlier this year because of President Joe Biden’s stance on Israel—is clearly expressing apathy from the left of both major political parties, her dissatisfaction with the political status quo is far from unusual. More Americans than ever are disappointed with their choice of political candidate in November. Earlier this year, 43 percent of Americans identified as independents—an all-time high.

Further, the idea that an endorsement from Roan—who already has an extremely left-wing fanbase—would change anyone’s mind is doubtful. 

While many of Roan’s critics rushed to point out that former President Donald Trump shares far fewer of Roan’s stated values than Harris, they’re missing the point. Just because there’s a “lesser of two evils” candidate doesn’t mean that celebrities like Roan are required to endorse them—or even vote for them.