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Since the beginning of people getting famous for their artwork, it's a given within society that the fans feel entitled to ask celebrities or people of prestige for photos, videos, or for their time. Very few celebrities have ever actually challenged this, or tried to say that they aren’t comfortable with it, and just sit in letting themselves be uncomfortable for the sake of not being a “problem.” Usually, celebrities will get bodyguards or security to stop people from harassing them during their day-to-day life; until Chappell Roan challenged the standard.
Roan’s music career began to drastically hit the charts when she released her debut album in Sept 2023, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”. Roan quickly went from having concerts at small queer festivals in parks, to having the biggest crowd ever recorded at around 80,000 people at the New York City Governors Ball Festival.
Roan’s music career began to sky-rocket, and it came with excessive amounts of harassment and violation of her personal space. Roan made a statement in a video on Aug 19 of 2024 through TikTok about the constant harassment from people not just online, but in person at her home, when she's simply walking down the street, or going out to a movie with her friends: “I don’t give a **** if you think it’s selfish for me to say no to a photo, or for your time, or for a hug.”
Roan brings in this newfound sense of having fan bases reflect on their actions, and come to realize that the celebrities that they fawn over, are indeed just human beings who are also trying to live their lives like everybody else.
Roan’s music career began to drastically hit the charts when she released her debut album in Sept 2023, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”. Roan quickly went from having concerts at small queer festivals in parks, to having the biggest crowd ever recorded at around 80,000 people at the New York City Governors Ball Festival.
Roan’s music career began to sky-rocket, and it came with excessive amounts of harassment and violation of her personal space. Roan made a statement in a video on Aug 19 of 2024 through TikTok about the constant harassment from people not just online, but in person at her home, when she's simply walking down the street, or going out to a movie with her friends: “I don’t give a **** if you think it’s selfish for me to say no to a photo, or for your time, or for a hug.”
Roan brings in this newfound sense of having fan bases reflect on their actions, and come to realize that the celebrities that they fawn over, are indeed just human beings who are also trying to live their lives like everybody else.
In another part of the video Roan said, “It’s weird that people think you know a person just because you see them online and you listen to the art they make.” When people feel connected to a song or an artist that has shared a similar experience expressed through their lyrics, they tend to latch on and fixate on how they are similar and that there is someone who understands what they are going through
This idea of fixating on songs especially hits home for the LGBTQIA+ community, who have had very few representations in pop music until Roan began to release songs about the experiences she’s had as a queer person. “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.” Roan said in an instagram post on Aug. 23 as well, “I want to love my life, be outside, giggle with my friends, go to the movies, feel safe, and do all the things every single person deserves to do.”
The world rarely sees someone of importance that’s new to the music industry stand up for themselves, or go as far as saying, “I don’t care that this crazy type of behavior comes along with the job, or the career field I’ve chosen- that doesn’t make it okay.” People go to social media to try to justify Roan’s statements, saying that not all celebrities need media training, and this brings a fresh outlook on how we should be treating people with fame as a whole.
She ends her Instagram post with, “I feel more love than I ever have in my life. I feel the most unsafe I have ever felt in my life.” Roan asks for civility and to be treated as if she is any other human being just walking down the street.
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