The end of #WhereisKate and the start of an entirely different social media frenzy.
Monarchy, Privacy and Humanity on the Internet.
When Cheek was started in 2020, the goal was simple: be the voice you needed to see. Respond to a media landscape that doesn’t represent progression. Be the outlet that takes young people seriously. Critique the Morrison government in ways Murdoch is desperate to sweep under the rug.
There are many news stories with a clear, progressive pathway. It remains controversial to the right, but is quite easy to navigate and discuss with anyone not watching Sky News and playing with their belly buttons while their heads are stuck in the sand.
Climate change? It’s science - we need to act.
Refugees? Shouldn’t be imprisoned indefinitely for simply seeking safe places to exist.
Racism? Wrong.
Gender inequality? It exists.
Scott Morrison? Steaming hot turd - vote him out.
Affirmative consent? The bare minimum requirement for safe, mutually pleasurable sex.
These are a few simple ideas that while not universally agreed upon, are a safe bet to discuss in progressive spaces online. The backlash and trolling around these subjects doesn’t hurt as much, because it isn’t coming from a logical, moral place. It is coming from pain, from patriarchy, from denial, from a failure to stay informed, or from toxicity. It is still damaging to hear the de-humanisation, but it is easier to continue pushing on - because you don’t doubt yourself. You know it’s the right thing.
But there are issues that are far more complex. They aren’t simply a ‘which side are you on’ discussion (which I have always hated anyway, because politics and mainstream media thrive on the belief in division through a win/loss mindset - which I won’t continue to dribble about because I dedicated an entire book chapter to it), because the grey area is where the subject thrives. There is depth, there is nuance and our personal contexts and prejudice seep into every word we utter. These stories are not just a headline or a reportable fact. They are circumstantial.
In recent weeks, the unfolding of #WhereisKate has ultimately reflected the challenges with incorporating depth and critical reflection in the age of social media.
