Emma Watson Calls for Crackdown on 'Structural Racism' After Backlash Over Her #BlackoutTuesday Post

Harry Potter star Emma Watson has responded to criticism over her participation in the #BlackoutTuesday campaign in what many social media users called performative activism. The idea of the campaign is to cause a blackout on social media (posting black squares) so that instead of their ordinary pastime on social media, people would educate themselves on racial inequality and the Black Lives Matter movement, which claims to be aimed at stopping violence and racism towards black people. The organisers also encouraged people and organisations to post content that would promote racial equality.

Major companies, museums, and millions of people, including A-list celebrities, took part in the campaign on Tuesday. Watson posted three black squares on her Instagram account along with several hashtags. Social media users criticised the actress, arguing that she didn’t say anything about racial inequality or the protests over the death of George Floyd. Others accused the 30-year-old of performative activism, contending that the three black squares she posted had white borders to match the aesthetic of her Instagram.

​Watson recently responded to the criticism by posting a statement on Instagram.

"There is so much racism, both in our past and present, that is not acknowledged nor accounted for. White supremacy is one of the systems of hierarchy and dominance, of exploitation and oppression, that is tightly stitched into society. As a white person, I have benefited from this. Whilst we might feel that, as individuals, we're working hard internally to be anti-racist, we need to work harder externally to actively tackle the structural and institutional racism around us. I'm still learning about the many ways I unconsciously support and uphold a system that is structurally racist. I see your anger, sadness and pain. I cannot know what this feels like for you but it doesn't mean I won't try to", the actress wrote on Instagram.

Many social media users rushed to back the actress, noting that she had done more for human rights than the people criticising her. In 2014, Watson was appointed a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and helped launch a campaign to promote gender equality.

​Others lamented the fact that the star of the Oscar-nominated movie Little Women gave in to pressure from what they described as a woke movement.

​Others users noted that instead of arguments over celebrities people should be focused on important issues.