The term “cancel” has evolved since the ‘80s when it made its grand debut in a song about a breakup. The phrase “cancel culture” stems from this slang term for no longer being associated with a person. De-platforming famous people by boycotting them allows groups to come together against harmful figures like Harvey Weinstein for discriminatory acts.

However, cancel culture has become damaging to seemingly innocent individuals with a mass following. It’s pretty brutal, especially for women in the public eye. Here’s why cancel culture is toxic and unfair to victims.

What Is Cancel Culture?

To cancel someone, means to stop supporting them by unfollowing them on social media or purchasing content they create. When a public figure does something you disagree with, you can stop buying their writing, going to the movies they act in, or watching videos on YouTube or TikTok.

Groups of people that do this together go against the individual in question. Cancel culture also refers to groups of online communities bullying or shaming someone for their words or actions. Often, the ends don’t justify the means when public figures don’t intend harm and act without malicious intent.

You can also cancel an organization, although this is less common. This happened in 2016 when NFL players began kneeling during the national anthem in protest against police brutality and many people quit watching football games. Another example of cancel culture is when people refuse to support conglomerates that don’t align with their values or beliefs by not shopping at their stores or watching media on their apps or channels.

Cancel Culture and Mental Health

It can be challenging not to offend anyone when you are a public figure. There are various societal beliefs and opinions, and you cannot please everyone. However, when a public figure says or does something that doesn’t sit right with a group of people, the consequences can be detrimental to their careers and mental health.

It can be challenging to remain positive when you receive hostility from your fans. Influencers, TikTok stars, actors and models are all people, too — and should be treated as such. Negativity can harm your well-being, especially when you didn’t intend to make the mistakes fans are judging you for. Have compassion and remember the mistakes you’ve made. You can foster an environment for young people to learn from their bad behaviour and grow from their experiences rather than shutting them down or refusing to follow their path any longer.

Comparing Men and Women

Women are judged more harshly than men for their words and actions. More is expected of women to be more understanding and compassionate, whereas men are not held to such a high standard.

Views should not be this skewed.

The right to free speech applies to everyone regardless of race or gender, so why are women examined closer as if under a microscope while men seem to have free range in cancel culture?

Canceling Public Figures

When TikTok star Charlie D’Amelio and her sister Dixie referred to their followers as mere numbers, rather than people who subscribed and invested in their videos, they received significant backlash and were essentially canceled.

Fellow TikTok stars like Chase Hudson and Tony Lopez weren’t canceled after making racist comments and facing allegations of sexual misconduct. Why do people continue to follow them when they disagree with their actions?

More prominent stars are also surrounded by controversy that should require them to face the music. Ellen Degeneres received much harsher criticism than Kanye West for the stunts he pulled. By all accounts, there are more stories about Ellen than Kanye or any other male figure for their wrongdoings.

It’s much easier for the masses to judge women than men, and it all comes down to an unfair stereotype that should be long forgotten. The punishment should fit the crime regardless of gender.

Stereotypes in Cancel Culture

It’s a common belief that women should be gracious and kind. We should all hold ourselves to this standard instead of accepting our unequal society. Men should get on board with the movement to eradicate women from harsh criticism by the masses for mishaps or misunderstandings that rub fans the wrong way.

When the proof is in the pudding, celebrity figures should be accountable for their actions by all means, regardless of gender. However, cancel culture seems to apply more to women than men, which is the opposite of female empowerment.

Victims of cancel culture may be guilty of rubbing their fans the wrong way, but does that mean they should be punished for their actions and judged harshly just because they are in the public eye? Controversy arises since they chose to be public figures, but stars like Charlie D’Amelio, who are so young when they reach fame, shouldn’t be held to such a high standard regardless of gender.

The Impact of Cancel Culture

Why is cancel culture so toxic? It’s essentially a form of manipulation, mainly for women to act as society wants them to. We should “cancel” cancel culture, try to live harmoniously and let the justice system do its job.

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Beth, the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind, is well-respected in the mental health, nutrition and fitness spaces. In her spare time, Beth enjoys cooking and going for runs with her dog.