Leftists Blast Katy Perry for Encouraging Harmony with Trump-Supporting Family: ‘This Is How Racism Prevails’

Katy Perry performs at the 57th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, in Los Angel
John Shearer/Invision/AP
Hannah Knudsen

Pop superstar Katy Perry faced a wave of backlash from fellow progressives after she encouraged her millions of social media followers to reach out to and embrace their Trump-supporting family members. This prompted some to lash out at Perry, concluding that her advice “is how racism prevails.”

“The first thing I did when the presidency was called is text and call my family members who do not agree and tell them I love them and am here for them. #FamilyFirst. Call your family today. Happy Sunday,” the “Dark Horse” singer wrote in a message to her nearly 109 million Twitter followers.

Perry’s call for harmony triggered her leftist allies, some of whom accused her of ignorance. Others rejected her call for peace altogether, telling the Grammy-nomited artist that they will not “tolerate bigotry.”

“some of you are behaving like this was a mere ‘difference in opinion’ and not real people’s lives being destroyed by fascism. very wild to witness,” actor Kelechi Okafor said, concluding that “this is how racism prevails because you white ‘liberals’ want to coddle your relatives who mean the rest of the world harm.”

British actor Rahul Kohli took a similar position, concluding that Trump supporters should instead reach out to progressives and apologize for supporting a man who “incited violence and didn’t care whether marginalised groups lived or died.”

“Her parents are Racists, she loves her parents, she’s not going to cut them off,” one commenter suggested.

“or what?” one inquired. “To check on their prejudice and racism? Or their bruised ego? Because the latter is nobody’s fault but their own.”

“The privilege of this is off the charts,” another remarked, contending that a lot of people “can’t make that kind of a call because their Trump-voting family denies their basic humanity.”

Another commenter dismissed the basic need for reconnecting with family members who support the president altogether.

“No. I’m not interested in coddling the delusions of those who willingly support fascism and the destruction of health care protections and put kids in cages,” the Twitter user wrote. “But the ally of my enemy is not my friend, and I have no need of them as family. But hey, you’re rich, you’ll be fine.”

Others attributed Perry’s call for peace to privilege and whiteness, specifically.

“I just saw Katy Perry’s tweet about comforting her Trump-voting family and it is, in a nutshell, how whiteness works. Going to bed,” one said. “You people.”

“Katy perry says I should I love the family who doesn’t love me. That I should forgive racism. And transphobia. And homophobia. And ableism,” one wrote. “Katy, im worried you as a rich white girl are willing to be so forgiving towards issues that never impacted YOU.”

Perry appeared to remain unbothered by the criticism, at least on Twitter.

“A lot of people are having physical manifestations of the negative that has been inside & swirling around lately,” she said in a follow-up tweet on Monday. “It’s been an intense shift of energy this week. Be kind to yourself.”

The “Hot N Cold” superstar has not been shy about her leftist political beliefs, teaming up with Democrats to encourage people to vote to bring an end to “systemic racism.”

In June 2019, Perry, who was a fierce supporter of Hillary Clinton, attended a star-studded fundraiser hosted by music executive Scooter Braun and was pictured alongside Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA).

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