What is #Blockout2024?

Source: TikTok / @ashcashistrash, @kimberleyonline, @shompsz

The Met Gala 2024, was held on 6 May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, with the theme, Garden of Time - Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion hosted by Vogue’s Anna Wintour. Unfortunately, this year, the Met Gala has sparked heavy discourse on social media. 

In recent weeks, as the violence amplifies between Israel and Hamas, many individuals feel that these influential figures with their vast platforms should speak out on global issues such as the humanitarian crisis that is currently unfolding in Gaza.

An online movement called Blockout 2024 was created to target celebrities who are seen to be insensitive or supportive of the issues happening in Palestine. Users on social media will boycott celebrities and influencers on various platforms such as X, Instagram, and TikTok. This was executed to lower advertisement opportunities for these figures and pressure them into speaking up about the violence in Gaza. 

Source: The Recent Times

The movement first started due to upset reactions of the public to a video posted by Haley Kalil, a TikTok influencer, lip-syncing the words, “let them eat cake” outside of the Met Gala. The phrase is often attributed to the Queen of France during the French Revolution Marie Antoinette, and is commonly used to disregard the hardships of the poor. It implies a lack of empathy and understanding from privileged people or people in power towards those who are struggling. 

There aren’t many instances where these movements were successful in making a lasting impact on the situation. However, in the minds of these individuals, it gives them a sense that they’ve done something to influence others to make a difference, and in their minds, it’s better than doing nothing.