Description
Book Synopsis After Natalie Maines of The Dixie Chicks expressed her opposition to the Iraq War and President Bush in a country music concert, she was told to shut up and sing. When NFL player Colin Kaepernick protested police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem, he was applauded by some and demonized by others. Both had their careers irrevocably altered by speaking out for their beliefs.
This book examines the ethical issues that arise when famous people speak out on issues often unrelated to the performances that brought those figures to public attention. It analyzes several celebrity speakers--singers Taylor Swift and the Chicks; satirist Jon Stewart; actor Tom Hanks; and athletes Serena Williams, Stephen Curry, Colin Kaepernick, and Naomi Osaka--and demonstrates that justifiable speaking requires celebrity speakers, journalists, and audiences to consider ethical issues regarding platform, intent, and harm. Celebrity speakers must exercise ethical care in a digital w
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction: Who Gets to Say What? Identifying Questions About Speaking Out by Celebrity Athletes and Entertainers
Part I—Ethical Territory to Consider
1. What's the Cultural Landscape for Speaking Out? Connecting Celebrity Speakers and Public Issues
2. What Counts as Speaking Out? Defining the Ethical Construct
3. What Ethical Issues Surround Speaking Out? Exploring Power, Privilege, Harm and Justification
Part II—Ethical Questions to Answer
4. What Is the Relationship of the Speaker to the Topic?
5. What Is the Motivation for Speaking Out?
6. What Is the Nature of Any Harm Created?
7. Does Speaking Out Promote Dialogue?
Part III—Ethical Actors and Topics to Evaluate
8. Shut Up and Play? Athletes Speaking Out About Inequality
9. Raise a Fist or Take a Knee? Athletes Speaking Out Symbolically About Injustice
10. Who's an Expert? Celebrities Speaking Out During a Pandemic
11. Shut Up and Listen? Ethical Responses to Speaking Out
Conclusion: How Do We Speak Out Ethically When We're Not Famous?
Chapter Notes
Works Cited by Chapter
Index
