Jeffree Star

Social media has been known to cause a lot of issues whether it's the creation of unrealistic beauty standards or the normalization of violent content, it is not a stranger to criticism. Knowing this, it has become too common to cancel anything that doesn't fit the ethical standards of today without truly analyzing its impact and if it is necessary. So I decided to talk about a topic that interests me, youtube drama, and how its creators deal with controversies. Indeed, the creators on platforms such as youtube have a great influence on today's youth affecting the way they perceive the world. They can be greatly influenced by the content that is shared. This brings me to Jeffree Star. The man who started his career as a singer and songwriter but who acquired enormous success with his videos about makeup that later gave birth to Jeffree Star Cosmetics, a company that acquired him a fortune of 'approximately $ 200 million. He now has 16.9 million subscribers on his still-growing channel.

Yet several other influencers have denounced him for his inappropriate behavior in the past. To name a few:

From 2004-2006 it is possible to find numerous videos posted by Mr. Star himself using the N-word whcih is known for being degrading and racist.

In 2006 he and a friend released a video suggesting that a black woman should wash her face with battery acid so that her skin color would be the same as her foundation. (he was 21 years old at the time.)

In 2013, he announced that he saw a friend having sex with underaged girls, but that he did not want to report him because he loved his friend. After this man was convicted of his crimes, Jeffree Star says he forgave him.

In 2016, a fan sent a comment to his customer service department after finding hair in his makeup from Jeffree Star cosmetics. After waiting a while, no one answered so the young fan made a response video describing his experience. When Mr. Star saw this, he insulted the young fan and called him pathetic and desperate for views and attention.

Throughout his career, he insults his fans on numerous occasions and rarely takes responsibility. So how ethical is it to associate emotionally with a socially problematic individual?

The analysis of socially problematic individuals is mainly in human science, or more specifically sociology. The study of relationships, actions, and social representations by which a society is formed. So what makes an individual problematic are their bad relationships. For example, Jeffree Star's relationship with his fans, specifically those affected by his bad deeds. Whether it is those of the black race or those rejected by their idol because they dared criticize him when criticism was due, it can have repercussions on a psychological and emotional level.

So that brings me to the BWS or battered woman syndrome. This can also affect man it is just less researched or common. This usually results in the victim concentrating all their energy on preventing another attack from their partner. The woman (or man) affected develops over time submission and/or apathy for the abuser which undermines her/his self-esteem and reduces her/his capacity for judgment. In other words, someone who experiences emotional and physical abuse but is still submissive to the abuser because they are no longer able to think critically.

Jeffree Stars fans, those who are victims of this verbal abuse, remember the times when listening to his videos made them feel happy or accepted. Then, it is normal that they try to forget the harm that their idols have done them. For example, him saying the n-word. So they have a submission to Jeffree even though he is not using his influence as he should. They don't seem able to think critically. Obviously, I hope Jeffree fans don't suffer from BWS, but the very possibility is problematic. Maybe they have faith that Jeffree Star doesn't really think like that and that one day he will really change.

All of this taken into account, it is also important to consider the good he has done that might convince people to stay supportive. He makes huge donations to non-profit organizations such as LGBTQ centers. Moreover, if his videos bring joy to his fans and are a symbol of hope in painful moments, is it enough to become ethical, in other words, that as a whole he brings more good than harm?

You don't have to go too far in the history of the media to see a perfect example. If you think of the king of rock, Michael Jackson, who allegedly sexually abused children, his fans seem to ignore this possibility considering his music is still very popular and beloved. This is because he used music, lyrics, not only to entertain but to spread many important messages. For example, Black or white testifies that your ethnicity doesn't define who you are and the song man in the mirror encourages the principle that if you want to make a change in the world you have to start with yourself. Whether he abused children or not, the general population enjoys his music anyways, dissociating the music from his life and these inappropriate personal experiences. Nothing can be done about his alleged horrible actions but we can still spread the good that he has done with his music. Would it be possible to do the same with Mr.Star? Indeed, his makeup palettes generally have good reviews, and I imagine that if he has 16.9 million followers, he must have a generally likable personality. Plus, he also spreads good messages, for example, that anyone can follow their passions, if you're a boy, you can wear makeup.

On the other hand, if we do not dissociate him from his products, from his videos, or anything that appeals to our senses or emotions and we elaborate instead on reason we come to a different conclusion. Supposing he is problematic, does supporting a person who is hateful spread the hate? Just look at Adolf Hitler, the majority of the population agrees that what he did was wrong. Yet many loved him and supported him at the time. In fact, Hitler greatly improved the economy after World War I and gave hope to depressed people. Those who supported him did whatever Hitler wanted, without the Nazis, Hitler would be nothing. Those who supported him, therefore, in return, spread evil and hatred against the Jews. By supporting this one man, so much horror was brought to this world. Hitler, although he was the leader was not the only person who hurt innocent people because his supporters did a lot of the work. So in this example, yes, supporting someone who was hateful spread the hate.

Yet in Jeffree's case, his audience is generally of younger ages, where the studies show that individuals are easily influenced since the brain is still developing. So if they perceive Jeffree Star's bad actions as the norm, they have a high risk of duplicating them. In that instance, supporting him would spread his hateful speech. This taken into consideration means that Jeffree Star would have to simply stop being a bad influence. Yet, he has no reason to do so since he keeps making a profit and gaining many followers despite his lack of respect.

So how ethical is it to associate emotionally with a socially problematic individual? It depends on your perspective, your motives, and your own personal knowledge. I haven't analyzed all the aspects of his person and there are still many aspects of him that I am not aware of. All we can do is discuss it, share our knowledge, but in the end, our decisions are ours. This is why Canadian policies encourage the right of expression, so it is important to take advantage of it, reflect and make sensible decisions. Thank you for reading.