The Daily Telegraph

Mass virtue signalling makes me cringe

-

The Baftas are coming, and with it a #Metoo dress code that suggests the women all wear black, to show solidarity with victims of sexual assault. I say “suggests”, but “stipulates” would probably be more accurate.

Am I the only one feeling uncomforta­ble with mass virtue signalling on this side of the Atlantic?

Americans will happily rally beneath stars, stripes, an idiot-savant president and Thanksgivi­ng Day, which is essentiall­y a calorific tribute to colonialis­m, slavery and ethnic cleansing.

In Britain, we’re a more individual­istic, less mawkishly idealistic bunch, and the idea of highly paid actresses parading in expensive black frocks to show they care is a bit cringewort­hy.

Far better to do something useful like wearing whatever they want and then auctioning their dresses for Women’s Aid. Direct action beats #slacktivis­m. Just ask the Suffragett­es.

 ??  ?? Solidarity: Salma Hayek and Ashley Judd wore black at the Golden Globes in January
Solidarity: Salma Hayek and Ashley Judd wore black at the Golden Globes in January

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom