• Emma Watson faced backlash after posting three images of black squares with white outlines on Instagram.
  • The posts were shared for Blackout Tuesday, an initiative launched by members of the music industry to show solidarity amid the Black Lives Matter movement.
  • Watson’s fans criticized her for appearing to edit the images to fit her Instagram aesthetic.
  • They also believed that she should have used her platform and large social media following to share useful information about donating, protesting, or other ways to help.
  • Watson later posted a statement saying she’ll “be using my bio link and Twitter to share links to resources I’ve found useful for my own researching, learning, listening…”
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Emma Watson is being accused of “performative activism” for posts shared on Instagram for the Blackout Tuesday movement.

On Tuesday, the 30-year-old “Harry Potter” star posted three photos of black squares on her feed with the hashtags, “#blackouttuesday #theshowmustbepaused #amplifymelanatedvoices #amplifyblackvoices.”

The posts were shared as part of Blackout Tuesday, a social media action meant to show solidarity amid the Black Lives Matter movement and police brutality protests across the US.

http://instagr.am/p/CA7TTNcKIDi

Watson's images drew backlash after fans noticed that the black squares included white borders. Her recent posts followed three white squares that she posted on Saturday without captions.

http://instagr.am/p/CAzx7b4Kw50

People accused the actress of editing the images to adhere to her Instagram feed's aesthetic.

emma watson black tuesday instagram feed

Foto: Emma Watson is facing backlash for her recent posts on social media. Source: Emma Watson/Instagram

Watson's posts, as well as the Blackout Tuesday movement, have been slammed by social media users.

Some people have been including the #BlackLivesMatter and #BLM hashtags in their posts, flooding those hashtag pages and unintentionally concealing useful information and resources. Others have argued that the movement, which was launched by members of the music industry, is well-intentioned but counterproductive.

Watson's fans argued that she should use her platform (she has 57.2 million Instagram followers) to be more proactive by sharing information regarding donating, protesting, and other ways to help. They also called her out for being silent on social media until now, accusing her of "performative activism."

"Silence is not an option," one fan wrote.

https://twitter.com/intersteIlar/status/1267755910535012353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/grangerslight/status/1267746837609320448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/nayeonsadyke/status/1267890135649128448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/intersteIlar/status/1267856907609538565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/repromantics/status/1267892321590235137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfwhttps://twitter.com/Iewyndavis/status/1267804641657577473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/regulusblackz/status/1267861961498337288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Other fans came to Watson's defense, saying that she and other celebrities shouldn't feel obligated to publicly voice their support. They also argued that's it's unclear if the "Little Women" star privately took action to support the movement.

https://twitter.com/__LearnWithMe/status/1267903961450889218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Watson later shared two new posts on her Instagram, saying that she was "holding off posting until #blackouttuesday ended in the UK.⁣"

Watson's actions also drew criticism because she's previously been outspoken about supporting various causes and initiatives.

The "Little Women" star is a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador who has given speeches at the United Nations, traveled to other countries to raise awareness about global issues, and launched the HeForShe campaign in response to gender inequalities.

In addition, Watson created an Instagram account in which she shares images and information about sustainable, environmentally friendly clothing worn by her during press appearances. She's also been outspoken about her support for Time's Up and the Me Too movement.

http://instagr.am/p/BsPGvXUnKXG

The actress has spoken about being labeled a "white feminist" and acknowledged her privilege in a 2017 letter addressed to members of her book club, Our Shared Shelf.

"As human beings, as friends, as family members, as partners, we all have blind spots; we need people that love us to call us out and then walk with us while we do the work," Watson wrote.

Watson isn't the only celebrity to participate in Blackout Tuesday, or react to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Stars like Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet, and Halsey have participated in protests in response to the deaths of people like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many more. Halsey was also seen assisting protesters who got injured. Other stars, like Seth Rogen and Harry Styles, have donated money to bail relief-funds.