Earlier this year, we woke up to find that Jodie Comer had been cancelled, apparently. The Killing Eve actress trended on Twitter after rumours of a new relationship with a Trump supporter circulated online, leading to some social media users deciding that they were no longer fans of the star. The concept of celebrity cancellation has become mainstream in recent years, and usually occurs when an individual is exposed for racist or homophobic comments or illegal behaviour (although it can happen for trivial reasons, such as Taylor Swift's spat with Kim Kardashian). Is it really fair to extend this to dating a Republican? And, more importantly, can we not take a breath to check the facts before we act?
Now, Jodie has revealed why she didn't respond to the scandal at the time, saying she wanted to protect her 'own health'. 'It was really shocking. It was the first time I had ever been dragged into something like that. And it wasn't just me; it was my family,' the star said, speaking to InStyle magazine. 'I had seen the absurdity of what I was being accused of, and what my partner was being accused of... I decided for my own health that I was not going to try and convince these people otherwise. I just wasn't going to do it.'
Last month, Jodie spoke out about how she struggled with her love life being discussed so negatively. 'All this false information came out about him, and people just ridiculed him and me and my family', she said of the storm., speaking to Porter Magazine. 'People took these tweets as truth. That was the biggest time my life has been kind of blown up and publicised in that way. A lot of people read things and they go, "Wow, she’s that, she’s this type of person". And I’m like, OK, I can spend my life and my energy trying to convince people otherwise, or I can go, I know who I am, I know my truth and that’s good enough for me.'
To get you up to speed, the rumours stated that Jodie was dating a man named James Burke who, allegedly, is a Trump supporter. But the claims were currently unsubstantiated, and Jodie did not acknowledged the rumours or the controversy. ‘It appears she’s probably dating some guy called James Burke. A guy called James Burke is also a Republican who has made some racist and homophobic comments; and they might be the same person so Jodie Comer is now cancelled,' explains one person on Twitter. Some argued that one cannot support the Black Lives Matter movement or claim to be an LGBTQ ally – as Jodie does – and date someone who allegedly does not.
For the sake of argument, let’s say for one moment that this is all true. That Jodie's boyfriend James Burke. That this James Burke is a MAGA hat-wearing Trump supporter who has made bigoted comments in the past. Is that Jodie’s responsibility? How can we assume that she must have been aware of past behaviour and voting record? Do we have to share our political beliefs with our partner? Are we a bigot by association if our boyfriend is proved to be one?
There’s undoubtedly a debate to be had about complicity in relationships. By proclaiming your love for someone who has expressed cruelty or prejudice, it could be argued that you are rewarding bad behaviour, that you are complicit in something terrible. But debates need arguments with facts at their core.
Now that Jodie has spoken out, and made it clear that the Twitter mob upset her, maybe think twice before you jump to judge next time. Don't believe everything you read on Twitter.
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