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British pop singer Charli XCX has endorsed Kamala Harris, saying “Kamala is a brat,” but what does this mean?
There’s a reason the concept of “sassy” has captured people’s imagination: It’s a challenge to widely-held trends like TikTok’s “clean girl” aesthetic (a rebranding of the “no makeup makeup” look) and carefully curated, pristine social media presence.
This is a perfect fit for Gen Z, who enjoys fast-paced, self-deprecating humor and social media memes, and it could be the unexpected voting shift Democrats need to win the November election.
How can they succeed? Yes, Gen Z has a layered language, emojis, and online trends that other generations don’t have as easily access to. But this “very online” mindset isn’t frivolous or flippant; it’s actually propelling political consciousness into various spaces (albeit in sometimes limited ways). Gen Z is setting the pace, and it’s fast.
Charli XCX released her latest album, “Brat,” on June 7th, and it went completely viral as a result. Think about what she (and her hordes of Gen Z listeners) could do for Kamala Harris. If Harris can go “viral” as well, it could act as a secret weapon to mobilize the youth vote.
The Charli XCX album itself is a blast to listen to, but it’s just the beginning. The collection of songs expresses a highly complex and detailed set of experiences that come with being a girl and wanting to have a little fun in ways that are nuanced, vulnerable, and equally powerful. Harris’ campaign team embraced it, creating a banner background that looks very similar to X’s (formerly Twitter) in the same lime green, with a typeface that spells out “kamala hq.”
But Harris hasn’t always been popular among younger voters. In fact, Gen Z has been put off by some of Harris’ past political positions, including her past as a prosecutor, her mixed record on criminal justice reform, and her past missteps on immigration. So what has changed, or what could change now?
One reason for this is that the Harris team is simply smart: They know what works and how to sell it.
Harris herself has stated that her efforts have been primarily dedicated to young people and ordinary Americans, a demographic that may be inclined to align with Kamala in a different way than Biden. One TikTok user even went so far as to describe Biden’s resignation as “Gen Z’s version of 9/11.” While this is an extreme way of putting it, it’s clear that losing his first presidential election has sent ripples throughout Gen Z voters.
Harris has consistently supported issues and concerns that are important to Gen Z, including climate action, voting rights, LGBT+ equality, gun control and economic justice, including her stance on abortion rights, becoming the first vice president to visit a clinic that provides abortion services.
Gen Z’s penchant for humor as both a coping mechanism and a mobilization tool is also something Harris, 59, uniquely understands, rather than Biden, 81 (or Trump, 78). For example, Gen Zers like me, or “Gillennials” (those in between Gen Z and millennials), aren’t shy about talking about our mental health.
The phrase “jokes to cope” has taken on a whole new meaning, and the Harris campaign is putting it to good use. Consider what happened when she faced backlash from Republicans for her penchant for Venn diagrams. The campaign quickly repurposed it for their own campaign. That quick wit, the kind that’s often needed on social media, will help her run for president.
I grew up in the United States and have seen the change with Gen Z as a generation of voters who are particularly fed up with the way our political system operates. Many in my generation feel that the candidates on the ballot do not represent them and have vowed not to vote. They are tired of being told that voting is the primary way to seek change, even though many major social issues still exist.
Harris has repeatedly stated that she will support people whose problems she does not have or do not fully understand, and I think this could make her a very attractive candidate.
That gets people to the polls who might not have otherwise shown up. Just think back to Sunday night, when grassroots activists held a Zoom call to discuss how to put a Black woman in the White House, which raised $1 million. Within four hours, 40,000 people had joined the call. Harris’ team raised $231 million in 24 hours.
Endorsements from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cardi B and even Kim Kardashian also underscore Harris’ influence.
It’s also worth noting that this will be the first time that Gen Z voters will be represented, as everyone in this generation is at least 18 years old, meaning there could be crowds at the polls in support of her presidential bid.
While the past 40 years have seen progress towards racial equality, LGBT+ rights and mental health awareness, there seems to have been a backslide in recent years – and there is a risk of further decline as long as Trump and JD Vance are at the helm.
If the pendulum swings one way, we can expect it to do the same in the other direction. I grew up and voted in a battleground state (North Carolina) so I know a lot is at stake. Gen Z is tired of being underestimated. I think Republicans have a lot more to worry about than they want to admit.
It will be interesting to see if and how a generation fed up with what they perceive as a lack of representation will lean towards a candidate who champions youth voices. This may be a sassy summer, but it could also be a sassy president — and Gen Z could be the beneficiary.
