Mirrorball: Exploitation and the White Church
I want you to know
I'm a mirrorball
I can change everything about me to fit in…
And they called off the circus
Burned the disco down
When they sent home the horses
And the rodeo clowns
I'm still on that tightrope
I'm still trying everything to get you laughing at me
I'm still a believer but I don't know why
I've never been a natural
All I do is try, try, try
I'm still on that trapeze
I'm still trying everything
To keep you looking at me
-Taylor Swift, “Mirror Ball”
This is post number six in my Taylor Swift and Theology series.
Celebrity culture is an equal mixture of distressing and fascinating. On the one hand, individuals can go from obscurity to being the next big thing, seemingly overnight. And for a while, these people are cultural darlings. They can do no wrong.
Every song they sing or movie they star in is a hit. They are elevated as role models for the rest of the world to emulate. Their every move is chronicled. But even as their every success is praised, there is also an undercurrent of, watching for them to slip up. And once they do-they go from role model and media darling to public enemy number one.
Sometimes they deserve it-if they behaved in violent, racist and/or predatory ways-they shouldn’t be emulated and they should be held accountable. Though even in those cases society views their actions as individual flaws and not a reflection on how society allows racism, violence, and predatory behaviors to thrive.
In many cases, celebrities go from favorite to piranha for simply being human and/or for pushing back against societal norms on what is acceptable celebrity behavior. Norms that seem to differ based on one’s gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and race and ethnicity.
Celebrities are expected to conform to our every expectation-no matter how unrealistic they are, and they are often dehumanized and turned into products and commodities to be sold and consumed. Once they can’t be consumed-they are discarded. This is particularly true for women, trans people, and BIPOC.
Taylor Swift in Mirrorball captures that reality: celebrities are mirrorballs- shiny, and beautiful expected to entertain. And yet even as they entertain, larger society watches, waits, and even demands their fall. They are useful only as long as they can be consumed and turned into a product, once they are no longer useful, they are shattered and thrown away.
Ok, get it, celebrity culture is exploitative and harmful. What does this have to do with theology or the Church?
Well, the reality is that the Church, especially predominantly white churches that have some measure of power whether as a result of their historical ties to seats of power, or their wealth, behave in ways very much akin to celebrity culture, though perhaps, they are a tad more subtle.
Predominantly white churches have the tendency to exploit the physical, mental and emotional labor of members from historically marginalized groups and then discard them when they no longer fit their agenda.
One thing predominantly white churches need to understand is that there is a difference between seeking to create an atmosphere that welcomes everyone-including those of us from historically oppressed and marginalized communities and simply viewing us as bodies to fill pews or as evidence to prove how progressive they are.
In the first case-churches seeking to create an atmosphere of radical inclusivity want to include us in every facet of their congregational life-up to and including positions of power. They want us to have a say in every aspect of congregational life-from how money is spent, to the traditions that are followed, to how the liturgy is crafted. Our voices are taken seriously and our lived experiences honored.
More often, however, predominantly white churches want those of us from marginalized communities-BIPOC, queer people, disabled people, etc to act as a mirrorball-something shiny and pretty that they can show off to the world to prove how progressive they are. They want us-but only if they can control us. They want us if we can confirm to their expectations and values. They want us only if we reflect back to them their cultural values and adherence to the status quo. And when we no longer serve their purposes-we are kicked out, demoted, discarded.
Too often, predominantly white churches want us only in so far as we can serve their needs. Once we dare move outside of our assigned roles, we are torn down and are no longer wanted. These churches will force us into the role of prophets, pat themselves on the back for how welcoming they are of us, and then once our criticism goes too far or we demand more sustainable change-they destroy us.
And it’s exhausting for those of us chosen by these congregations/institutions. It is soul-destroying and demoralizing to be treated as an object to be controlled, admired, and consumed. And change is impossible. We are told that these institutions desperately want to change-but we are denied the power, agency, and support to make such changes
We are forced to either conform or get out-and we have to deal with the ramifications of lost jobs and income, lost time, and the impact of unchecked microaggressions and blatant racism. They treat us as commodities and then continue to wonder why BIPOC, queer people, disabled people etc refuse to participate in their congregations.
Yes, I understand, not all predominantly white churches are like this. There are congregations and denominations trying to do the hard work of creating anti-racist, anti-ableist, queer-friendly denominations and congregations. And many times, this hard work goes unnoticed by society at large. That can be disheartening. Trust us, we who are part of marginalized communities, know what it’s like to have our voices erased and to be ignored.
And yet, sometimes these congregations have a different problem: they sincerely want to change, they are doing the hard work, and yet they get annoyed when people from marginalized communities still view them with distrust or have no interest in building relationships. These churches are learning a hard truth: that just because they are doing the right thing, doesn’t mean they are entitled to the time, energy, and presence of people from marginalized communities.
Because let’s be real, the process a congregation undergoes from going from a predominantly white, cisgender, able-bodied congregation to one that is more radically inclusive is difficult, fraught, and painful. And during that long learning process, people from marginalized groups often get hurt and yet are expected to simply move on because the congregation is trying and doing their best. Na, it’s often better to wait until these congregations are further along in the process of attempting to be radically inclusive, instead of placing ourselves at risk and being used as learning tools.
Predominantly white churches need to let go of the idea that members of marginalized communities are theirs to be molded and used for their purposes. We aren’t props to prove how progressive you are. We aren’t your teachers and guides on how to be less horrible (unless of course you explicitly hire us and pay us to do that). We aren’t mirrorballs-shiny, objects that reflect your values and adherence to the status quo. We are humans who demand nothing less than equality and respect.
