Even though we usually talk about it in a derogatory way, virtue signaling is not inherently bad. A shirt that says “trans rights are human rights” is virtue signaling, but the performance is in itself beneficial to society, even if the wearer is only doing it to feel trendy and special.
What they accomplished with this is hostility to bigots who might otherwise have felt welcome.
I don’t think they’re actually accomplishing any of those things. I’d argue a shirt is a demonstration IRL of support, which can raise awareness or normalize support for a cause (although not super effectively). Things like this make the “bigots” you are pwning just write this off as the usual DEI bullshit that nobody likes while also turning off anyone without your EXACT strain of identitarian politics, even if they don’t actually oppose any specific sentiment in the statement. It is literally counterproductive because it makes you (and your cause) look angry and mean and like the bully.
Even though we usually talk about it in a derogatory way, virtue signaling is not inherently bad. A shirt that says “trans rights are human rights” is virtue signaling, but the performance is in itself beneficial to society, even if the wearer is only doing it to feel trendy and special.
What they accomplished with this is hostility to bigots who might otherwise have felt welcome.
I don’t think they’re actually accomplishing any of those things. I’d argue a shirt is a demonstration IRL of support, which can raise awareness or normalize support for a cause (although not super effectively). Things like this make the “bigots” you are pwning just write this off as the usual DEI bullshit that nobody likes while also turning off anyone without your EXACT strain of identitarian politics, even if they don’t actually oppose any specific sentiment in the statement. It is literally counterproductive because it makes you (and your cause) look angry and mean and like the bully.
Who is it being mean towards or bullying? Who is it angry at?
People looking at the webpage this is on?