Brody King: The Use of Art as Protest

I’m going to be honest with you all, this was not the article I was planning to write this week. I had something planned to talk about, trying to salvage The Vision after recent injuries. But as I watch my country crumble around me. And my own personal life being in a constant state of uncertainty, I’m pivoting. Anyone who has read my stuff over the last year knows I try to be positive and provide solutions over criticism. And I still plan to do that. Also, many of you who have been around awhile, know that I’m a trans queer woman. Living in the South East of the US is pretty scare for me right now. I won’t claim to have it harder than countless others in this country. But it isn’t an exactly fear free life.

So, sometimes I can’t be the positive one. Sometimes, things get to a point where this wonderful, crazy, and at times stupid art we all love just isn’t enough to provide an escape.

And that little three-letter word, art, and its ability to be used to fight back, is what I want to talk about today. I will caveat this by stating clearly that art on its own is not enough. It takes real action, in whatever constructive way that looks like. Whether that is volunteering, peaceful protests, campaigning, or more. But what art can do is give us a voice, a rallying point, and an anthem. It can also be an inspiration to get up and do something and educate others on the issues.

Wrestling as Protest

A Very Brief History of Wrestling

Wrestling has never had the best track record when it comes to marginalized people. Throughout its history, we’ve seen Nazi gimmicks being played for cheap heat, Italians pretending to be indigenous people, and Pacific Islanders and Black people being portrayed as savages.  On top of all the racist stereotypes, we have also seen gay people being portrayed as effeminate heels, and women as sexual objects (something that still happens).

Thankfully, in the last decade, we’ve seen a lot less of these stereotypes being trotted out for cheap heat. The WWE’s women’s division has several queer women, and it isn’t even part of their gimmick. They are great wrestlers who also happen to be gay. Wrestlers like Naomi, Bianca Belair, Lash Legend, Oba Femi, Jade Cargill, Swerve Strickland, Trick Williams, and JeVon Evans are being showcased and inspiring kids like them.

I won’t say it’s perfect. Because there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, we are at least moving forward.

A Briefer History of Art as Protest

Unless you’ve just ignored music, you probably know that it has played a vital role as the voice in the fight against injustice. Whether it’s jazz, blues, hip-hop, R&B, rock, punk, rap, and countless other genres. Music can bring injustice to the mainstream, raising awareness in the masses. It isn’t just music, though. Books, whether non-fiction or fiction, tell the stories of people overcoming adversity. Films and shows do the same thing. Art is a weapon of change, and it’s a beautiful thing to see in action.

Brody King

Back in June, at Grand Slam Mexico, Brody King made his entrance wearing an Abolish ICE t-shirt. He would then start selling the shirts, donating the $27,000 in proceeds to the Local Hearts Foundation. He would also partner with comic book artist Daniel Warren Johnson to release merchandise. So far, they have raised $59,000 for the Minnesota Right Action Committee.

I really wanted to put a video here of the Fuck ICE chants, but YouTube has age-restricted them. So I will wait here while you go watch one and come back.

Brody King is a great example of not only using your platform to raise awareness but also turning that awareness into action. The Fuck ICE chants have followed him to Australia, a country dealing with its own extreme immigration policies. I know that there is a chance the chants fizzle out, but I hope that they just get louder. The chants have attracted mainstream coverage. I am hoping that they pick up and show up at other live events. It would be beautiful to hear at an MLB, NBA,  or NFL game this year.

I want to highlight that King isn’t the only one who is actively using their platform. Punk has often been seen at protests. Lynch posted a tongue-in-cheek anti-ICE video, Ava posted a very simple Fuck ICE after leaving the WWE. Kayla Braxton saying that Trump should be removed from the WWE Hall of Fame and wrestlers like EFFY, Giselle Shaw, Nyla Rose, and Mike Bailey are out there defying stereotypes and providing positive representation.

Action

We all have choices to make. I’m not going to tell you what to do with your time. I do want to encourage anyone who wants to take action to look into their local charities and activist groups. Action isn’t always about money; you can also volunteer your time, donate food or clothes,  and post links for charities, support groups, or events, which can help raise awareness.

The last thing I will say is we are all in this world together, and that isn’t going to change. So, please do your best to move with empathy and understanding, and not hate.

And if you ever need some motivation, here is a selection of protest songs from across time and genres.