John Boyega has been accused of everything from being a pervert, sexual predator, black brute who was fixated on white women and who was obsessed with Daisy Ridley and who wanted to get into Daisy Ridley’s pants. And many people in fandom repeated this rhetoric and spread it around and believed in it with no proof or evidence. And with Daisy Ridley only ever expressing that John has been a good friend to her.
Yet Daisy Ridley giving interviews expressing her appreciation for the friendship that she has with John, didn’t stop some people from a particular fandom to believe in the allegations that they were spreading about him. Even to the point of declaring themselves the “protectors” of Daisy, stating how they were concerned for her safety and well being around John and that she needed to stay away from him or that they needed to get her away from him.
He has been accused of being a threat to Daisy and this same fandom has often spread around the rhetoric to try to paint him as a man who had abusive and violent tendencies. As some spend a full year trying to convince people that he was a threat to the safety and security of women in some form.
Many either repeated or believed in these accusations without any solid proof or evidence. And without Daisy Ridley ever saying anything about John being a threat or danger towards her or making her feel unsafe.
Now that Adam Driver has actually had a woman come out and accuse him of violent/aggressive behaviors, some in this very same fandom who were quick to believe the accusations against John that didn’t have any solid proof or evidence. Are now saying that they need more solid evidence before they are willing to believe the 76 year old woman who accused Adam Driver of violent behaviors on set.
And then there are others who are rushing to say that this woman is just lying on Adam and that she is looking for fame or just wants to ruin his career. This is more clear evidence of racism reflected in fandom. Some of those who were eager to make John Boyega out to be a predator or abuser (Not caring about how this unproven accusations would impact his career). Are now clutching their pearls asking people not to rush to judgement. As they are worried about Adam Driver being “Canceled” or his career being impacted in a negative manner.
As those who are quick to believe that the black man is some violent threat towards women, are now saying that they can’t fathom the fact that their white fave can be capable of the violent or aggressive behaviors that Adam Driver is accused of.
Fandom racism is those who expressed “concern” for Daisy Ridley’s safety around the black actor when she only has let it be known that he is a good friend to her. But, then quickly dismissing the woman who has spoken out against Adam Driver.
On top of which, I’ve heard Boyega speak out about the unfair treatment of his female coworkers, especially Kelly Tran, even when he knew it meant he would be attacked on social media. I have never heard the same out of Driver. (Actually, I’ve never heard Driver make a statement about anything at all.)
The man WHO ACTUALLY STOOD UP FOR WOMEN is being accused of violence against them. The man who stayed silent to protect his career—or perhaps because he neither noticed nor cared—is being defended.
Sounds about white.
@darthquiverlip also added:
“Adam never said a word about the racism and harassment his costars had to face, which also came from his rabid fans. Don’t come with the excuse that he does not have any social media, neither does D. Gleeson and he said sth about KMT’s harassment.
Adam released a statement so fast when he was nominated for an Oscar or even a vid when people donated to his military charity.”
We’ve been aware for years of the “fandom” racism behind both demonizing Boyega, and the way those same fans also try to accuse Boyega of harassing Kelly Marie Tran themselves. The quote where he was speaking about himself & said something along the lines of he can’t allow himself to be weak enough to be affected by the hate he was getting— Kylo Ren fans turned that on its head and decided that was an insult to KMT because she deleted her social media to cut off that direct flow of hatred toward her, and John didn’t; meanwhile he’s since revealed he had to seek therapy during his Star Wars years to cope with the anger and upset that comes with facing nonstop hatred, he’s spoken in support of Kelly and Daisy, including pointing out that Disney/LF didn’t do enough to publicly defend or protect any of them, and it’s not difficult to see he’s kept his socials up because he wasn’t gonna let bullies take that away from him, too, or steal the rest of his peace of mind.
People speak on what they want to speak on. Nobody forced Domhnall Gleeson at gunpoint to speak in Kelly’s defense over a character his character doesn’t even interact with. Nobody forced Daisy Ridley to say friendly things about John in every interview or appearance they have together. Nobody forced John Boyega to speak favorably of Kylo Ren as a character even while he was getting bashed by his apparently fellow fans. So Driver’s silence in the wake of everything his costars were going through is & was a choice as well.
And that’s entirely separate from his own thus-far alleged violent behavior.
But it is an indicator of Driver’s personal character. And it is a reflection on fans who gloss over that, gloss over Lídia Franco’s credible allegations of abuse, and turn around with two-faced racist venom & vitriol to bash, bully, and beleaguer John Boyega so badly that that antiblack hatred becomes a trademark of that fandom itself. It does not speak kindly of any of those people who’ve decided to make these things the hill they’ll die on, and the rest of us remember that conduct & recognize a lot of your voices cheering one white man on, and cursing an upset & possibly injured old woman as a liar (because to these fans: the world revolves around one white man), as the same ones screaming hate speech and tearing another, Black man down. And it’s grotesque.
Read the tags, ‘cause I’m over it & I’m not trying to say it again.