#FreeKesha

By Steel Trap on February 26, 2016

The hashtag, #FreeKesha, and the movement behind it has rapidly become something far greater than the recent Manhattan Supreme Court ruling and the reaction which birthed it. As evidenced overnight last Friday on social media, it resonates deep in the collective psyche of celebrities and fans alike. They want a justice this decision couldn’t seem to deliver, at least not yet.

Wanting punishment for a crime having little to do with the case at hand (basically contract renegotiation), #FreeKesha has everything to do with the public perception of continuing societal wrongs against women—especially within the entertainment industry. From the oppression and actual abuse, to the apathetic nature with which it’s often dismissed or overlooked, this is a topic in sore need of a strong voice. One, apparently, only a pop singer can give.

Dr. Luke with Kesha in 2011.

As we await a possible settlement or an appellate court hearing on the matter, the hope is new truths don’t reveal any of this as some sort of publicity stunt on the part of one or both parties, or merely a means for Kesha to get out of her 6-album contract. Worse, still, would be that her accusations of rape and abuse against her record producer, Dr. Luke, are false. In the meantime, Sony Music should get better mediators, as the amassing star power behind the Sony boycott associated with the #FreeKesha movement is no doubt becoming a PR nightmare.

In addition to 100,000+ online petitioners vowing to boycott Sony, just last night singer Adele showed her support during her acceptance speech at the Brit Awards, singer Kelly Clarkson has acknowledged Dr. Luke’s character is worthy of questioning, and singer Taylor Swift has contributed $250,000 to Kesha’s defense.

Just as the accused Dr. Luke is now being held accountable for his alleged past actions, so must Kesha be that her assertions are pure. All parties involved will now be held to a new standard.

Because of social media, a new world justice has emerged. A hashtag justice, where the eyes of the court are but a fraction of those who seek and pass judgement.

Since this particular use of social media is still relatively new, how a “victory” is ultimately declared and “sentences” are administered is yet to be determined. Some would cite the Arab Spring and the toppling of the oppressive rulers in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya as the most extreme events prompted by the likes of those seeking justice on Twitter and Facebook. At least in the entertainment industry, it can mean an entertainer (or producer) could be blacklisted.

If the recent vilification of comedian Bill Cosby on Twitter is any example, social media can now do for the people what the justice system sometimes cannot, and the truth (or its public perception) can no longer be contained. For more info, go to freekesha.com.

Dispatches from the #FreeKesha rally

On Friday, Kesha fans gathered in support of the pop star outside of a courthouse in NYC.

This is why. #MicCheckNow

Posted by Mic on Friday, February 19, 2016

#IStandWithKesha