The Use and Misuse of “Stay Woke”

Staff Writer: Kai Heslop, ’19

The term “stay woke” originally began being used as a warning to the public. It was a statement telling people to stay informed and aware of the truth in cases of racial injustice, especially when information is being heavily filtered by the media. Media outlets such as CNN and Fox News, for example, are often put under the spotlight when it comes to examining how different races are represented to a wider audience. These outlets have a history of presenting information in a light that reflects the existing power dynamics in society, whether this applies to race or class.

An instance in which the use of the term “stay woke” was particularly widespread was in 2014 following the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The media’s arguably one sided representation of Michael Brown as a troublesome thief caused unrest in the black community, especially since Brown was an unarmed victim. Part of this misrepresentation stemmed from the picture chosen of Michael Brown to be displayed in the news. This photo was countered by activists circulating a picture of Brown in a graduation cap and gown. Attention was called to the misrepresentation of Brown and other black victims of police brutality partially through social media activists using the hashtag stay woke.

This fact is more clearly demonstrated when the media coverage of the protests following the shooting are examined. Headlines covering the story painted the protesters as “an angry mob,” and claimed that their efforts were “descending into violence.”

Instead of focusing on the actual injustice that occurred or focusing on why the protestors might be angry, some news sources decided to focus on the story from the perspective of the police officers. In this sense, the media played on the stereotype of the threatening, angry black individuals, largely ignoring the real emotions behind their actions.

“Stay Woke,” however, has also been applied to different contexts outside of the movement to curb racial violence. The term is being applied to situations completely unrelated to its original intention, such as the release of new video games, predictions as to which sports team will win a title, and even relationship advice.

Instead of being used mainly to call attention to injustices, the term is now used in any instance when someone wants attention to be called to anything. In this way, the term has been appropriated and is even being used for comical effect, undermining the serious usage that was associated with the term at its conception.

Some may argue that the usage of “stay woke” in comical contexts is not inappropriate or insensitive; some might even consider it genuinely funny. While this may be valid in certain situations, it is worthwhile to consider the reasoning behind why people find this funny. In addition, it is important to consider the reasoning behind why others find this offensive. For people who have lost a loved one due to racially charged violence, hearing or seeing the term “stay woke” associated with something completely unrelated might be hurtful. In this sense, it is better to air on the side of sensitivity.

The comical and casual usage of the hashtag “stay woke” can be regarded as an attempt to derail the movement towards racial justice — a movement that deserves to be taken seriously.