Does hating influencers mean hating women?
“Influencer” has always been a dirty word.
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“Influencer” was not coined by any one person. It emerged organically out of late-2000s creator culture. And in my 10 years of talking to creators, it’s not a word any one of them has used to describe themselves. When it comes up, it’s usually with air quotes, or an apologetic wince. “I hate that word,” they say.
Is that because it’s sexist? This is the question after a store in Nantucket posted a “No Influencers” sign, prompting a disappointed response from creator (and fellow Nantucket business owner) Paige Lorenze. Creator Levi Coralynn posted a video saying that hating influencers is just an acceptable way to hate women.
Influencing is unavoidably linked to women. I’ve written before about how any time a woman is murdered or commits some kind of social offense or faux pas, the media slap the word “influencer” in front of her name whenever possible to justify breathless coverage of an otherwise private citizen. I also think it’s no coincidence that, as Levi points out, once women unlocked this career path giving them creative and financial independence over their own image and femininity, the first word for it became derogatory.
Now that the term “creator” has gone mainstream, it is worth asking why a publication or person chooses “influencer” instead. I do believe that reason is often sexism. John Sylvia, owner of the “No Influencers” store, told The New York Times that, “I feel sometimes my store is used as someone’s background, a stage.” This is a legitimate gripe—but one that could have just as easily been addressed with a sign that said “No Pictures.”
In two decades, mostly female online creators have built an industry that dominates culture and commerce. You are not exempt from their influence, even if you don’t follow them (the Devil Wears Prada “cerulean” monologue comes to mind…). And yet creators are treated like gnats—scourges on a society that nevertheless actively consumes their labor.
Not that creators are above reproach. The ones with the most followers and exposure continue to uphold a status quo of thin, white femininity, only growing their privilege in the process. Lifestyle, fashion, and beauty creators also often promote overconsumption. Plus, they also model behavior online that can be disrespectful or merely oblivious IRL, and they encourage gentrification by promoting certain businesses and neighborhoods.
But “‘influencer’ has a sexist connotation” and “influencer culture is problematic” are both true. When Sylvie posted that sign, in my opinion, he was directing it at women. And? Those women were probably fucking annoying.
Creators rely on our attention. That’s why Sylvie made the sign and Lorenze posted the comment and Levi filmed the video and I’m writing this blog. But the attention is ours to give—or withhold. It’s infuriating when other people’s attention enables a creator who you feel is harmful, but all we as individuals can do is be mindful about our own.
There’s so much more to the world of content creators than the ones making headlines. Around one third of people under 45 identify as creators, which means, if we went by stereotypes, that many of the people we encounter have millions of followers and go on #gifted brand trips and spend all day making matcha and doing pilates. Instead, most creators are gig workers, with inconsistent pay and no healthcare. This isn’t to say they’re oppressed. But when we talk about “influencer culture,” what we often mean is not actually representative of most creators. You might even want some of them in your store.
Appreciate the nuance you bring to this topic! I also try to differentiate between influencers and creators. Creators CAN be influencers—but I’m a professional content creator who earns income from my audience (on Substack) not through brand deals. I’m not what people think of when they think of a stereotypical influencer. And I’m making tens of thousands from my content.
Gosh I've never really thought about it like that but it makes sense. When a woman opens a business its a 'passion project funded by family money that'll only last a year'. But when men do it, they're an 'entrepeneur who worked hard day and night through trail an error'. It's doesn't help when influencers tend to be from a younger generation so it makes them more vulnerable to onlookers and critiques.