Performative allyship is public support for a cause that benefits the person or brand showing it more than the people it claims to help. It usually means words, posts or symbols without follow-through. The term spread widely in 2020, when many people and companies voiced support for Black Lives Matter.
Blackout Tuesday on June 2, 2020, is a common example. Music executives Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyemang called for the industry to pause business to reflect on racism. The idea spread to social media, where more than 28 million black squares were posted on Instagram. Many of those posts used the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, burying resources and protest information organizers were sharing.
Corporate statements faced similar criticism. A 2021 Washington Post analysis found that the 50 largest US public companies and their foundations committed about $49.5 billion to racial equity after May 2020. More than 90% was loans or investments they could profit from. Some brands that posted support had few Black executives or faced discrimination complaints. ARD's test for allyship is whether it changes material conditions, such as pay, hiring, policy or funding for groups led by affected communities.