A Chance For Change: The Coronavirus
While the Coronavirus is a pressing situation, it’s the underlying platform that has built the movements surrounding it. Many people are taking the opportunity to raise awareness during this time of uncertainty, because they know they’ll be heard. People are ready for a worldwide change, and the Coronavirus is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for.
Photo by Ian Taylor on Unsplash
The LGBTQ Movement is more prominent than ever during the Coronavirus. People are seeking opportunities to speak up when the world is listening, with hundreds of protests worldwide.
The Coronavirus has not only become a time of stress and isolation, but a time for unity and equality movements. This pandemic has left many wondering what needs to be addressed in the world. People also see this time as an opportunity to bring more issues into the spotlight because America has come together and people have the attention of others.
Movements that have become prominent during this time include the Black Lives Matter Movement, the LGBTQ Pride Movement, and a renewed energy in the women’s rights movement. Many will look at the year 202o as a learning and growth opportunity for America. while many people are waiting for it to be over and ready to look forward, advocates are living in the moment and seizing an opportunity to press for growth as a country and change the inequality still rampant in our society, so that 2021 and years to come will be positively impacted by this eye-opening year.
Social media has turned into debate platform. Celebrities and many others are using their fame to bring awareness to the Black Lives Matter Movement and the LGBTQ Pride Movement. They raise awareness for things they believe in. Sometimes, however, they have strong opinions during this time that cause a debacle within the internet society. The author J.K. Rowling recently tweeted a comment that sent the twitter world spiraling. In a recent article by Insider, they explained what happened and how she handled it. “Rowling tweeted, ‘”People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”‘ Many found this offensive and classless. While celebrities words are sometimes perceived the wrong way, many made the point that it was inappropriate to comment on a topic that is prevalent and sensitive, and that she should know better than to use her platform to criticize others and post something that is easily interpreted as condescending.
The Black Lives Matter Movement has arisen many protests, both violent and peaceful. The most controversial situation and protest has become more prominent during the Coronavirus, the case of Breonna Taylor. She was a black, twenty-six-year-old shot to death by white police officers in her home. This incident sparked the Black Lives Matter Movement during the Coronavirus, leading many to protest and practice unsafe social distancing for something they believed was right. It was a symbol of unity during trying times that also immersed many other lying issues: more coronavirus cases. This also sparked the Blue Lives Matter Movement, a movement for police officers being ridiculed for unfair treatment.
All of this controversy is happening during a worldwide pandemic.
Many don’t realize what they’re doing subconsciously. They are seizing an opportunity where their voices will be heard. People are vulnerable during this time and willing to listen to rules and precautions. Madeline Brown, a freshman at Virginia Tech, stated, “This is a very trying, scary time for all of America. Not only has the pandemic not subsided, but many new problems have come into play. We’re all looking at each other for what to do and following each others footsteps. Whether they’re right or wrong.” We’re also bored and scared, and looking for any people with platforms who’ve used the wrong tone or words, to target and blame.
The Coronavirus pandemic has become a platform itself to give movements a voice and an opportunity. America has been given the choice to better itself and the world is using this to their advantage. Lydia Yeats, a junior at Lafayette High School stated that, “The coronavirus has led America to realize the economic disparities in our country and who are the most affected-people of color and women-when a country financially suffers from a pandemic. During this time period, we have seen people protesting systematic racism and supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. By doing this, American citizens have become more educated on how racism is seen in this country and more Americans are demanding change of which would prevent police brutality and systematic racism in our government and judicial systems.”
The world has also seen different views and opinions on the results of the Coronavirus pandemic. In the article by Geoffrey Pleyers on the journalism website, Taylor and Francis, Pleyers states that, “The COVID-19 pandemic broke this global wave of protests. Not only did the coronavirus outbreak bring the weekly demonstrations to an abrupt halt; it has also been seized by governments to call for national unity and regain legitimacy.” Pleyers notes that the Coronavirus issued a worldwide crisis but was a movement itself for the Nation to unite. He also brings up the fact that “Between March and May 2020, lockdown measures put a halt to mass protests for democracy, and the virus spread became the only political focus and news headline.” This journalist feels that Covid has taken opportunities for the country to unite away. However America has only become stronger from this pandemic.
Overall the Coronavirus has allowed America to process and evaluate the current world. We’ve decided as a country that we have extreme improvements that need to be conquered while moving forward to 2021. Even if the Coronavirus is still present, America will have a better understanding of the precautions to take while creating equality and a wholesome union of America and society.
