How Social Activism is Shifting

Ever stop and think the world is upside down, like Republicans liking Russia. What happened between the '60s and now.

Working with sports fans globally from 81 countries, in a business focused on what unites rather than what divides us, we have a few "not so everyday" conversations, and here is one.

One shift we have noticed is that sports athletes seem to be the leading voices on social issues from racism, equal pay, LGBTQIA+, voting rights, mental health, and much more.

While athletes taking a stand is nothing new, today, their voices seem louder than musicians', which feels like a shift in popular culture.

The lightning bolt question that struck us is; are athletes gaining the same social traction as the music lead social movements of the past. For musicians, songs reinforce the message every time a fan plays it, and concerts are like a collective movement gathering.

In contrast, when athletes make a stand, they do not have the same constant reinforcement that a song provides, and they don't have concerts to share their message to a collective audience beyond a silent gesture before the game or a press statement outside of the game.

So it made us ponder; how can athletes' voices for equality gain more traction and potentially lead a movement??

It would be interesting to know if you have ever thought about shifts in popular culture in this way and what these trends mean for society, business and brands.