Tomi Lahren isn’t your next feminist icon

I shouldn’t feel the need to write this, but since conservative darling Tomi Lahren went on The View last Friday and discussed being pro-choice, it seems like people are all too quickly running to be her next best friend. And while it’s possible to be part of a political party and have differing stances from the main base, she has still said some shitty, racist, xenophobic things about everyone who isn’t a white, cisgender human being.

So I’m here to tell you that Tomi Lahren is not your next feminist icon.

Sure, you might think that the production of Tomi’s show with ultra conservative outlet The Blaze being halted is crappy – I mean, on a base level, it is. Being within the media and having your own opinions that differ from the audience you cater to is something that could be applauded. But where was this same level of outrage when Melissa Harris-Perry’s show was canceled a year ago?

If you were quick to rush to Lahren’s defense, but didn’t care when a black woman was ousted from a major news network due to her criticism of how the network was handling the production of her show – one that focused on political issues within the black community – then you might want to take a moment and ask yourself why that is.

Let’s be real here, Glenn Beck is probably already priming some young, blonde, white conservative woman to take Lahren’s place if her contract isn’t renewed. That shouldn’t come as a surprise since all Lahren really does is serve as a loudspeaker for the young conservative echo chamber. She’s dispensable and if her commentary on what some would deem a feminist issue is her downfall, so be it.

Don’t let this wolf in sheep’s clothing fool you. Tomi Lahren is a dangerous white woman and is not to be trusted. She’s still racist and problematic as fuck and her views cannot be normalized. While she’s probably lost the anti-choice crowd, she still has a loyal following of people who are going to flock to hear whatever she has to say.

When you rush to defend her, you’re rushing to defend white supremacy and your basic version of feminism – one that lacks a broad scope of intersecting identities. You’re ignoring the views of underrepresented communities and proving to us that you really don’t give a damn.

So before you jump to take Lahren under your wings, remember that she’s done more harm than she could ever do good and by defending her, you’re really only amplifying her alarming views.