In a new form of protest, people are virtually muting Donald Trump and filling the void with voices more aligned with their own.
Today is the first #MuteMonday, a movement launched by feminist newsletter Signal Boost calling for people to unfollow @POTUS and @realDonaldTrump in exchange for following progressive organizations and leaders.
Part of Trump’s personal brand involves 3am tweets and the favorites, retweets, and followers he gains from his rants. His tweets played a large role in his campaign, and have already begun to characterize his presidency.
The #MuteMonday campaign aims to take something away from Trump that he seems to care a lot about: attention. Without a large following of people to share his infamous 140-character spiels, Trump’s so-called bully pulpit will lose its punch.
Tom Perez, former secretary of labor, urged his followers to “hit Donald Trump where it hurts him most: his ego.”
2/ And for the most important part of #MuteMonday, we’re going to honor people/groups who are working their hearts out for progress.
— Tom Perez (@TomPerez) January 23, 2017
Activists and celebrities have also joined the movement, each calling for hundreds of thousands supporters to follow different political organizations and leaders.
Start your week off right: follow someone who's working to make the world a better place – like @KierraDC & @URGE_org. #MuteMonday
— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) January 23, 2017
Take away the thing Trump craves the most: attention, ratings, followers. Unfollow @POTUS #MuteMonday
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) January 23, 2017
Unfollow @potus & @realdonaldtrump. Follow a cause/person working toward progress we all still believe in, like @PPact! #MuteMonday
— Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) January 23, 2017
Unfollow @potus & @realdonaldtrump. Follow a cause/person working toward progress we all still believe in, like @PPact! #MuteMonday
— Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) January 23, 2017
https://twitter.com/jamieleecurtis/status/823353604157227008
Unfollowed @POTUS and @FLOTUS, stacked the line up with @KamalaHarris @GloriaSteinem and @CoryBooker. Inspiration. Resistance. #MuteMonday
— Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) January 23, 2017
This campaign echoes the historic Women’s March, a worldwide protest that brought millions of people together in solidarity for women’s equality and human rights. According to Vox, the march “may have been the largest demonstration in US history.” If leaders are able to keep the momentum going, #MuteMonday may earn a nasty midnight tweet from our commander-in-chief.
H/T Mic