In the past, a celebrity has had the purpose of two things: advertising and entertainment. However, in the past year especially, we've seen a new generation of celebrities, young and old, changing the way we see them. Now, celebrities teach us, stand with us and represent us. Through the good and the bad, this is a list of the 5 celebrities that redefined what it means to influence:
1. Meryl Streep
Perhaps one of the biggest actresses of all time, Meryl has certainly graced us with an onscreen presence, but it was not until recently that a political comment of her's went viral. Upon receiving her lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes, Streep spoke, addressing most notably our president, Donald Trump. "When the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose", she stated, causing us all to stop and think. Cheers to Meryl Streep, a world-shaker and an icon.
2. Amandla Stenberg
Amandla, one of the voices of the newer generations, has changed the world in their own right. One of few openly nonbinary celebrities, she is also a huge advocate for women's rights. Stenberg came out as nonbinary last year on their Tumblr, despite worries regarding the press. In addition to gender, they constantly speak out against racism, cultural appropriation and "white feminism".
3. Rowan Blanchard
A close friend of Amandla, Rowan recently grew to fame due to her lead role on Disney's Girl Meets World. Although only 15, Blanchard has quickly become one of the loudest voices of the Generation Z, speaking for herself and for those not fortunate enough to have such a large audience. In the past, Rowan has spoken up about women's rights issues, body shaming and racial inequality. As a powerful and successful woman at such a young age, she is certainly influencing the way the media sees young girls.
4. Zendaya Coleman
Zendaya is young, ever-climbing, and quite the girl boss. From heading up a clothing line to acting in the upcoming film, Spiderman: Homecoming, Coleman is certainly always busy. On the side, however, Zendaya is constantly fighting for human rights, against cultural appropriation and against all 'haters'. Most famously, in early 2015, Zendaya rejected reporter Giuliana Rancic's racist stereotypes, making the people of the world take a second thought about their words.
5. Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga, artist of songs such as “Just Dance," “Cheek to Cheek” and “Joanne," is another influential celebrity. Gaga was one of the lead activists working against “Don't Ask, Don't Tell”. In addition, she constantly fights against LGBT persecution and is bisexual herself. Lady Gaga is perhaps one of the loudest voices speaking for the LGBT community, which is especially important due to her popularity.
