The star reiterated her point in a series of TikTok videos, saying, “I don’t care that abuse, harassment, stalking, whatever, is a normal thing to do to people who are famous… that does not make it okay.”
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In her Rolling Stone cover story, Roan elaborated on the harassment she has faced over the past few months, including a stalker who’s shown up to her parents’ home and her hotel room, a man who berated her about not signing an autograph at an airport until police showed up, and a fan grabbing her and nonconsensually kissing her while she celebrated a friend’s birthday at a bar in August.
However, plenty of people still took issue with Roan publicly drawing boundaries, driving home the reckoning with near-religious fandom and parasociality that has become the subject of much conversation over the past few years.
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Yet shortly afterward, internet users relentlessly went after Roan once again after a quote from her aforementioned cover story went viral saying that she doesn’t feel pressured to endorse someone in the 2024 presidential election due to “problems on both sides” (while still encouraging people to vote). The singer clarified in a TikTok that she will be voting for Vice President Kamala Harris in November’s election but takes issue with “some of the left’s completely transphobic and completely genocidal views,” referencing the Biden administration’s support of Israel’s continued siege on Gaza.
As the wave of backlash continued, Roah — who has been open about living with bipolar II disorder and severe depression — pulled out of her scheduled performance at the New York City edition of All Things Go Festival a day before the event, stating that “I need a few days to prioritize my health.”
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Despite facing extreme highs and lows of stardom in such a condensed period of time, Roan has remained clear-eyed about why she does what she does to begin with. Mere days after All Things Go, she got back on the road, performing in Franklin, Tennessee on Monday, October 1. During the concert, she once again reaffirmed her connection with queer and trans people outside of the coasts.
“I know how hard it is to be queer in the Midwest and South. I understand. And so I’m very grateful I can be here,” she said. “[…] And I just have to remind myself that this is why I do it… I hope you know that you are wanted here, and you’re welcome here.”
September 2024: Chappell Roan is tapped for Saturday Night Live
Appearing on Saturday Night Live as a musical guest is a major milestone for young up-and-coming artists, and it’s one Roan is slated to achieve in early November. On September 18, the iconic comedy show announced that she would appear as a musical guest alongside host John Mulaney during the November 2 episode. One cast member who’s undoubtedly stoked for Roan’s SNL debut? Cast member Bowen Yang, who has been pushing to get her on the show since long before her career blew up.
