Why Kamala Harris might just be the perfect ‘brat girl’ president for Gen Z voters
Being ‘brat’ isn’t just partying and being silly. Having rights is ‘brat’, being politically engaged is ‘brat’, Kamala is now ‘brat’ and voting is ‘brat’ too, writes Lauren Bulla. Will this be how Gen Z and ‘Zillennials’ get her to the White House?
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Your support makes all the difference.British pop-singer Charli XCX has just endorsed Kamala Harris, saying: “Kamala IS Brat.” But what does this mean?
The concept of being “brat” has captured the public imagination for a reason. It is a challenge to widely recognised trends such as the TikTok “clean girl” aesthetic (a renamed version of the “no-makeup makeup” look) and a carefully curated, pristine social media presence.
It suits Gen Z – they deal in fast-paced, self-deprecating humour and social media memes – and they may just create the unforeseen voting shift that the Democrats need to win the election this November.
How could they swing it? Well, Gen Z trades in layered linguistics, emojis and online trends – something that other generations cannot tap into as easily. But rather than being lightweight and frivolous, this “very online” mindset actually propels political consciousness (albeit in sometimes limited ways), into many different spaces. Gen Z sets the pace – and it is rapid.
Charli XCX released her new album, “Brat”, on 7 June – and has gone absolutely viral as a result. Just think what she (and a legion of Gen Z listeners) could do for Kamala Harris. If they can make Harris “go viral” too, it could act as a secret weapon that will operate as a mobilising force for the youth vote.
Charli XCX’s album itself is incredibly fun to listen to, but that’s only the start. The collection of songs goes through a series of very intricate and detailed experiences that accompany being a girl and wanting to just have a little fun, in a way that is nuanced, vulnerable and equally powerful. Harris’s campaign team ran with it and created a very similar banner background on X (formerly Twitter), in the same chartreuse green with an accompanying typeface spelling out “kamala hq”.
But Harris hasn’t always been popular among younger voters. In fact, Gen Z has been hesitant about some of her previous political stances, including her past as a prosecutor, mixed record on criminal justice reform and previous missteps on immigration. So what’s changed – or could change now?
Part of it has to be, simply, that Harris’s campaign team are savvy. They know what works – and how to appeal.
Harris has herself expressed that she has dedicated her efforts primarily to helping young people and everyday Americans. A younger voting base may align with Kamala in ways they may not have with Biden. One TikToker even expressed that Biden stepping down was “Gen Z’s version of 9/11”. Though this is an extreme stretch, it’s clear that losing their first elected president has sent ripples throughout the Gen Z voting pool.
Harris has routinely been in support of Gen Z-highlighted topics and concerns such as climate action, voting rights, LGBT+ equality, gun control and economic justice, among other things – one of those being her stance on abortion rights. She was the first vice-president to visit a clinic providing abortion services.
Gen Z’s affinity for humour as a coping mechanism – but also a mobilising tool – is another area that Harris, at 59, rather than Biden at 81 (or Trump at 78) uniquely understands. Gen Z-ers and “Zillennials” (the cusp between Gen Z and millennial) like me, for example, aren’t ashamed to talk about our mental health.
“Joking to cope” takes on a whole new meaning – and the Harris team is running with it. Just look at what happened when she received backlash from Republicans for loving Venn diagrams: the team immediately repurposed it for their own campaign. That quick-wittedness – the kind that social media so often necessitates – will be a boost to her running for president.
I grew up in the US and I’ve seen the shift in Gen Z as a generation of voters who are particularly fed up with the way the American political system operates. Many of my peers have sworn off voting, due to the fact that they do not feel represented by the candidates who appear on the ballot. They’re tired of being told that voting is the primary way to seek change, despite many larger social issues continuing to prevail.
Harris has expressed time and time again that she is in support of those living or experiencing concerns she herself may not have or fully understand, which I think could make her a very appealing candidate.
It could bring people to polling stations who may have otherwise sat it out – just look at what happened when a Zoom call on Sunday night between grassroots activists to discuss how to put a Black woman in the White House raised a million dollars in donations. Within four hours, 40,000 people had joined the call. Harris’s team went on to raise $231m in 24 hours.
Other endorsements from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cardi B and even Kim Kardashian all give a sense of Harris’s influence.
It’s worth noting that this will be the first, full Gen Z election, too. Every individual within this generation will be at least 18 years old, which could lend itself to overwhelming the polling sites in support of her presidency.
In the last 40 years, we’ve seen rising progress towards racial equality, LGBT+ rights and mental health awareness, but in recent years it seems we’ve backstepped. With Trump and JD Vance at the helm, there’s much further to fall.
As the pendulum sways in one direction, of course we can expect that the same will happen in reverse. I grew up and voted in a swing state (North Carolina), so I know there is much at stake. Gen Z is tired of being underestimated. I think there is much more for Republicans to worry about than they’re willing to admit.
I’ll be interested to see if – and how – a generation tired of feeling underrepresented may move toward a candidate who champions the youth voice. It may be “brat” summer, but it could also be a “brat” presidency – and Gen Z might just be the ones to thank for it.