Opinion | Is Kamala still brat?

On July 21 at 8:29 pm, something changed the presidential race as we know it. Charli XCX, the creator of “Brat,” tweeted “kamala IS brat” onto her Twitter page. 

Brat summer was already in full effect, taking the entire internet by storm, and this tweet alone turned the tide. This moment, we soon learned, would start to fuel the fire of mass support from young, Gen-Z Americans for the Harris campaign. 

A bridge between pop culture and politics was made by this lone tweet, and Gen Z was willing to cross that bridge. Being brat is ultimately subjective, but in this case, it means to be cool, an “it girl.” Charli XCX tweeting “kamala IS brat” expanded the definition of what it means to be brat. Being brat can range from smoking a cigarette at a rave to potentially being the first female president.  But like all trends, brat summer came to an end. Yet the question lingers in my mind — is Kamala still brat? 

As the election quickly approaches, it does not surprise me that Harris and her team are trying to rally younger voters. It seems that Gen Z is the group that many politicians want on their side, especially during election season. Gen Z is notability a powerful generation that can make a difference in American politics simply by voting. This election will be the first time many Gen Z have the opportunity to vote and make their voices heard. A majority of Gen Z is progressive and holds more liberal values, which means many of them favor the Democratic party. But in order to get them to vote, Harris has to try to connect to them on the one thing that seems to have us all connected — social media.

Out of all the different social media platforms Harris could have focused on, she chose TikTok to connect with young people. Right off the bat, this was one of the best choices she could have made. As a member of Gen Z myself, I know firsthand how many of us enjoy TikTok and use it daily. Using TikTok gives her the most access to young people and potential supporters. 

If you take a look at Kamala HQ on TikTok, you’ll see that the account is full of videos — it sees at least two new posts every day and is now at four million followers. Just a quick glance at their page and you’ll see the tremendous amount of effort the Harris campaign has invested into their TikTok outreach. It is clear that Harris’s social media team has a vision and a plan when it comes to engaging with Gen Z — to encourage young people to vote by reaching out in a way they understand. 

Though social media does have its downsides, I am actually surprised at how consistent the account has been. Trying to stay relevant, especially on TikTok, is hard. People lose interest very easily, trends die fast and the algorithm is constantly changing. Overall, I do think Kamala HQ is doing a great job of participating in trends fast and using sounds that are currently popular, while also still reminding us that this is for a presidential race that could change our lives for the better or the worse. 

Harris’s presence on social media also allows for us to see her as a more serious candidate. The memeification of Kamala Harris is real and I do think it’s good that her social media team is slowly trying to break away from that. Just off the top of my head, I can think of various Kamala Harris memes like silk press and laugh, the coconut tree and “We did it, Joe.” All of these memes that have stemmed from Harris’ time as Vice President have made her seem a little unserious. 

While Gen Z enjoys the memes that Harris has brought to our for you page, it’s still important to show that her main job right now is to be seen as someone who can run a country. Harris’ social media team cleverly played into the memes, specifically the “brat” meme, when she was first starting to campaign for President. Because her team played into it, Kamala easily gained a following and was getting heavily noticed by younger people. 

Slowly but surely, you can see that her team is pulling away from the meme narrative and trying to show that Harris has much more to offer than a couple of laughs. The image that they want to sell for Harris is that she is funny and charismatic, but more importantly, she is also more than capable of running a country that is in dire need of good leadership. 

Though playing into the meme of being brat seems to be a little less serious, I would argue that seriousness and brat are not mutually exclusive. For Harris, being brat is about how she exudes confidence and how young voters seem to connect with her. If anything, I would say that Kamala being brat is what makes her to be a serious candidate. It’s clear that she cares about her young supporters and prioritizes connecting with them on a level that speaks to us. 

We can compare these strategies with how former President Donald Trump also uses social media to rally his supporters. Trump does not engage with young voters in the same way that Harris does — rather, he’s known for his X rants and provocation of others through his posts. His words are usually hateful lies that get his supporters riled up to defend him. Ultimately, it’s unprofessional and outright ridiculous how Trump has decided to use social media during the presidential race. I find it hard to believe he is garnering support rather than pushing people away.

Even if Kamala HQ hits the jackpot with all of its posts, in the end, it is up to Gen Z and all young voters what they do with this information. You can repost and like all you want, but in the end, it is a vote that will have the most power. Many young people have the perception that sometimes their voice goes unheard and that voting will not make a difference, but that is not true. If anything, we have the loudest voices and the most strength during the election. 

You can see just how much power younger generations have by looking at past elections. In the 2008 and 2012 elections, former President Barack Obama was able to secure the presidency because of how many young people went to the polls and voted for him. In 2008, 66% of young people voted for him while in 2012, 60% of young people voted for him to get a second term. Politicians understand the power young people have, and those who utilize it have been successful. 

Voting is incredibly important, and we have to realize that it is an amazing privilege to be able to vote. I encourage everyone to register to vote, specifically in Pennsylvania, because it is a swing state. Your vote does matter, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. And to answer my question, yes, Kamala is still brat, even if brat summer is over. 

Danae Poteat writes primarily about pop culture and current events. Write to her at dmp152@pitt.edu.