Advice

The Artists and Activists to Follow on Social Media for Political Commentary

If there’s some small victory to be gleaned from surviving the 2016 presidential election, it’s that your unfollow game is strong on social media. One swift click and suddenly your mom’s friend Barb is no longer polluting your social media feed with “Lock Her Up” memes couched between time-lapsed taco casserole tutorials. It’s fucking magic. But it’s one thing to just trim the fat on your newsfeed—this is the year for taking a quality over quantity approach to social media follows. The following are absolute must-follows for political commentary from creatives in the world of art, television, comedy, music, food, and activism.


NEGIN FARSAD
Twitter: @NeginFarsad
Negin Farsad is an Iranian-American writer and performer based in New York City. Her Twitter feed is a vehicle for relevant stories nestled in pitch-perfect jokes. Follow her to find out the real meaning of “social justice comedy”—you won’t be disappointed.
JESSICA LUTHER
Twitter: @scATX
Jessica Luther is an Austin-based sports and culture writer. She and fellow writer Dan Solomon broke the then-underreported story about sexual assault within the Baylor football program in 2015. Sports and politics collide in her Twitter feed, and you’ll want to be on board.
MATT OSWALT
Twitter: @MattOswaltVA
Matt Oswalt is a writer, director, and overall hilarious human you’ll want to follow immediately for a deeply satisfying blend of social commentary, self-deprecation, and good old fashioned Trump jokes. And yes, he’s Patton Oswalt’s brother. 
RHEA BUTCHER
Twitter: @RheaButcher
Rhea Butcher is a stand-up comedian based in Los Angeles. Follow her for razor sharp commentary on the current state of affairs, often through the lens of her experience as an LGBT woman. Also be sure to follow her wife Cameron Esposito (@cameronesposito).
IGOR VOLSKY
Twitter: @IgorVolsky
Igor Volsky is an activist and deputy director of the Center for American Progress. Follow him if you care even a little about holding elected officials accountable. Dude is relentless.
PIERA GELARDI
Instagram: @pieraluisa
Piera Gelardi is the executive creative director and co-founder of Refinery29 (@refinery29). Her Instagram feed delivers inspiring, provocative thoughts on gender, race, intersectionality, and trans rights through her personal artistic lens—a deeply satisfying blend of femininity and psychedelic color. Swoon.
ED DROSTE
Instagram: @EDroste
Ed Droste is a songwriter and member of Brooklyn-based indie rock band Grizzly Bear. Follow him for a healthy dose of jealousy-inducing travel snapshots peppered with unapologetic outrage over our current, you know, situation.
RYAN SUTTON
Twitter: @qualityrye

Ryan Sutton has a pretty cool day job as chief food critic for Eater (@EaterNY), but he’s also worth a follow on Twitter for his timely takes on labor politics, workers’ rights, and other issues orbiting the restaurant industry and beyond—dubbed the “Labor Beat.” Stop in for a quick story and, conveniently, a yay or nay on that new ramen joint your coworker told you about.


ZOE BUCKMAN
Instagram: @ZoeBuckman
Zoe Buckman is a multi-disciplinary artist and an outspoken human rights activist—her Instagram bio glosses over her career and is instead a call to action to help the hunger crisis in Malawi. Fall into the wormhole of her Instagram account and emerge ready to fight a misogynist in the street with a pair of white lace boxer gloves.

ANA MARIE COX
Twitter: @AnaMarieCox
Ana Marie Cox is a writer, culture critic, and the senior political correspondent for MTV News. Go to her Twitter account for her sharp topical commentary—she has 1.34 million followers for a reason.
ILANA GLAZER
Instagram: @IlanusGlazer
Ilana Glazer is half of the duo of comedic kweens in Broad City, and uses her platform on social media, particularly Instagram, to advocate for myriad social causes like Black Lives Matter, trans rights, and women’s rights. Obviously her feed is sprinkled with laugh-out-loud photos, but her primary aim is politics post-election. Yas.

#internationalwomensday feminism means gender equality for all

A post shared by ilana glazer (@ilanusglazer) on

JERRY SALTZ
Twitter: @JerrySaltz
Instagram: @JerrySaltz
Jerry Saltz is the senior art critic for New York Magazine. His Twitter and Instagram feeds are a constantly updated and powerfully curated collection of fine art meets modern politics. He attracts an alarming amount of backlash on Instagram from Trump supporters, which makes you wonder why the hell a Trump supporter is following a New York art critic on Instagram.

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