White supremacists used Sansa Stark for propaganda and Sophie Turner isn’t having it

People


White supremacists used Sansa Stark for propaganda and Sophie Turner isn’t having it

By Hannah-Rose Yee

6 years ago

The Game of Thrones star does not want her most famous character being used to promote racist beliefs.      

Because the world isn’t enough of a terrible place, it is our duty to inform you that there is currently a vile meme doing the rounds of the internet suggesting that racial purity is the future.

“White people are the product of 50,000 years of evolution,” the meme read. “Do not destroy our genetic legacy by race mixing. Do it right! Date and marry white!”

Leaving aside the fact that the creators of said meme have fundamentally misunderstood what a meme should be, which is to say, clever and funny and not, you know, racist, they also used a picture of Sophie Turner in character as Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones to further prove their point.

And Turner simply isn’t having it.

“Ew,” she wrote. “Please don’t use me to promote racism.”

The meme has since been deleted from Twitter and the user’s entire account has been suspended.

This isn’t the first time Turner has taken those who misappropriate Game of Thrones to task on social media. The actress has also called out President Donald Trump for using Game of Thrones’ most famous tagline to advocate for sanctions against Iran. Turner’s response? “Ew.” (HBO also responded: “How do you say trademark misuse in Dothraki?”) 

Earlier this month, Turner got into a Twitter spat with Piers Morgan (who else?), after the talking head suggested that celebrities who advocate for mental health awareness are jumping on the bandwagon.

“Or maybe they have a platform to speak out about it and help get rid of the stigma of mental illness which affects 1 in 4 people in UK per year,” Turner responded. “But please go ahead and shun them back into silence. Twat.”

She later shared a four part Twitter thread with her followers in which she detailed just why it is so important to speak openly about mental health. 

Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark in HBO's Game of Thrones

Credit: HBO

“People who think it’s OK to make jokes about mental illness, I feel you must be so lucky because surely you don’t understand or can’t comprehend what it’s like to have or know someone with an illness like this.”

Turner continued: “If we can just all speak out about our experiences or our loved ones experiences we can help other people who suffer with mental illness not feel so alone. Let’s keep this dialogue going.”

“You are not alone, you can manage your illness, and people who make fun of it are the minority… not you,” she concluded. “You are loved and supported.”

Thank you for always speaking up, Turner. 


Images: Getty, HBO

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