When political parties champion a diverse slate of candidates or appoint individuals from marginalized communities to high-profile positions, it is often heralded as a sign of progress. These moments are shared across social media and celebrated in press releases as historic victories. But a closer look at this strategy reveals a troubling trend: the tokenization of identity to sidestep the difficult work of addressing deep-seated, structural inequities.
This is not a critique of the individuals themselves, many of whom are deeply qualified and deserving of their roles. It is a critique of a political system that has learned to substitute symbolic representation for substantive reform. A party can put a candidate from a historically underrepresented group on the ballot but if that party’s platform fails to tackle systemic issues like wage stagnation, housing discrimination or unequal access to quality education and healthcare, is it truly working for that community?
The answer is often no. True progress is not measured by the number of symbolic firsts but by the tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary people. When the celebration of a new appointee overshadows the failure to pass legislation on voting rights, criminal justice reform or fair housing, it becomes a performative act. It’s a way for a party to claim the mantle of diversity while quietly preserving a status quo that benefits the powerful. This strategic use of identity can create a feel-good narrative that distracts from the political realities of a community’s daily life.
This approach not only fails to deliver for the communities it claims to represent but it also erodes trust in the political process. Voters see through the carefully curated imagery and recognize the lack of material change. The performance of progress breeds cynicism and disengagement, leading people to believe that politics is a game of optics, not a tool for meaningful change.
To move beyond this shallow form of identity politics, parties must shift their focus. They must commit to a policy agenda that is not merely inclusive in its language but transformative in its effect. It means addressing the structural barriers that have long prevented marginalized communities from achieving their full potential. It means prioritizing policies that level the playing field, not just celebrating those who manage to climb it despite the obstacles. Only then can we move from a politics of performance to a politics of genuine, shared prosperity.
