Drea Wheeler and Maryanne Oketch knew there would be backlash once they brought up race during the second Tribal Council of episode 9 of Survivor 42. They were right, as many right-wing trolls and members of the Survivor Facebook group accused them of "playing the race card." That's not what either of them were doing in this situation.

The term "playing the race card" is used when it is assumed someone is using their race to get ahead or gain an advantage. It is mainly attributed to Black people who reference their race when they discuss the ways in which they or others in their community may be disadvantaged due to cultural and historical inequities. Accusations of race card playing are generally levied to shut down real conversations of systemic racism before they begin, preventing progress and keeping things the way they are. Drea and Maryanne weren't satisfied to let things play out as they have in the past.

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When Drea brought up her position in the game as a Black woman, it wasn't to gain an advantage in the game, nor was it to accuse anyone of being racist. She was recognizing the unique challenges Black contestants face in Survivor, realizing if she went home it would be three consecutive Black people on the jury and deciding that wasn't how she wanted her season to look. Maryanne made a similar calculation, and in a display of solidarity, played her immunity idol alongside Drea.

maryanne oketch 2 survivor CROPPED

Maryanne played her idol in part to protect against online hate, but there will always be some who refuse to hear the message, no matter how carefully and respectfully Maryanne and Drea tried to explain it. If Drea or Maryanne win, there will be backlash from a portion of the fanbase and it won't be warranted. It doesn't help that Survivor cast someone like Jonathan Young, whom these fans can rally around since he surely echoed some of their sentiments as he claimed he wasn't racist when no one was calling him that.

Ultimately, it's impossible to please everyone when these conversations arise. But hopefully, through continuing the dialogue, even when—and especially when—it's uncomfortable to talk about it—less people will feel compelled to make baseless accusations that the players in question are just trying to get ahead by "playing the race card." It's a disgusting reaction to have to what was a brave and beautiful moment from Drea and Maryanne.

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Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8pm EST on CBS.