A few weeks ago, Neelam, a high school senior, was sitting in class at her Catholic school in Chicago. After her teacher left the room, a classmate began playing Bump N Grind, an R. Kelly song. Neelam, 17, had recently watched the documentary series Surviving R. Kelly with her mother. She said it had been emotional to take in as a black woman. Neelam asked the boy and his cluster of friends to stop playing the track, but he shrugged off the request. Its just a song, she said he replied. We understand hes in jail and known for being a pedophile, but I still like his music. She was appalled. They were in a class about social justice. They had spent the afternoon talking about Catholicism, the common good and morality. The song continued to play. That classmate, who is white, had done things in the past that Neelam described as problematic, like casually using racist slurs not name-calling among friends. After class, she decided he was canceled, at least to her. Her decision didnt stay private; she told a friend that week that she had canceled him. She told her mother too. She said that this meant she would avoid speaking or engaging with him in the future, that she didnt care to hear what he had to say, because he wouldnt change his mind and was beyond reason. When it comes to cancel culture, its a way to take away someones power and call out the individual for being problematic in a situation, Neelam said. I dont think its being sensitive. I think its just having a sense of being observant and aware of whats going on around you.