Who is Raven Smith? Vogue article compares Amber Heard trial to 'modern day witch trial', leaves the internet divided 

British Vogue columnist Raven Smith recently left the internet divided after writing about the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial. In a piece titled, “Why It’s Time to Believe Amber Heard,” the writer called the lawsuit “a torturous exorcism of the past.”

Smith addressed the “gruesome and violent” statements provided by both Depp and Heard, but said that testimonies can be “persuasive” and no one can be sure of the “absolute truth” as the case involves two actors.

He also wrote about some prominent social media hashtags like #JusticeForJohnnyDepp and #AmberTurd, commenting that the “anti-Heard” sentiment on social media is “palpable.”

Smith went on to mock Johnny Depp's fans for siding with the actor and claimed that the court case has been “discrediting Heard... regardless of her truth.”

Raven Smith even likened the defamation case to a “modern day witch trial” while defending Heard in his story:

“And regardless of what Heard did or didn’t suffer at the hands of Depp, isn’t the relentless memeing of her a form of violence in itself? Is the pummeling by social media not a type of psychological assault? Are we not witnessing a modern-day witch trial?”

The author concluded his article by mentioning that he can no longer support both sides, saying that it was “time to believe women—all women,” including Amber Heard.

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Everything to know about Raven Smith

Raven Smith is a British Vogue columnist, often dubbed as the “funniest person on Instagram.” He was born on March 7, 1985, in the U.S. and currently lives in London with his husband and his cat.

Smith graduated from the London College of Printing in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Photography. He has garnered massive popularity on Instagram for his meme photography and boasts over 160K followers on the platform.

The media personality gained further recognition as the Commissioning Director for London-based publication NOWNESS, a role he served between 2013 and 2016. The following year, he launched his own eponymous photo-journalism brand.

At British Vogue, Smith usually writes the Friday night column about interesting topics that catch his attention throughout the week. This includes The Kardashians, Channing Tatum going blonde, Kanye’s Sunday service to IKEA meatballs, ceramics and turtleneck season, among other things.

While speaking to Sonder & Tell, Smith said that his Friday night columns are “more celebratory than critical”:

“The internet is full of negativity, so why not stick your neck out and say you enjoy something?”

Smith also shared that the screengrab is his biggest weapon to stay on top of all things pop culture:

“I’m a screengrab addict. I grab and grab and pull together the moments when I need to focus or develop an idea. You never know when a picture of Mariah Carey on rollerblades will inspire an Instagram strategy. I have an app that I dictate notes into too. Our thoughts whizz past all day so I try and catch them and return to them later for proper examination.”

The content creator also defined his approach to Instagram as “witty, timely, and timeless.” In addition to British Vogue, Raven Smith also writes a monthly column in Style where he studies the absurd minutiae of modern living.

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Twitter reacts to Raven Smith’s article on Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial

Raven Smith's article on Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard trial left the internet divided (Image via raven_smith/Instagram)

The Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial has continued to make news ever since it began at the Fairfax County court on April 11. The case has also been under major scrutiny, with netizens dissecting each hearing session on social media.

More recently, Raven Smith’s Vogue article defending Heard made the rounds online and sparked a debate. Several social media users took to Twitter to react to the story. While many slammed the writer for his opinion, some defended his take.

As contradictory reactions continue to pour in online, it remains to be seen if Raven Smith will address the response to his article in the days to come.

Meanwhile, Amber Heard has concluded her testimony in court and Johnny Depp is likely to take the stand again before the verdict of the jury. The defamation trial is scheduled to come to a close by the end of this month.