Certain things get people really riled up. Bad grammar, toilet rolls that face in, Goop.com. But nothing is as divisive as Taylor Swift, the love-obsessed songbird that inspires strong opinions on either end of the spectrum. The debate over whether Swift is a feminist or the worst person ever born has been quieter than usual as of late...until news broke that she took a shot at Tina Fey and Amy Poehler this morning (somewhere everyone's-favorite-punching-bag Anne Hathaway is breathing a little easier). So let's take a stroll down memory lane and remember all the times Tay Tay has won and lost the culture's favor.
IN DEFENSE OF TAYLOR SWIFT:
KanyeGate!
Taylor Swift has been making a name for herself since her country music days in 2006, but it wasn't until Kanye West decided she wasn't worthy of an MTV Music Video Award that most of us became familiar with her. Whether Kanye was right about Beyonce having the better video or not (she totally did), the public consensus was that Kanye was in President Obama's words "a jackass." Taylor instantly became our bullied little sister and America's sweetheart and all those other roles that are impossible to live up to and will eventually lead people to tear you off the pedestal they put you on (just ask Britney).
Pop Music Prodigy!
In these modern times, it has become increasingly difficult to separate an artist from their output due to the constant influx of paparrazi pictures and personal tweets and Oprah sit-downs. But when you peel away her public persona, it's pretty remarkable that someone as young as Swift can craft such catchy earworms that have even the snobbiest audiophiles proclaiming "never ever ever!" when they think no one is listening. She writes her own lyrics and plays the guitar, when most pop starlets rely on teams of writers and producers. That deserves some credit, even if you think her eyes look "squinty" or whatever.
Sexist Double Standards!
A lot of the discourse over Taylor Swift revolves around the revolving door of her lovers. Granted, by writing popular songs about each and every one (Jake Gyllenhall was an indie music elitist! John Mayer was mean! Taylor Lautner was just too nice! etc.), Swift is putting a spotlight on the subject, but the intense scrutiny over her speed dating rings of sexism. Why is George Clooney a playboy while Taylor is a desperate floozy? She's in the prime of her life and should be allowed to casually date whomever she wants. She can have her freedom fries and eat them too, y'all.
INDEFENSIBLE TAYLOR SWIFT ACTS:
I'm Not a Feminist!
In a recent interview with the Daily Beast, when asked about whether she identified as a feminist, Taylor Swift joined the ranks of great philosophers like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga in proclaiming that she does not consider herself one. "I don't really think about things as guys versus girls. I never have. I was raised by parents who brought me up to think if you work as hard as guys, you can go far in life." Ugh. Ok, since everyone in the entire world will read this blog post, I will use this space to once and for all clarify the meaning of a feminist. It's not a boys vs. girls thing. Boys can be feminists too! Because all that being a feminist entails is the belief that women are equal to their male counterparts and deserve the same political, social, and economic equality that has been bestowed on men since some Disney villain came up with patriarchy. Damn, girl, read a book!
Slut Shaming!
Boys don't get off easy in Swift songs, but Taylor saves the most lethal venom for "the other woman." Even when Taylor is trying to steal some girl's man on their wedding day (seriously), she derides the woman who stands in her way solely for having something Swift wants too. That's not very neighborly. While lyrics like "She wears short skirts/I wear t-shirts" and "Was she worth this mess after everything and that little black dress" are bad, the most egregious instance of Taylor promoting the tiresome Madonna/Whore paradigm can be found in a song called "Better than Revenge:"
She's not a saint
And she's not what you think
She's an actress
She's better known
For the things that she does
On the mattress
When I think about Taylor's confusion about what feminism means or falling into girls vs. girls tropes, I try to remember all the stupid things I said when I was in my teens and early twenties. The difference is no one was putting them on record (although certain AOL chat transcripts and one very unfortunate I'm-drunk-for-the-first-time-and-doing-a-Real-World-confessional recording do exist somewhere out there). Despite some poorly worded answers and snarky lyrics, Taylor Swift probably is a feminist and, surprise surprise, a person just like you or me who does as best as she can, but still makes mistakes and then learns from them and grows to be a better version of herself every day. So let's cut her some slack, okay?
