Within the stream of Top 40 hits, there’s a nauseating sound that makes me uncomfortable.
Taylor Swift’s songs drip with the damn-that’s-catchy sweetness of saturated pop, but upon closer examination they have a hidden darkness.
Swift openly acknowledges that her songs are inspired by romantic relationships because men fascinate her. It’s okay to have relationship issues, be in love and endlessly ponder and pine over someone, but why does Swift think it’s acceptable to advertize these trivialities as her primary interest?
It bothers me that Swift fans and the media worship a musician who is so unashamedly anti-feminist.
Here is someone in her mid-20s who makes millions of dollars, has the opportunity to travel the world and has an undeniable influence on her peers and audience. But what is her sole focus? Boys.
Each year, millions of girls — young and old — flock to Swift’s concerts, which I’m told are full of princess and fairy imagery. Are we five years old? Girls can have careers, intelligence and even opinions on politics and foreign affairs. Yet the media has made a role model out of someone who chooses to indulge in fairy tale fantasy.
The media feeds on Swift’s damsel in distress persona. When Kanye West so infamously interrupted her at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Swift gained an atrocious amount of public sympathy, playing the victim in the situation.
Ironically, it was Beyonce — whose discography proves she is no stranger to female empowerment — that rectified the situation. Swift simply looked confused in the corner.
Taylor Swift is not a role model. Her last album is called Speak Now. But what does she want to speak about? The boy next door who doesn’t like her? As much influence as she has, she never speaks about real issues facing women.
For as much flak as Lady Gaga gets for being weird, at least she raised awareness of gay and lesbian rights, one of our generation’s biggest issues.
Swift fails to show girls that it’s acceptable and admirable to actually care about things that matter.
Tags
Pop Music, Role Models, Signed Editorial
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