Call Me a Swiftie ?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that America’s brightest star at the moment is Taylor Swift.
Even before she was the catalyst for uber-conservative conspiracy theories over her dating a pro football player whose team is headed to the Super Bowl, before she won her 13th Grammy Award, even before she rallied tens of thousands of her fans to register to vote, she was an outspoken young woman who used her celebrity for good.
In a previous version of my book, “Jack in the Box,” I wrote about my thoughts on Taylor Swift. That section didn’t make the final version, but those thoughts have come to mind in light of all the current conversation about her.
Stronger Than “Dirt”
I’m not a fan of country music or the sound called country pop, nor am I a fan of Taylor Swift’s music. But I stumbled upon a documentary on Netflix about Taylor called “Miss Americana.” I’m not sure why I decided to watch it, but I’m happy I did; it surprised me. It opened my eyes to the truth of the person behind the fame. I had misjudged her without knowing anything about her. It’s what so many of us do every day.
Taylor started writing songs when she was only 12 years old. Today, she is well-respected as a songwriter and performer. But my reason for writing about her has nothing to do with her music; it has everything to do with the person she’s become and how the media have played a part in her professional life.
Everyone knows about that now-famous night in 2009. While accepting an MTV Award for Best Video, she was interrupted by Kanye West jumping on stage, taking the microphone from her hand, and telling the audience that, while he was happy for her, Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time. He embarrassed and humiliated Taylor in front of the entire audience. He even wrote a song called “Famous,” with the lines:
“I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex Why? I made that bitch famous!”
Several women on “The View” said they didn’t buy into the story that she was insulted by Kanye’s song. “I think she saw an opportunity to be victimized,” one host said. Meanwhile, fans at Kanye’s concert were singing the lyrics out loud while yelling, “Fuck Taylor Swift.”
The press weighed in, claiming she was wicked, evil, and conniving, falsely believing she was milking the publicity as a poor, innocent girl. Magazines plastered her photo on the covers, one with the caption, “LIAR!” A reporter, following her on a date, yelled as she walked into a restaurant,” Yo, Taylor, you fucked him?”
Social media jumped on board, calling her a fake bitch, overrated, and started a twitter feed #TAYLORSWIFTISOVERPARTY.
Why? What did she do? “When you become famous, everyone wants a piece of you,” one blogger said in a post about Taylor.
After this ordeal Taylor disappeared for a solid year. She never said anything bad about Kanye or anyone; instead, she took the high road, staying above the gossip and pettiness. Like the Ajax cleaning product slogan from many years ago, she was “stronger than dirt.” She focused on her music and went on to become, as of 2024, the only performer to win the Grammy for Album of the Year four times.
As she got older, she got wiser. She realized the power and personal responsibility that came with fame and got involved in causes she believed in. With millions of social media followers, she took positions on issues she believed were important in the world, including equal rights for all, especially for women.
When Marsha Blackburn, an ultraconservative Tennessee Republican, ran for the U.S. Senate, Taylor campaigned against her. Because Blackburn voted against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act – originally passed in 1994, which provided money for the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women – Taylor did not want the state’s first female senator to be a woman who failed to support women’s interests. Although Blackburn won the election, Taylor’s impact has been felt in getting out the vote.
Taylor Swift didn’t have to step into the arena of politics. Few 30-year-olds feel the responsibility of dealing with serious issues that affect people worldwide. I was just starting to get any real sense of who I was at 30. She could have easily gone on with her life, writing songs, making records, winning awards, touring the world and performing concerts. She was very successful and very rich. But she learned to use her celebrity – and her considerable online influence – for good. I found her to be genuine with a strong will and work ethic. I may not be a fan of her music, but I have definitely become a fan of Taylor Swift, the woman; beautiful, caring, sexy, talented, and yes…FAMOUS! And if that makes me a “Swiftie,” than count me in!