Hi there! Thanks for this writing. It speaks to me as someone who has a challenged relationship with Taylor Swift, but an interest in expanding because my fiance is a big Swiftie. I read a tweet once that said "The slutty brunette in me will never forgive Taylor Swift for the crimes she committed against my people", definitely silly, but something that has stuck with me. I think one of the biggest challenges I've had with Taylor Swift over the years was her own internalized misogyny that came out in some songs. "You Belong with Me" and "Better than Revenge" were ones that stuck with me that seemed to slut shame other women. Can you speak to how you move past holding these things against her? I have this pain point that has stuck with me for a long time, and I'm really interested in finding a way to reconcile it.
Hi Jenny! Thank you so much for this comment! I totally understand where you are coming from and had to reconcile that in myself, too. I think one of the first things I think about is how she wrote those songs when she was a teenager, and if she thought the same way I did, I know writing and saying things like that were not thought of as problematic back then! At least I didn't think so, and now I know that they are actually fucked up things to say. I think the thing that helps me reconcile it is know, even on her most recent release of Speak Now (Taylor's Version), she changed a lyric to be less... misogynistic? The song itself is still not the best work in terms of being the most kind, but she went from saying, "Known for what she does on the mattress" to "He was a moth to the flame, she was holding the matches." Ya know, still not great but better than the mattress line in terms of the feminism of it all. Yeah, I guess I just think about how she wrote those things when she was a teenager and has made a concerted effort to be less problematic in her song lyrics over time. Does she nail it every time? No. But I think she really tries.
That's really helpful :) Thank you! I'm definitely throwing all I can at healing my relationship with her music, and also have to agree, Folklore REALLY brought her music into a space that opened things up for me. I really love Mirror Ball, Invisible String, August, and Peace. I live in Arizona, and that album is something I save for monsoon season every year where I can let the rainy air in and welcome some grey skies and a break from the heat. Looking forward to it this year!
Hi there! Thanks for this writing. It speaks to me as someone who has a challenged relationship with Taylor Swift, but an interest in expanding because my fiance is a big Swiftie. I read a tweet once that said "The slutty brunette in me will never forgive Taylor Swift for the crimes she committed against my people", definitely silly, but something that has stuck with me. I think one of the biggest challenges I've had with Taylor Swift over the years was her own internalized misogyny that came out in some songs. "You Belong with Me" and "Better than Revenge" were ones that stuck with me that seemed to slut shame other women. Can you speak to how you move past holding these things against her? I have this pain point that has stuck with me for a long time, and I'm really interested in finding a way to reconcile it.
Hi Jenny! Thank you so much for this comment! I totally understand where you are coming from and had to reconcile that in myself, too. I think one of the first things I think about is how she wrote those songs when she was a teenager, and if she thought the same way I did, I know writing and saying things like that were not thought of as problematic back then! At least I didn't think so, and now I know that they are actually fucked up things to say. I think the thing that helps me reconcile it is know, even on her most recent release of Speak Now (Taylor's Version), she changed a lyric to be less... misogynistic? The song itself is still not the best work in terms of being the most kind, but she went from saying, "Known for what she does on the mattress" to "He was a moth to the flame, she was holding the matches." Ya know, still not great but better than the mattress line in terms of the feminism of it all. Yeah, I guess I just think about how she wrote those things when she was a teenager and has made a concerted effort to be less problematic in her song lyrics over time. Does she nail it every time? No. But I think she really tries.
That's really helpful :) Thank you! I'm definitely throwing all I can at healing my relationship with her music, and also have to agree, Folklore REALLY brought her music into a space that opened things up for me. I really love Mirror Ball, Invisible String, August, and Peace. I live in Arizona, and that album is something I save for monsoon season every year where I can let the rainy air in and welcome some grey skies and a break from the heat. Looking forward to it this year!