Nemsie Gonzalez
Managing Editor
Before I start this critique, I’d like to note that the majority of the hate you see surrounding Taylor Swift has more to do with misogyny than anything else. Like most women, Swift has been policed on the amount of men she’s dated and has often been hypersexualized then hated for it. That is not to say that Swift herself is a champion of feminism –– she can often be seen promoting “girlboss feminism” or “white feminism.” It is this behavior –– particularly how it has been exhibited in her recent album “The Tortured Poets Department” –– on which I wish to critique Swift. I am of course talking about Swift’s relationship with Matty Healy, lead singer for the band The 1975, and in particular her song “But Daddy I love him.”
For those who don’t keep up with Swift, here is some context: Swift has historically been openly political, and is a self-proclaimed feminist. It’s important to note that she is not above sharing her opinions and voicing her hopes for equal rights for women. Now regarding Matty Healy: Healy went on The Adam Friedland show, a podcast notoriously known for the racist jokes made by its hosts, Healy joked alongside Friedland and co-host Nick Mullen antagonizing Asian women, with a specific comment being targeted at Ice Spice. Later in the podcast, Healy admitted to watching pornography in which women of color are brutalized and hypersexualized. In case you were curious, this podcast came out before the Swift-Healy relationship started.
How did Swift choose to respond? She released yet another remix of her song “Karma,” now featuring Ice Spice! Her decision to release a million variations of the same tracks and albums is in itself problematic in many ways, but what I’d like to focus on here is that Swift’s decision to slap a Band-Aid on the situation is both infuriating and excruciatingly performative. And it doesn’t stop there.
I am going to highlight a few lines from track seven of Swift’s new album “The Tortured Poet’s Department:”
“Me and my wild boy, And all this wild joy, If all you want is gray for me, Then it’s just white noise, And it’s just my choice
I’d rather burn my whole life down, than listen to one more second of all this bitching and moaning”
When I first listened to the album in full, I laughed throughout the duration of this song. Why? Because on first listen, I thought Swift had said “Me and my wild boy, and all this white joy.” This was of course me mixing up the lines in my memory, but it seemed to be a pretty accurate depiction of the story she was telling. What made it even funnier was Swift’s clear irritation with those calling for her to hold her boyfriend accountable.
What I mean to say here is that despite the idiocy of celebrity culture, the influence celebrities have on society is undeniable, making what they say and do important. I can think of no better example of this than Taylor Swift. Consequently, she and other celebrities have a responsibility to be good role models. Am I saying that this is fair? No. But in the same breath with which I am criticizing Swift, I think we as a society need to be better at holding each other accountable and using the platforms we have to condemn systemic injustices. When Taylor Swift chose to date Matty Healy despite knowing he’s a racist, she acknowledged that behavior as tolerable. The same can be said of our peers; when our friends choose to date or befriend misogynists, racists or any other type of bigot, they act as accomplices to this behavior.
Even if a person has not done something bigoted to you, it does not mean you should excuse or ignore their bigotry. “Well they’re nice to me,” or “Well they’ve never been like that with me,” clearly translates to “it doesn’t affect me and so I shouldn’t/don’t care.” That is the issue here — when we only focus on what affects us, we often unknowingly continue or support the systems that oppress others.
And in general, the album really just wasn’t that good. The subject matter by and large was dull; any song about Matty Healy immediately turned me off, and the songs about being unlovable were okay. “The Alchemy” and “So Highschool” were clearly devoid of the lyricism Swift is so widely praised for. “I Hate it Here” was weird. I don’t care that she is condemning nostalgia; to use the topic of racism so casually in a song is inappropriate and another example of how tone deaf Taylor Swift often is to the issues facing women of color.