Taylor Swift's Feminism is Death by a Thousand Cuts
I am a lifelong Swiftie. I listened to her music on repeat on the radio as a child and now, as a teenager, with noise-canceling headphones that are essentially sewn onto my ears. I have a playlist for when I’m doing my makeup every morning, a singing/dancing playlist, and a playlist of all 200+ of her songs in my favorite order, among others. I was even in the top 0.5% of her listeners on Spotify last year. I love her, I really do. Her music also allows me to bond with people of all ages, especially women, providing us with an easy conversation topic: “Do you like Taylor Swift?”...“Me too, what’s your favorite song?”
But can we talk about Taylor Swift’s brand of feminism? Swift first declared herself a feminist in 2014 and has repeatedly stated herself as an activist and feminist since. And while I love her music, Swift’s feminism has fallen short. At best, her feminism is performative, and at worst it’s a selfish misuse of the movement. I don’t mean to attack Swift personally. I am a lifelong “Swiftie,” and I listen to her music all the time, but I am also an intersectional feminist. And, as a Swiftie, I find it important to consider the source of Swift’s feminism. Let us first acknowledge who mentored Swift as a feminist—Lena Dunham. While Dunham has called herself a feminist, she is notable for having all-white casts, making distasteful remarks about rape and abortion, and defending a rapist, among other things. Swift learned her feminism from a peak example of white feminism and has maintained this very narrow form of activism ever since.
White feminism prioritizes white, cisgender, straight, able-bodied, thin, and upper-class women and assumes that uplifting white women will uplift all women. White feminism is better than no feminism, certainly, but it also does not address how the issues that impact white women may not impact all women. And it ignores people who do not fall under white feminism’s narrow identity categories.
Taylor Swift epitomizes white feminism. She has talked about feminism through a “girls supporting girls” mentality. She has filed (and won) a sexual assault case, undoubtedly a feminist thing to do. She released a music video in 2019 to the song “You Need to Calm Down” featuring famous individuals in the queer community including RuPaul, Laverne Cox, and Hayley Kiyoko. In her documentary, Miss Americana, she spoke up against Trump and Republican candidates in her home state and pledged to be more of an activist in the future. While these actions are inherently feminist, some of the things she’s done haven’t been as honestly motivated.
In 2014, Nicki Minaj tweeted, “If your video celebrates women with very slim bodies, you will be nominated for vid of the year,” after being snubbed by the MTV VMAs for the “Best Video.” Swift responded: “It’s unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot.” Swift’s response did not address the underlying issue: the exclusion of Black women and women of different body types at award shows. This is part of a pattern in Swift’s behavior of refusing to acknowledge issues that might be too controversial for her fanbase.
Last January, Swift dated singer Matty Healy, known for degrading Black women on numerous occasions and doing the Nazi salute on stage. And several times since Swift began dating football player Travis Kelce, she has been seen enjoying football games with Jackson Mahomes, who has been accused of sexual assault.
Celebrities don’t owe us an opinion or statement every time something happens, but it is reasonable to hold them responsible for the things they say and the promises they make. Taylor Swift has stated on multiple occasions an intention to be more of an activist and feminist, and she has a lot of work left to do
On a more positive note, since the start of her career, Swift increased voter registration, spoken out for BLM and the LGBTQIA+ community (albeit not since 2020), and condemned Trump and many Republicans for their actions.
While I urge Swift to engage more with intersectional feminism and politics, her music does reflect feminist values. Swift creates music specifically for the female gaze, and she shows little regard or concern for men or their opinions of her in her work. This itself is an act of feminism as it disregards the patriarchy and centers women’s desires and experiences.
Taylor Swift creates a space for women to be women and support other women, and isn’t that a major part of feminism? Her music, her persona, and her concerts are feminist—they uplift feminism and women. Despite my love for Swift, her music, and the community she provides, we as Swifties must recognize that her activism, and specifically her feminism, deserve our critique. As fans, it is our job to point out when the person we support does something wrong, even if we continue supporting them, because our voices are what will make them change. And it is about time Swifties acknowledged that Taylor Swift should apply her brilliance not only to her music, but also to her activism.
This piece was written as part of JWA’s Rising Voices Fellowship.
As a lifelong Swiftie, I can relate to the joy and connection that Taylor Swift's music brings, creating bonds across generations. However, I also share your concern about the limitations of Swift's brand of feminism. It's essential to recognize that while she has openly identified as a feminist and engaged in activism, her approach often appears performative and lacks the depth necessary for true intersectional advocacy.
Swift's influence is undeniable, but her reliance on mentorship from figures like Lena Dunham, who embodies a more exclusionary form of feminism, raises important questions about the inclusivity of her message. This kind of feminism can overlook the experiences and challenges faced by marginalized women, including women of color and those from different socio-economic backgrounds.
As we celebrate and critique artists like Swift, it’s vital to also highlight and support movements that advocate for true gender equality and justice. In Ukraine, for example, the women's movement is actively fighting for intersectional and radical gender justice, addressing systemic barriers and amplifying the voices of those often left unheard. To learn more about their inspiring efforts, visit https://usamediacorporation.com/womens-movement/.
In a world where pop culture plays a significant role in shaping perceptions of feminism, we must encourage artists to broaden their understanding of the movement, ensuring that it is inclusive and representative of all women’s experiences.
A lot to unpack here and many of the comments feel they were written in a very personally attacking way. I can't agree with much of what has been said, in fact there are only a few sentences that I do agree with. What isn't acknowledged is the dynamics of risk Swift has to juggle. You have stated her feminism is not the outrage others feel and express doubting the authenticity perhaps of her voice. But, Swift also needs to pull others along with her. Your voice in your post comes across rather hostile in places, it does not appear balanced and damns Swift for not doing or saying something that you expect of her to fulfil your views of what a feminist is. I don't believe that is reasonable nor fair. What we do know is that millions of girls worldwide listen to her voice, in songs and interviews, and her message is about being present for your sisters. For me, sometimes that is enough, it is then up to us to direct a pinpoint message at our own coal faces to direct change - I don't need Taylor Swift to negotiate my pay rise, but I do need her words to give me that strength of belief.
Wow, Sarah. As a woman approximately the same age as Taylor, who lived through the same cultural context and who strongly identifies with her journey of assault, slut shaming, scapegoating, recognising patriarchy and rejecting it -- I noticed I felt quite defensive a few paragraphs into your article. However, by the end, I felt strongly aligned with your point of view. I, too, need to broaden my feminist outlook. I hope you'll continue to share your insight!