Before I start, just know that I am not a huge fan of Taylor Swift. I don’t own any of her albums, I’ve never been to one of her concerts, and I’m rarely seen jamming along to her songs. I’m not here to tell you how you should bow down to Taylor and all of her greatness, but I am here to urge you to remember that she is a human being, just like you and me, and that she deserves some respect.
Like a normal person, Taylor has dated a handful of people over the years, although unlike us, her selections have been in the spotlight just as much as she has. Over time, it has become routine for Taylor to release a new album after the end of each relationship, a routine that the media has used to make her look like someone she probably isn’t.
Radio stations, magazines, and people across the country judge her for making great break-up-inspired albums. Let me repeat––they judge her for making great break-up-inspired albums. Sure, it’s different that Taylor isn’t following the stereotype of lying in bed crying, eating ice cream and chocolate, and watching cheesy romantic movies, but her way of coping is so much more beneficial for her, and she shouldn’t be judged for that. Not only does she have an outlet for her emotions, but it’s an outlet that works for her. Her outlet makes her rich. Who else has a way of dealing with life’s setbacks that make them significantly wealthier? She’s doing what she loves while coping with a life-changing experience. it just happens to have monetary benefits. So, I ask, why are you judging her for making break-up albums?
As an unsuccessful songwriter, I can assure you that it is very difficult to find lyrics when you don’t have any emotion on which to base them. The easiest time for me to write songs (attempt to write songs, that is) is when something dramatic happens in my life. These events usually include people I am close to, as they mean the most to me. When emotions are more powerful, words flow more easily, and for someone as talented as Taylor Swift, those words congregate to make chart-topping hits.
For one minute, put yourself in Taylor’s shoes. She has been ridiculed for making hit music after very emotional moments in her life. People have started to rumor that she dates people just so that she can break up with them. How you would feel if you were constantly under pressure from fans to be a superstar and people were making you feel terrible for genuinely wanting to get to know someone. Obviously, I cannot speak for Taylor or know her motive behind dating people, but from what I’ve gathered, she would not use someone else to make her more famous, especially if romantic feelings are involved.
We can see these rumors get to Taylor (watch from 8:02 to 8:22 in), as she notes that if she could tell her 19-year-old self-anything, it would be that she would date like a normal person, but be a “national lightning rod for slut-shaming.” It is easy for us to criticize her because we don’t know her, but imagine if that was you or one of your best friends being nationally frowned upon for living her life. How would that make you feel?
Taylor is a very talented and successful person who happens to lead a life different than ours. There is no reason to disrespect her for doing what is best for her in certain situations. I encourage you to keep this in mind when listening to her music. If she releases another album soon recapping her relations with Calvin Harris, more power to her! YGG Taylor, keep doing you!
