Taylor Swift's newest documentary, 'Miss Americana', is raw, heartfelt, and emotional. She takes us through her life as an artist and her journey toward being more politically expressive. For most of her career, Taylor says she has felt "muzzled," never speaking out about politics in the fear that her beliefs would be skewed by the public. However, she grew to realize that she could use her fame to make a positive impact on society. Her team initially did not support the idea of bringing politics into her music, but Taylor made her own decision. She influenced many young people to register as voters, and she went on to make influential music videos, like "You Need to Calm Down", which advocates for the Equality Act.
Taylor expresses vulnerability in 'Miss Americana', detailing her sexual assault case and reassuring women who have been in similar situations that they are valid and should be believed. She also describes her eating disorder, showing sides of herself that fans did not previously know. These aspects of the documentary humanize Taylor, making her someone that fans can connect to on a deeper level and seek support from.
She is also not too pompous to recognize her own shortcomings. She explains how she wishes that she could have been more influential in the election, and she discusses her feelings after learning about how her album 'Reputation' was received by listeners. In the end, her faults only motivated her to make more music.
Toward the conclusion of the documentary, Taylor speaks about the way society treats women. "There is no such thing as a slut. There is no such thing as a bitch," she says. Her words are empowering to women who have been ridiculed for expressing themselves. In 'Miss Americana', Taylor is not afraid to swear. She seems so comfortable in her own skin, and she is strong enough to discuss the hardest times of her life.
After finishing her documentary, I want to tell Taylor how proud I am of her. I'm proud to be a fan of someone who uses their position to make a change for good. Taylor leads by example. She states, "I'm trying to be as educated as possible on how to respect people," and this is what everyone should strive to do.
