On June 1, news broke that Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris had broken up after 15 months together. Swift is frequently teased by the public for her dating history, and this has always been something that is associated with her. I'm sure everyone has heard someone make a joke about Taylor Swift writing a song about one of her exes. This sort of negative connotation has always surrounded her success. Of course, not long after news of the breakup had surfaced, the teasing began once again.
This time, the hashtag "#IDumpedTaylorSwiftBecause" was tossed around Twitter. I'm sure Taylor Swift has more to do than scroll through a hashtag based on her breakup, but that doesn't justify it. Jokes will always be made about any situation because it's a coping method, sure, but when the same joke follows a woman for her entire career, I'm sure everyone can agree that it's time to give it a rest.
In addition to Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris, actors Amber Heard and Johnny Depp have also split. In their case, Heard claimed that Depp was abusive towards her in the past, provided evidence and requested a restraining order against him. Yet, Depp will continue to get roles and be idolized as an attractive Hollywood star, while Heard is left facing similar accusations to Swift.
Whenever news of a celebrity breakup surfaces, especially in Taylor Swift or Amber Heard's case this past week, it seems that the assumption is that the girl is at fault, or that she can't maintain a relationship, or that she's in need of some material for a new song (never mind the fact she's an incredibly successful and busy person with a thriving career who very clearly has had no trouble coming up with Grammy-winning songs in the past). You don't need me to tell you that this isn't the right thing to do. Yes, Swift is a celebrity and made the decision to put her life on display for the public to see, and yes, the public has the right to voice their opinions however they please, but it's just old, unoriginal and inappropriate.
It's really unfortunate how common this type of treatment is, and I'm not sure if it will ever stop. Pay attention: over the next weeks and months, Calvin Harris and Taylor Swift will be the subjects of many articles. One will be described as a bachelor and one will be described as single and sad and seeking revenge through songwriting. Make sure you consider how your comments will come across before you make them, and maybe a change can be made.
