Taylor Swift, she is a constant topic of discussion in the entertainment sphere, and is often talked about by the general public. Swift's success is undeniable, but there is one factor that always seems to attach itself to her work - personal relationships. Sure, she has shared that relationships often inspire her songwriting, but does that mean that everyone else should speculate who each song is about? Should her overall success be measured by the success in her relationships?
Since it was announced that Swift and her boyfriend of over a year, Calvin Harris split this past week, there has been a multitude of articles questioning the demise of the relationship, attributing it to Swift just being boring or too successful for Harris.
These speculations are irrelevant if anything, who are we to judge or understand what happened between two individuals that the majority of the world does not know on a personal level. With another ended relationship comes the onslaught of press depicting Swift as a serial dater, a woman that can't keep a man. This negative attention only magnifies the unequal standard that women are held to in American society.
Whether you are a fan or not of Swift, the only aspect of her life any of us should be discussing is her music. Some may say that negative press is an occupational hazard, but speculation about celebrities lives doesn't make it truth, it just multiplies inaccurate stories that resurface with every break-up, scandal, and release.
If you aren't a fan of Swift feel free to describe why you don't prefer her music, and the same can be said for fans, praise her songwriting, or the grandness of her concerts, but stop the speculation. It is easy to voice your opinions about somebody that doesn't appear as real to you, but they are just as real as you and me. They are people with human emotions who have family and friends that care about them, the last thing that anyone needs to see or hear is false and exaggerated stories.
At this point in her career it can be assumed that Swift has become accustomed to these false speculations, but this is what makes it so disturbing. In a career that has spanned about ten years I feel like I have heard more about Taylor Swift's relationships than her actual talent. And fan or not, her talent is undeniable, her songwriting skills are among the best of this generation.
While Swift may be taking a cue from her song "Shake It Off," we need to give her and other celebrities a reason not to have to do so.
