In a world of pop culture and music dominated by women, society has found itself in a brand-new era – strong women are not only contributing to the industry, but carrying it.
A discussion on the influence and impact of female musicians would be meaningless without mentioning Taylor Swift. Her followers number over 280 million Instagram, 95.3 million X, 32.8 million TikTok, and nearly 97.6 million on Spotify; there is no doubt that she has become a cultural phenomenon. The Associated Press published the results from Pollstar’s 2023 year-end charts, finding that Taylor Swift’s Eras tour is the first tour to ever break the $1 billion revenue threshold. The tour’s film adaptation has also been named the highest-grossing concert film to date, earning over $250 million in sales. On top of this success, Taylor Swift was recognized as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2023.
Women being held in the center of media attention comes the inherently sexist string of comments and misogyny we know all too well. Most recently for Taylor Swift, critics have claimed her to be an unfit role model for young, impressionable girls. On June 27th, 2024, Newsweek released an opinion article titled “Taylor Swift Is Not a Good Role Model,” listing out grievances with the musician’s lifestyle. Specifically, her lack of husband and children for her age. The article critiques:
“At 34, Swift remains unmarried and childless, a fact that some might argue is irrelevant to her status as a role model. But, I suggest, it’s crucial to consider what kind of example this sets for young girls…While Swift’s musical talent and business acumen are certainly admirable, even laudable, we must ask if her personal life choices are ones we want our sisters and daughters to emulate.”
Despite the many advancements made by women in the workplace, the roles of wife and mother in our patriarchal society have continued to embody the most defining accomplishment a woman can make. Rather than recognize the accomplishments made by Swift as enough, this article chose to belittle her with stereotypes of a woman’s worth. This outdated image of the perfect wife and mother, harkening back to the picture-perfect image of the 1950s housewife, is a gross misrepresentation of all that a woman can be. If Swift was a man, there would be no conversations surrounding a lack of spouse or children. On the flip side, if Swift did have children, critics would shame her for being out on tour and not being attentive enough to those children. It is clear in both situations, kids or not – there is no winning. Even running as fast as she can, Swift would get there quicker if she was a man.
The sexist commentary additionally takes away from Swift’s generosity and dedication to philanthropy. While her successes have made her one of the richest and most powerful women in the world, the artist has been diligent in giving back to the community. As early as 2011, in her early years in fame, Swift donated over $70,000 worth of books to a library in her hometown. In 2015, she donated proceeds from her “Wildest Dreams” music video to supporting animal preservation and wildlife rehabilitation. As recently as last year, she donated to food banks along her Eras Tour route in Arizona and Nevada. While Taylor Swift might not have the picket fence, 2 kids, and a husband that some of society may expect from her, she has left no blank space for guessing about her dedication to bettering communities across the world.
If a woman is happy to be a mother, she should be a mother. If a woman wants to work, she should be afforded the opportunity to work. If a woman wants to be single or married, she should chase her aspirations. Regardless of the choices a woman makes for what she wants to do with her life, one thing is clear – supporting women will never go out of style.
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By: Taryn Estes, Development Intern at NOW