Taylor Swift‘s fan base has always been rabid, and each day, it only gets bigger. When you’re consistently the only person in the room who doesn’t get the hype, it can be a terrifying prospect to admit you don’t like Taylor Swift. As the years have gone by, Swifties have become more than a dedicated fandom; they’ve become—dare I say—a modern day cult. And what do cult members do when you disagree with their charismatic leader? They blast your inbox with hate mail (at least in my experience).
Although I’m the last person to get excited about the latest thing Taylor Swift is up to, I gotta hand it to her—she’s clever. Even if you’re not a fan of Ms. Swift, you’ve definitely heard all her songs. You can’t go a day without scrolling through your feed and seeing an obsessive update about her budding relationship with Travis Kelce. I bet you’ve also had to watch several of your pretentious music snob friends convert to Swifties over the years, making you wonder if they’ve started putting something in our tap water or if you are actually an alien from a different planet.
As someone who has always preferred to discover music on my own and form my own opinion free from mainstream pressures, I’m the last person to hop on a bandwagon. However, the way Taylor Swift has taken over the world makes it increasingly harder to be one of the last non-Swifties still standing. In fact, not liking her music immediately makes people suspicious of you. And now, I have no choice but to come clean: I do not get the hype surrounding Taylor Swift.
Back in the day, not being a fan of the latest music sensation did not mean you were a bad person. But in the world of Eras Tour mania and concert tickets that cost upwards of $1,000, saying the words “I don’t like Taylor Swift,” means setting yourself up for judgment. To a much lesser extent, it reminds me of the fear communists must have felt during Joseph McCarthy’s Red Scare; a time when admitting your left-leaning political ideals could cost you your job and reputation. And while harboring anti-Taylor sentiments won’t necessarily put you on a government hit list or get you fired, it will immediately make everyone think you’re an asshole. Or at the very least, that you’re not a supporter of women.
In fact, Taylor Swift and her PR team have done a fantastic job of using “feminism” to shield the Reputation singer from criticism of all kinds. They’ve been disturbingly successful at equating not being a fan of Taylor Swift to not being a feminist. During an episode of her podcast High Low With EmRata, actress and newly converted Swiftie Emily Ratajkowski said it herself: “I was not a Swiftie, and now I’m like, you know what that means? That means I was a misogynist that I didn’t f–k with Taylor Swift.” She continues to unintentionally call attention to this PsyOp, stating: “This person is an incredible songwriter, an incredible performer, and anybody who says anything else? Like, they have issues… If you don’t like Taylor Swift, then, like, you don’t understand things.”
Hearing this sent shivers down my spine, because I’ve always considered myself to be a feminist. I grew up listening to the Spice Girls and screaming “Girl power!” at anyone I stumbled across. And now, because Taylor’s music does nothing for me, I must not be a feminist? I counter that egregious statement with the fact that it’s not very feminist to expect all women to have the same taste in music. Is feminism a cult or is it about feminine individuality? I’ve always thought it was the latter.
That wasn’t the only time I’ve seen feminist ideals be used to protect Taylor Swift’s brand from even the most innocent form of questioning. Let’s harken back to the 2013 Golden Globes, when hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler sprinkled their set with jabs aimed at countless celebrities in attendance, such as Lena Dunham, Anne Hathaway, James Cameron, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson. Then, they made the cardinal sin of cracking a joke about the untouchable Taylor Swift. Referencing her long string of highly publicized and short-lived relationships, they said she should “stay away from Michael J. Fox’s son.” In response to this wisecrack, Taylor Swift told Vanity Fair: “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women,” which prompted Amy Poehler to apologize for her part in telling the joke.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think feminism exempts anyone from being made fun of, especially if you’re one of the most successful stars the music industry has ever seen. And if the Swiftie fandom can’t handle an innocent joke, then that makes me feel even less excited to join the ranks.
The truth is, my apathy toward Taylor Swift has nothing to do with her as a person. I’m actually quite impressed with the empire she’s built, and if I ever had the chance to meet her, I have a strong feeling I would like her. To be frank, the brand she’s cultivated is downright genius and I do respect her for writing her own songs. However, her music does nothing for me, personally. Listening to some of her songs feels equivalent to reading a middle-grade chapter book for girls who like horses. There’s just no “edge” for me, as I feel like I’m being served a perfectly inoffensive product with no controversy, shock factor, or self-deprecating vulnerability to invite me in.
I keep being told that I need to just buy a movie ticket and watch Taylor Swift: The Era’s Tour because seeing her incredible performance will instantly convert me to a Swiftie. And to that, I say: Too much work. I don’t usually spend money on music before I’m sure if I even like the music. And if Taylor Swift’s fandom definitely isn’t a cult, why is there so much pressure to join it? Why do I need to be converted? Why are you Swifties proselytizing me? It’s not personal—I just don’t think I would make a very good cult member. But that doesn’t mean I’m not glad you’re all having fun!
