Because Every Girl Is Secretly Taylor Swift
I am mad as hell. And it is probably ridiculous to BE mad as hell about something that has nothing to do with me, and that is how this entire crazy situation happened in the first place, but it has bothered me all day and so I just had to write something, even though I am fully aware that about five people are going to read this.
You guessed it, I am going to talk about the #kimexposedtaylorparty ...
@taylorswift
First of all I would like to point out the issue our society has with talented women, fame, and the subsequent hatred that follows. Taylor is NOT the first to experience it. She joins a long list of others, the one that comes to mind immediately being Anne Hathaway. It is almost like when a talented woman who has achieved amazing things in her career reaches certain heights, she is hated, torn down, for no reason.
Secondly let’s talk about this supposed “exposure” of Taylor. The girl is 26 years old. She has spent her entire adult life under a microscope, a downside to fame. And all and all she has done a pretty damn good job of being a role model, an inspiration, and more. Most 26 year olds are posting party pictures of their alcohol infused Cancun vacations on Instagram. They are navigating the corporate world, figuring out what it means to not be a dependent any more, and finding their place in the world. Everyone makes mistakes. Most people just don’t have them plastered all over the world for every judge, jury and executioner on the planet to weigh on when they aren’t busy playing Pokemon Go or arguing over hashtags like #alllivesmatter or #blacklivesmatter or #bluelivesmatter ...
So what if Taylor actually “blessed” some song lyrics in a video and then said she didn’t. Have you listened to the video? Why is nobody talking about how uncomfortable Taylor sounds throughout? Why is no one talking about how kind and sweet she comes across on the phone, during a call that she was NOT aware was being recorded (which is ILLEGAL in California by the way and just super not cool)? Haven’t you said something before to keep the peace, or to come across as the bigger person, or for a multitude of other reasons that you backtracked on later or regretted later, maybe because you didn’t understand the situation or the ramifications, maybe because you felt coersed into something you didn’t fully support?
How is this some sort of take-down or ruining of Taylor? Why can’t she or her team talk about how the song (in its full context as released) is OFFENSIVE to women and to her? Why does this make her sneaky or conniving or whatever else she has been accused of? Why isn’t this a focal point of the dialogue or #feud as it is being deemed? And why are people spending so much time and effort focusing on this crazy dialogue in the first place? Life is HARD. The world is going through social and political upheaval and lives are being lost unnecessarily. Why do people care what was captured on #kimkardshianssnapchat anyways? It’s a silly (and arguably offensive and misogynistic) song.
And don’t argue that Taylor and her friends can’t say that because they don’t use their voices as platforms for something bigger, because WHY WOULD THEY? If this is the reaction they get for something as silly as a miscommunication or issue over the lyrics of a song, then why would they try to speak up for social or political issues only to be ripped apart and have the dialogue diverted from what really matters to what they have said? Not to mention the fact that they are literally in a lose lose situation having a fan base of all shapes and sizes, they are bound to offend someone no matter what they say or do.
I guess my issue is why are we so intent on tearing down a 26 year old of immeasurable talent who is just trying to navigate life the same way we all are? If the tables were turned and it was one of us, we would find it equally hard to find the balance between trying to please the world, get it right all the time, seek our own happiness, stand up for what is right, and just LIVE. The same people that put her on the pedestal, that bought her albums, and her songs, and probably her concert tickets, so quick to judge and tear her down.
Why in the world we live in today are we STILL fostering such hate, such jealousy, such disregard for others? Why can’t we just root for everyone’s happiness, having no real understanding of what goes on behind the scenes, what goes on underneath, knowing that everyone, famous or not, rich or poor, of every size and shape and pigment, goes through a struggle, a battle, every day. Every girl is Taylor Swift. We want everyone to like us. We want to do right by everyone. We want to feel pretty and wanted and accepted. We want to be right, we want to be heard. We want to feel smart but most importantly we really just want to make others happy. Every girl is Taylor Swift and I think its time we give her the benefit of the doubt. In fact I am going to make a crazy statement and say that we should give everyone in this story the benefit of the doubt.
And with that I feel it is only appropriate to end my epic “it is way past this mommy’s bedtime” rant with a #buffyquote because OBVIOUSLY... the hardest thing in this world is to live in it...