That’s “The Way I Loved You”
Taylor Swift reflects both male and female gender roles in her song “The Way I Loved You,” a ballad about her mixed emotions for a boy she dated. Halfway through the song she cheerfully sings, “He's close to my mother/ And talks business with my father.” Based on her tone of voice during this part of the song, it can be inferred that these two qualities her boyfriend possess are good ones. However, the fact that he’s close to her mother enforces the gender role that women, and mothers in particular, are supposed to be gentle, emotional, and relational. They should be sweet and nurturing and have no role in the working world. However on the other hand, fathers should be more stern and serious and only ever talk about business. This idea is also seen in Swift’s song because her boyfriend only talks to her father about business. It is not implied that her boyfriend has any deeper relationship than this with her father which again supports society’s gender roles for mother and fathers. Additionally, in creating such a contrast in what he talks to each of her parents about, Swift’s song supports the idea that women should not be in the workplace because they are strictly emotional beings. Once again, this may cause girls to limit their expectations for their careers and cause them to believe that they cannot have a career of their own.