Taylor Swift fans are extremely mad that the singer didn’t join millions of women (and dozens upon dozens of celebs) in the Women’s March over the weekend.
That number included – but is in no way limited to – Rihanna, Miley, Alicia Keys, Scarlett Johannson, Madonna, Dame Helen Mirren, Emma Watson, Sir Ian McKellen, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Nick Offerman, Jessica Chastain, Amy Poehler, Ariana Grande, Zendaya, Halsey, Blake Lively, Katy Perry, and half the cast of ‘Orange Is The New Black‘.
Rihanna is in the crowd outside of Trump Towerhttps://t.co/0qUVfJzCHr pic.twitter.com/2jfFrHblXi
— Veronica de Souza (@HeyVeronica) January 22, 2017
LA women’s March pic.twitter.com/CQECdPza6c
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) January 22, 2017
T-Swift, however, was noticeably absent – and we say ‘noticeably’ because she tweeted a message of support.
So much love, pride, and respect for those who marched. I’m proud to be a woman today, and every day. #WomensMarch
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) January 21, 2017
Here’s the thing: Swift has made considerable bank off feminism. She proudly declared herself a feminist in August 2014 (two months before her ‘1989‘ album dropped), then spent the following two years surrounding herself with famous, beautiful, female friends. Plenty has been written about her particular brand of feminism (Jill Filipovic‘s piece in the Washington Post is a good place to start), but the long-and-short of it is that there’s a fair critique that ‘Feminist Taylor Swift’ is as much a money-making identity and about celebrating ‘Taylor Swift’ than it is about the empowerment of women.
Then you have the fact that she didn’t speak out in support of a presidential candidate, instead imploring her follows to simply “go out and vote”, leading more than a few to believe she voted for Donald Trump, as did 53% of white women.
This leads us to a point where Swift can leave an extremely beige message of support to those marching, and in doing so piss off a large portion of her fanbase.
As a fan of yours, this is some bullshit. You do not get to pick and choose when feminism benefits you. @taylorswift13
— alyssa (@SOLONIALLRlSE) January 21, 2017
If you were really for feminism you would have spoken up against Donald Trump instead of just saying to vote on Election Day @taylorswift13
— alyssa (@SOLONIALLRlSE) January 21, 2017
But instead you only claim to be a feminist when it benefits you. @taylorswift13
— alyssa (@SOLONIALLRlSE) January 21, 2017
@taylorswift13 This is gross opportunism. Be better.
— Chris Rollins (@chrisrollins_) January 22, 2017
@taylorswift13 you got a bad leg or something? Why didn’t you March?
— Effie (@MetallicKaty) January 21, 2017
@taylorswift13 then why didn’t you say anything during the presidential campaign when we could’ve made it so that this didn’t have to happen
— Rachel (@ladyofthelorde) January 21, 2017
@taylorswift13 but where were you during the entire election?
— Jordan Ross (@jordanrosstv) January 22, 2017
@taylorswift13 pic.twitter.com/cMc554nm9M
— jeremy cabo ?? (@jeremycabo) January 21, 2017
@taylorswift13 shut up and go march
— Paul ? (@angryaiithetime) January 21, 2017
@taylorswift13 1 tweet and she back to being a feminist. Yet where have you been pic.twitter.com/1CSqSxQVjy
— yudith (@yud87spn) January 21, 2017
please tell me when squad goals taylor swift has ever expressed an opinion that supported anyone other than herself
— crissy (@crissymilazzo) January 22, 2017
Obviously, some fans were in support of Tay Tay anyway.
Thank you Taylor for tweeting this and we’re very proud of you! @taylorswift13 ?? pic.twitter.com/1RgqIB9bjU
— Taylor Swift Updates (@TayIorCrew) January 21, 2017
@taylorswift13 live shot of me and my friends marching at the #WomensMarch after seeing T.Swift’s tweet pic.twitter.com/BQw7KAGdqo
— Brian A. Hernandez (@BAHjournalist) January 21, 2017
@taylorswift13 THANKS QUEEN I KNEW YOU CARED
— #1 snake stan (@slitherswift) January 21, 2017
While others – presumably not fans, but hey, who the hell knows these days, ‘Bad Blood‘ is catchy as hell – are just sticking the knife in.
“I can’t believe this is all for me!” – Taylor Swift staring down at the Women’s March from her penthouse.
— Peter Taggart (@petertaggart) January 22, 2017
taylor swift couldn’t go to the march bc of how famous sh— pic.twitter.com/ygsLQal46r
— bubbles (@youngselfie) January 22, 2017
Katy perry, Ariana grande, Taylor swift & miley Cyrus practicing what they preach at the #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/qtj1IQC4Ha
— ?? (@JustinOutsold) January 21, 2017
And then still others are mad about people dragging Taylor for speaking up about something important.
People on Twitter:
Camilla left 5H: Taylor’s fault
Hillary lost: Taylor’s fault
Trump won: Taylor’s fault
NOT EVERYTHING is about Taylor.??????— taylor swift?? (@shapesofswift) January 22, 2017
Y’all: Women’s march! We need to stop dragging women down!!
Taylor Swift tweets*
Y’all: Snake white feminist just wants to benefit herself pic.twitter.com/8g44geXhI5
— Henry (@gjjamesdean) January 21, 2017
Essentially, entire subsections of the internet are fighting, and it could have all been avoided by a) Taylor Swift marching or b) shutting the hell up.
Photo: Instagram / Taylor Swift.
