I still remember when Taylor Swift centred herself in Nicki Minaj's discourse around black womanhood, swiftly becoming the poster girl for white feminism's lack of intersectionality. The young woman is problematic at the best of times but I'm a fan of the evolution of critical thinking especially in young women mostly cos I am one and I too am experiencing a revolution. I digress.
Upon the release of images of Swift and her new boo, Loki, Twitter was abuzz and the age of HiddleSwift was upon us. After nearly a week of horrible, soul destroying news this was a much needed respite for social media. Alas, as quickly as you can say hoe, the slut shamers descended.
"She's swinging dick to dick."
"Learn how to be loyal."
" Well she filled that blank space pretty quickly. "
Yes! Yes she did! What's your problem, ASOS? I thought you sold clothes or are you diversifying your portfolio and moving into the misogyny game now too? Stay in your lane. Anyway, Taylor Swift's ploughing her way through all the eligible bachelors, writing songs about them and getting that paper. Leonardo Dicaprio dates in the same manner as Swift, frequently and with reckless abandon, yet the rhetoric sounding his conquests is "he's got form." When you are a woman, however, you are expected to be chaste and dignified. If a man breaks your heart or you break up amicably you are to mourn him in perpetuity until another man decides you are worthy enough of a relationship with him. It is a double standard that irks me.
I enjoy seeing Swift playing the field. In the words of Lil Kim "If the guy have three girls then he's the man, He can either give us some head, sex a roar. If the girl do the same, then she's a whore." I want women to be empowered. Fuck it, I want to be empowered, to be so self assured that idea of dating doesn't fill me with dread. The self confidence that Swift inhibits and the freedom she (seemingly) enjoys while dating are traits I admire. Fear coalesces in the pit on my stomach when I meet someone new and I start to question every move I make, every text I send. I'm not assuming that Swift doesn't suffer self doubt because she's white, that's highkey tomfoolery. I've learned that pictures only tell half the story. But the pictures of Taylor Swift and The Night Manager remind me that men are like buses; there'll be another one along shortly. Women, especially young women should be free to find the man or woman who works for them and that journey must be liberated from society's shackles of patriarchy.
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