Reactions Are Split on Taylor Swift’s New Anti-Homophobia Song
The LGBT+ community seems torn on Taylor Swift’s new anti-homophobia song ‘You Need to Calm Down’, with some suggesting it’s inappropriate of the singer to insert herself in the gay rights narrative, while others are applauding her for using her platform in such a politically positive way.
Christina Cauterruci from Slate compares the song to Lady Gaga’s 2011 hit ‘Born This Way’: “It is not a particularly radical stance for a celebrity to be anti-homophobe in 2019, yet Swift is promoting ‘You Need to Calm Down’ like it’s going to be the straw that breaks homophobia’s back.
“Eight years after Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way,’ which came from an artist who was out as a bisexual woman at a time when the gay rights movement had far less mainstream traction than it does now, ‘You Need to Calm Down’ looks even more pathetic.”
While some Twitter users have questioned the monetary motive behind releasing such a song just in time for Pride: “Taylor Swift is queer baiting and needs to learn how to be a better ally! She is exploiting us for profit during Pride Month! She has never spoken out for queer people before this year! She is not an ally! Thanks,” posted @Neptunecreep.
Swift’s supporters have pointed out that the singer has recently made large donations to several notable charities and that she’s sought to education herself on LGBT+ issues in recent years and make positive actions to help the community.
“LGBTQ community complaining that Taylor Swift is ‘pandering’ for sales. Like, lol. Y’all. It’s not pandering when you’re heavy-handedly putting your money and your votes and your vocal support behind a community,” points out Rachel Kiley.
“Also, like. Taylor Swift does not need the LGBTQ community. She’s always had the middle states, the conservatives, the Christians. She’s risking losing them, her lifelong (LARGE) fanbase, to stand for what’s right. For us. And some of y’all wanna be cynical jerks about it?”
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