A New Era: Taylor Swift’s Political Influence
By Elena Faddoul
Is Taylor Swift’s political activism just another ‘era’ or perhaps a genuine passion for politics?
The world-renowned singer has undoubtedly excelled in a wide range of genres, from country to pop, and as she embarks on her current ‘Eras Tour’, we are presented with the opportunity to reflect on some of her past ‘Eras’, namely the political one.
Over the years, we’ve seen Swift’s involvement in political activism grow. Her political presence dates back to the end of 2018, when she first spoke up for the Democratic candidate, Phil Bredesen, for the Tennessee Senate.
One of the singer’s most notable artistic features, her legendary ‘eras’, has proved invaluable to her career, providing her with the ability to re-invent her public perception over the years. With each record she releases, a new ‘era’ is established and with it, a unique aesthetic and philosophy.
Subsequently, this arguably intentional tactic became controversial once Swift appeared to dismiss most of her political demonstrations as quickly as they arose once the Lover era ended, at least in reference to problems that did not directly affect her.
This can be seen in an instance from May 2020, she tweeted a condemnation of Trump’s racism and racial supremacy, but she has gone fairly mute on the subject since.
Through the lover era, she continued to advocate and react toward issues in society such as LGBTQ (2019) rights and equality among all.
However, when the “Lover” era faded, so did these acts of activism. Fans have never heard Taylor Swift’s quiet nearly this loud, especially in the previous year or so.
Notably, when Roe v. Wade was expected to be overturned in 2022, Taylor did not utilize her influence with the same zeal that she had used to support the Equality Act in 2019.
She made one statement, in which she confessed her worry and pain over the situation. And although being a feminist who has long advocated for women’s rights, never participated in a formal act of public dissent.
This not only upset fans, but made them wonder all together if her time as an influence in politics was at all genuine.
Of course, like anyone else, she is bound to make mistakes or simply be scared to speak out. But, as someone with a huge platform and resources to help and inform the public; it would be beneficial to speak up and use her platform more often.
Though it is understandable that marketing the release of an album and tour may be time-consuming and emotionally and physically taxing, I believe that Taylor Swift is not fully utilizing her potential to impact many for the greater good.
After seeing how much Swift can accomplish through her online presence, it is a shame that she is no longer involved in politics as much as she once was. However, this isn’t to say she hasn’t been influential, her work is an art that brings us together and bridges divides worldwide.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi! My name is Elena and I am a rising senior in high school. I am originally from Venezuela, but now live in NC. A little bit about me: I personally really enjoy writing and currently serve as writer and editor of my school newspaper and for WIP as well. I think writing is very powerful and can help people advocate greatly, because of this I am enjoy every chance I get to write and collaborate with others as a way to make an impact in my community!