Even if her music isn’t suited to your tastes, you can’t argue against Taylor Swift’s status as an economic powerhouse and cultural icon.
With Swift becoming a billionaire in October 2023, she was the first musician to make Forbes’ billionaires ranking based on her songs and tours. Along with her immense wealth, the “Switifies” — her dedicated fans — have elevated her to the status of an idol, paying close attention to her personal life ranging from who she dates to her views on social issues.
While many fawn over her status, Newsweek’s John Mac Ghlionn’s opinion piece on Monday offered a contrary view. Ghlionn’s headline for his piece stated his position outright: “Taylor Swift Is Not a Good Role Model.”
While Ghlionn fully recognized Swift’s economic impact, he examined her personal life — which is very public — to gauge the impact of her actions and how they could resonate with young women.
Ghlionn highlighted that she is an unmarried, childless woman in her mid-thirties who has dated a number of high-profile men while perplexingly complaining about the “patriarchy.”
Ghlionn also mentioned that despite her staggering success, Swift’s lyrics depict her as a victim.
As he stated, “Swift is not a victim. She is the most popular musician of all time.”
While we cannot speak for Ghlionn, we can agree with his premise while drawing on the evidence he gives.
Yes, Taylor Swift is an absolutely horrible role model for young women.
There’s nothing wrong with emulating a work ethic and creative genius that carried her to unrivaled levels of success as a billionaire.
Do you think Taylor Swift is a bad role model?
Realistically, Swifties are more prone to imitate her personal choices and have their opinions swayed by what she chooses to endorse.
In mentioning Swift’s high-profile relationships with names like Joe Jonas, Harry Styles, and NFL tight end Travis Kelce, Ghlionn brought up a solid point: Young women are normalizing dating multiple men, with no apparent depth emotionally.
“This revolving door of relationships may reflect the normal dating experiences of many young women in today’s world, but it also raises questions about stability, commitment, and even love itself.”
If we couple her dating life with her victimhood via lyricism that so many are familiar with, we get a poor combination for success.
Swift’s message is to date multiple people who have power, influence, and money. Then, when things don’t pan out, depict yourself as the victim of your former partner.
Beyond Ghlionn’s article, you can point to a number of prominent statements made by Swift that further influence her audience poorly.
In the wake of SCOTUS overturning Roe v. Wade, Swift took to X — then Twitter — to express that she was “absolutely terrified” by the decision, framing abortion as “women’s rights to their own bodies.”
It’s fair to say that Swift’s message on abortion is similar to her messaging on dating. Much like its normal to date multiple people often, its normal to get abortions.
The magnitude of both are totally lost on her.
If young women try to emulate Swift’s personal life and support what she supports, they might find themselves empty, miserable, alone, and feeling like the world is to blame, without a hint of self-responsibility.
