extramonologue

thedailywhat:

Infographic of the Day: “The Complete Works of Taylor Swift: A Symbolic Analysis”

I LIKE THE LYRICS ABOUT BEING A CHEERLEADER AND SHE’S IN THE BLEACHERS!

Embiggen.

[buzzfeed.]

This entire debate has had my blood boiling all day. Do I think Taylor deserved the best album Grammy? Not really. Do I think she is the most talented musician? Nope. Do I think she helps her core audience more than she hurts them? Yes, yes, yes.

The truth is, at this age, girls are probably going to be affected more by a pop star’s image than they are by her lyrics. Taylor is positive without being preachy about it; she’s feminine without being overly sexy. If she can inject a little heartbreak-conscious, respect-yourself girl power into the minds of teens who would normally internalize the rejection or do whatever it takes to fit in, I’m all for it. I mean, she’s not perfect, and she’s not a revolutionary, but as a woman who came of age during the Britney hey day—when girls who weren’t comfortable thinking outside the mainstream box learned that they were supposed to make men desire them without feeling desire—I can definitely appreciate that there has been some progress. Sure, “Love Story” messes up the Romeo & Juliet metaphor and tells a pretty hetero-normative tale, but some of Taylor’s other songs also tell girls that there’s more to life than feeling wanted, which is pretty crucial here.

To be honest, I love Gaga, but so many of her songs—and her persona in general—are subversive in such an understated way. Do you think that all the girls who are listening to her really get it? No, to them, her and her songs are about craving fame and obsessing over men. Or they’re just songs. Period. (And don’t even get me started on how ironic it is that the writer puts Beyonce on a pedestal.)

Feminism is about choice and respect. Pop culture is a product of place and time. Instead of tearing other women down because they’re pretty and successful (or my personal favorite, “unoriginal”), can’t we appreciate them for what they add to the conversation? If Taylor’s simple songs about experiencing heartbreak and feeling invisible are resonating so deeply, maybe there’s a self-esteem crisis that we should all be putting our energy into or something. I don’t know. I just hope a slightly older and wiser Taylor shows us all what’s up on her next album.