I’ve been going through a few online magazines, and a specific article keeps popping up. Taylor Swift and the Dilemma of Whether she Should Have Gone to the Women’s March or Not! Taylor Swift the Fake Feminist. Taylor Swift the coward. Taylor Swift is Only Feminist When it Suits Her!
I saw these titles, or something along these lines, five times as I scrolled through the homepage of various blogging sites. Five times, out of the seven different blogs that I was looking through. It’s a pattern that I took notice of. Now I admit, this may have something to do with the types of blogs / online magazines that I read but it’s a pattern nonetheless.
Was it wrong of Taylor Swift to stay home while other brave women were marching? Guess what, I don’t care.
I’m not being dismissive of her importance in feminism, she’s been placed on a pedestal and she has a certain degree of responsibility for her followers. A majority of whom are teenage girls and would love to follow in their idol’s footsteps. The articles writing about this topic however, are generally being dismissive.
Not about Taylor of course, because the whole article is about her, but about those other brave women I mentioned. Where are the mentions of the Grandma’s that were out parading, or the little boys and girls who had drawn their own signs? Where are the mentions of the men who came out to support the cause, or the women who took time off work? They are nowhere to be found.
Instead, the article that claims to be all for feminism, pushes them into the background and focuses on someone who is very much, a white feminist.
She speaks up when it suits her. But because she’s popular, and well known, the magazine thought it would be a good idea to do an article featuring her name. They need those clicks. Regrettably, I’m also marginally guilty for doing this. I’m using her name, and a specific example to bring light to the real issue at hand. Important, feminist space, is being taken up by celebrities who use it as a brand.
Why would you waste valuable space on Lena “Now I can say that I still haven’t had an abortion, but I wish I had” Dunham, when you could be talking about someone like Malala? If you don’t know who that is (which would be highly surprising) , she’s an activist from Pakistan who got SHOT rallying for her cause and she’s also the youngest ever Nobel Prize laureate. If that isn’t worth your admiration, then I’m not sure what is.
I’m not saying that Lena and other celebrity feminists haven’t mentioned some important aspects on feminism, but they often harm their cause a great deal more than they help it.
Basically, the point of this post is: stop talking about big names who are only using feminism for something that makes them more popular, and start paying attention to those who were feminists before it was cool.
To the girls who maybe aren’t societies definition of pretty, but have important things to say. To the girls who are loud and maybe a little rude, but are putting across some valid points. To those who actually speak their mind, and act on it.
Rather than reading celebrity ‘feminist’ books, read:
- Bad feminist by Roxane Gay
- #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso
- Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
Rather than watching the Bad Blood Music Video, watch:
- This ted talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- The Colour Purple
- Miss Representation
Rather than listening to derogatory rap music, listen to:
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