Taylor Swift’s current brand as a “girls’ girl” contradicts her past public stances, in which she utilizes feminism for personal and/or professional gain. She is selective in her activism and utilizes it when it benefits her or shelters her from scrutiny. She’s not the perfect feminist, but, as feminist theory suggests, she doesn’t need to be. 

Swift is a singer-songwriter who first rose to fame in 2006 with the release of her self-titled debut album. She has since only risen in popularity, becoming one of the most recognizable figures in the industry. Her fanbase, affectionately known as “Swifties,” swoons for the artist’s self-proclaimed acts of feminism. From her female friendships to her music and media output, Swift stands by her claims of activism. 

Swift first came out as a feminist in 2014, citing her inspiration as Lena Dunham. That therein lies the root of the issue. An outspoken self-proclaimed feminist, Dunham is known for many things, none of them especially well-received. Whether it be for her notably all-white casts, her defending of an alleged rapist or her distasteful comments on abortion, it’s clear that Dunham’s actions do not support feminists or women in general. Having this as an introduction to feminism is certainly not the look Swift should be striving for. It’s telling that the two remain close to this day.

The singer continues to perform this narrow-focused form of activism, be it feminist or otherwise. A notable example of this is her album “Lover” rollout, which features a progressive music video for the single “You Need to Calm Down.” The video serves to uplift and promote visibility of the LGBTQ+ community by featuring notable queer figures such as RuPaul, Laverne Cox and Ellen DeGeneres. Packaging this media as she did — in a monetized form of content promoting her album — highlights the self-serving nature of her selective activism. Assuming a 20% royalty rate minus producers’ fees, Swift earned an estimated $8.8 million in the first week of album sales alone. While it’s worth noting her $113,000 donation to the Tennessee Equality Project during this era, it says a lot that she would elect to profit from social issues. Many argue that this move to align herself with the community aimed to boost album sales, as well as her public image.

This isn’t to say Swift has never performed inherently feminist acts. She has filed (and won) a sexual assault lawsuit for a symbolic $1. This spectacle raised awareness for victims of sexual harassment and assault, empowering them to self-advocate without fear of shame or scrutiny. This advocacy is worthy of praise, but it also highlights a strange double standard in her elective associations within the industry.

Swift first sparked dating rumors with musician Matty Healy in 2014, when the two met backstage at his concert. Speculations renewed in 2023, when the pair was reportedly spotted together on multiple occasions by a variety of journalistic publishers. This in itself would be unremarkable, were it not for Healy’s controversial past of racially and sexually motivated comments against women of color. Women should never be judged for the actions of men, but Swift had the ability to criticize his actions and stand up for women of color —and she didn’t. Instead, she fueled the dating and breakup rumors in her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” through an onslaught of on-the-nose easter eggs and allusions. Wouldn’t an advocate for women, especially victims of assault, choose to stand proudly on her values in all appropriate circumstances? Or would she only do so if it benefits herself?

All this to say, Swift is not a perfect feminist. Rather, she frames feminism through a “girls supporting girls” mentality, cherry-picking activist moments when it suits her best interests as a public figure. However, as feminism proves, she doesn’t need to be. 

At its core, feminism is built on feminine autonomy and the ideal of women exercising inalienable rights without fear of judgment or persecution. It is a woman’s right to choose whether or not to act on those said rights. Be it for any number of reasons, women should not be expected to maintain a universal and consistent level of idealized feminism. As intersectional feminist theory points to, women cannot be classified into a single identity. Women are so many things, beyond their race, gender or socioeconomic background. It is unfair for women to be expected to maintain a single form of feminist practice, as every woman should consider every part of her identity. Swift is not immune to such nuances, and she shouldn’t be held to a higher standard just because of the pedestal that being a celebrity has offered her.