Why Taylor Swift’s Followers Hate Her New Boyfriend
Taylor Swift’s devoted fanbase, aka “Swifties,” are recognized for his or her intense dedication and unwavering assist of their idol. (Simply in April, they stuffed out a record-shattering three-night tour leg on Arlington.) Her budding romance with The 1975 frontman Matty Healy, nonetheless, is perhaps the place they draw the road.
The roots of their resentment go deep and in all completely different instructions, as the fandom is hardly a monolith. Some Swifties are nonetheless grieving the latest finish of her six-year relationship with actor Joe Alwyn, the presumed muse behind fan favourite love songs like “Lover” and “Delicate.”
TikTok movies of Healy dancing at Swift’s exhibits are flooded with feedback from appalled followers who assume he has no proper to take action.
“Matty, these songs aren’t for you,” reads one touch upon a fan edit evaluating his response to Swift’s performing to Alwyn’s.
These are, in fact, some bizarre emotions to have about folks you don’t know. Whereas these delusions ought to roll off Swift’s again simply, she must be taking discover of the extra authentic issues about her new “lover.”
Healy has been within the public eye as a part of The 1975 for 10 years, however his profile has been raised considerably since being romantically linked to Swift. With that comes the curiosity and scrutiny of 1000’s studying about him for the primary time. It didn’t take lengthy for followers to dig up receipts.
The controversy begins again in 2016, when the 2 had been first rumored to be courting. These rumors had been unsubstantiated, with Healy personally denying them by saying that whereas there was a quick flirtation, it finally went nowhere as a result of courting Swift can be “de-emasculinating” [sic]. Followers discover this mindset unfitting of their beloved girlboss.
That was seven years in the past, although. Folks change, and possibly he’s “shaken off” a few of these insecurities. Good for him, if that’s the case, however that wouldn’t account for more moderen discrepancies.
In February, Healy appeared on The Adam Freidland Present, throughout which he speculated on the ethnicity of rapper Ice Spice and imitated her accent. They known as her “one of many Inuit Spice Women” and a “chubby Chinese language woman.” At a 1975 present in April, Healy claimed his feedback had been “misconstrued.”
In a separate portion of the podcast, Healy shared an anecdote a few pal strolling in on him watching porn at a celebration. Healy additionally talked about that he was watching hardcore porn depicting the sexual degradation and humiliation of girls of colour.
The podcast episode in query was faraway from each Apple and Spotify due to the offensive content material.
He’s additionally been filmed giving the Nazi salute onstage throughout The 1975’s tune “Love It If We Made It” in the course of the lyric “thanks, Kanye, very cool.” Followers have claimed that the salute was meant to mock Kanye West, however detractors query the intent and necessity behind making the hateful gesture a part of the efficiency.
These are simply a few of the many causes Swift followers take difficulty along with her (alleged) relationship with Healy. However extra alarming than something Healy has completed is what it tells us about individuals who affiliate with him, like Swift herself.
In recent times, Swift has solid herself within the function of activist, talking out in favor of feminist and LGBTQ causes. Whereas she was extensively lauded for these efforts, there have been all the time detractors who known as her an opportunist who was utilizing progressive points to enhance her picture. Many level out that she didn’t publicly discuss homosexual rights till it was nearly universally acceptable to take action and that her model of feminism solely advantages rich white ladies.
She’s made it clear that she’s conscious of each ounce of criticism, together with the opportunistic progressive allegations on final 12 months’s single “Anti-Hero:” “Did you hear my covert narcissism I disguise as altruism?”
However regardless of all of it, she has chosen to be seen and has related to a person at present in scorching water for disgusting, derogatory habits. For the detractors, it’s an affirmation of what they’ve lengthy suspected to be true. For Swifties, a fandom composed largely of girls and queer folks, it’s a betrayal.
If you happen to requested Healy’s personal followers to elucidate the controversy round him, they may inform you he’s truly a champion of progressive causes who, although off-color and provocative, will all the time get up for what’s proper ultimately. His racist, sexist, antisemitic schtick is satire, they’ll say. He’s an edgy efficiency artist with a coronary heart of gold. Swift is falling for the true him, not his persona.
Swifties, nonetheless, aren’t shopping for the satire excuse. Until some alternate, PR-driven clarification is supplied for the 2 being linked, Swift is susceptible to demolishing the nice will she’s established over time. No messy rebound album is value that.
Supply: Observer
Taylor Swift. Swift boyfriend. Music. Matty Healy. Superstar information. Superstar.
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