Unpacking Affect in Taylor Swift's Feminism

Abstract

While affective feminism and Taylor Swift s feminist engagement have been explored in various contexts, there remains a gap in scholarly research examining how Swift transitions affect into explicit feminist practice. This paper aims to investigate how Swift utilizes a range of emotions, from negative to positive, to express her feminist sentiments, while also examining the limitations of these expressions and possible complementary strategies from her fanbase. The first section of the paper employs a theoretical framework based on affective feminism by incorporating Chadwick s (2021) concept of discomfort as a valuable epistemological tool in feminist practice to contextualize Swift s political emergence in 2018. Building on Malatino s (2021) critique of feminist coalitions and Doan s (2001, 2021) discussions on intersectional challenges faced by transgender communities, intersectionality is applied as a framework to assess the inclusivity of Swift s feminist stance. This intersectional approach also examines the potential for Swift s fandom to evolve into a more transformative activist force. The methodology includes textual analysis of Swift s social media posts, lyrics from selected songs, and her statement accompanying the petition for The Equality Act in 2019. Additionally, media analysis of the documentary Miss Americana and other media coverage of Swift s feminist activities provides a broader context. The paper argues that: 1) Swift s engagement with discomfort has driven her toward self-education in feminism and activism thus facilitating her shift from an apolitical figure to a vocal feminist advocate; 2) Her use of we and all narratives may inadvertently homogenize marginalized groups and render transgender people more invisible; and 3) To advance more inclusive and transformative feminist activism, collaboration between Swift, her team, and her fanbase is recommended to further develop Swift s fandom activism as a civic and political force. Future research may consider exploring other artist-activists and diverse

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Tong: Unpacking Affect in Taylor Swift's Feminism

Abstract

While affective feminism and Taylor Swift s feminist engagement have been explored in various contexts, there remains a gap in scholarly research examining how Swift transitions affect into explicit feminist practice. This paper aims to investigate how Swift utilizes a range of emotions, from negative to positive, to express her feminist sentiments, while also examining the limitations of these expressions and possible complementary strategies from her fanbase. The first section of the paper employs a theoretical framework based on affective feminism by incorporating Chadwick s (2021) concept of discomfort as a valuable epistemological tool in feminist practice to contextualize Swift s political emergence in 2018. Building on Malatino s (2021) critique of feminist coalitions and Doan s (2001, 2021) discussions on intersectional challenges faced by transgender communities, intersectionality is applied as a framework to assess the inclusivity of Swift s feminist stance. This intersectional approach also examines the potential for Swift s fandom to evolve into a more transformative activist force. The methodology includes textual analysis of Swift s social media posts, lyrics from selected songs, and her statement accompanying the petition for The Equality Act in 2019. Additionally, media analysis of the documentary Miss Americana and other media coverage of Swift s feminist activities provides a broader context. The paper argues that: 1) Swift s engagement with discomfort has driven her toward self-education in feminism and activism thus facilitating her shift from an apolitical figure to a vocal feminist advocate; 2) Her use of we and all narratives may inadvertently homogenize marginalized groups and render transgender people more invisible; and 3) To advance more inclusive and transformative feminist activism, collaboration between Swift, her team, and her fanbase is recommended to further develop Swift s fandom activism as a civic and political force. Future research may consider exploring other artist-activists and diverse fan responses and employing quantitative methodologies to enhance understanding of the interaction between fandom and celebrity activism.

Keywords: Taylor Swift, Affect, Affective feminism, Fandom activism,Celebrity activism

Introduction

In contemporary music, few figures have generated as much discourse as Taylor Swift, whose influence extends beyond her chart-topping hits to the feminist agenda articulated through her performances, song writing, and public engagements. As a songwriter known for her storytelling, Swift s songs are full of emotions and feminist thoughts derived from her life that resonate with many fans. While affective feminism is no longer a novel topic, and Swift s feminism has been studied by many, scholarly exploration of how Swift translates her affects into feminist expressionsremains sparse. This paper seeks to close this gap by examining the circulation and function of affect in Taylor Swift's singer-songwriter career. In particular, the paper will answer three questions:

1) How did Swift transition from an apolitical artist to an openly feminist one by confronting a spectrum of emotions?

2) Are there any feminist limitations of her celebrity feminism?

3) If so, how can her fandom be a potentially complementary force to promote more inclusive and transformative feminist activism?

Literature Review

Affect plays a crucial role in shaping our perspectives, knowledge acquisition, and interpretations of information; social circumstances can also influence affect (Ahmed, 2014; Hochschild, 2012). The relationship between affect and politics has been abundantly explored, with many feminist scholars further situating the interplay between the two in feminist knowledge production (Áhäll, 2018; Ahmed, 2010, 2017; Chadwick, 2021; Hemmings, 2012; and Pedwell & Whitehead, 2012). Both Hochschild (2012) and Ahmed (2014) frame affect and emotions as relational and produced by interactions between individuals and their material, social, political, and cultural surroundings. In particular, Ahmed (2014) describes fear as relational to an approaching object that produces "an unpleasant form of intensity" (p. 65). Drawing on Ahmed (2014) and Hemmings (2012), Pedwell & Whitehead (2012) investigate affects within feminist theory to explore the theoretical, political, and social transformation of affects.

As an emerging form of post-feminism, celebrity feminism has been well established with the growing number of celebrity feminists mapped in Anglo-American popular culture (BanetWeiser et al., 2020; Chidgey, 2021; Rivers, 2017; Weidhase, 2015). Many prominent women celebrities, including Emma Watson, Beyonce, Jennifer Lawrence, Lena Dunham, Miley Cyrus, and Taylor Swift, have publicly embraced their feminist identities. For instance, British actress Emma Watson, in her role as a United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador, delivered a widely acclaimed feminist speech to launch the UN's #HeForShe Twitter solidarity campaign. Watson's feminism resonated with many, as the video of her speech went viral, sparking hundreds of thousands of discussions about her feminist stance. Similarly, feminist expressions by Beyonce have been widely studied, particularly her bold declaration of feminism in remarks she made at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). As a Black feminist artist, Beyoncé has challenged the whiteness of mainstream feminism (Weidhase, 2015). Jackson (2021) conducted a study on feminist women's perspectives on celebrity feminism. As she suggested, while celebrity feminism could be helpful to draw people into feminism, it tends to be "trendy" and "basic," offering only the simple rhetoric of equality (p. 1087).

As a prominent figure in today's music industry, Taylor Swift is often in the spotlight for her feminist gestures and efforts. Scholars have extensively examined Swift's feminist stance, including McNutt's (2020) analysis of her paratextual feminism, which reasserts her authenticity and autonomy as a woman songwriter. Driessen's work (2020; 2022a; 2022b) on Taylor Swift analyzes the critical historical context-Swift's political coming-out in 2018-that is central to my own analysis. Driessen positions Swift as a "Celebrity Politician" while highlighting the complexity of Swift's image (2020, p. 3), which previously resonated with conservative and nostalgic elements of Americana, and how this shift into political activism might influence her fandom. Noticeably, when Swift started to make more public feminist gestures in 2018, her politics became the subject of feminist debate (Eklund, 2024). For instance, "The Man," a song on Swift's Lover album that centers on a woman's wish to be faster and more powerful as if she were a man, has been extensively analyzed in scholarship, including works by Amanda et al. (2024), Caroline et al. (2023), and Damayanti et al. (2023). Driessen (2022a; 2022b) also explores the interplay of affects, feminism, and Swift's fandom. Specifically, her focus on fans' affective responses to Swift's political coming out serves to underpin my discussion, namely the fact that the fans' affect could be translated into activist forces.

Methodologies

This paper employs a qualitative research method, which is a descriptive research method combining textual, lyrical, and media analysis to examine Swift's public feminist gestures. The primary data was derived from the lyrics of two songs and their music videos, "You Need to Calm Down" (Swift, 2019a) and "Only the Young" (Swift, 2020). The research included listening to the songs on Apple Music, reading and interpreting the lyrics, and watching the music videos of both songs for further examination. The lyrics are presented in the form of verses with parts highlighted in the subsequent discussion. The lyrical analysis delves into the key themes and messages within the lyrics while considering relevant expressions in the music videos and the narrative structure of its lyrics, thus assessing how the verses, chorus, and bridge work together to convey the song's message.

Other selected data include Swift's first political post on Instagram on October 17th, 2018, the petition she initiated for the Equality Act, and some quotes from the documentary Miss Americana. Textual analysis of Swift's social media posts and her petition for the Equality Act will provide a deeper understanding of the public discourse she generated while situating Swift's feminist engagement within the social and political landscape. The documentary Miss Americana and other media coverage of Swift's feminist engagement, such as her award-winning speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, are also cited to reflect on Swift's evolving feminist persona and public image more comprehensively.

For the paper's theoretical framework, the analysis of Swift's political coming-out in 2018 is based on theories of affective feminism, particularly on Chadwick's (2021) discussion on how "discomfort" prompts feminist praxis. This section also examines the affective language used in the song "You Need to Calm Down" by focusing on how positive and negative affects contribute to the overall feminist narrative. The following analysis of Swift's feminist limitations utilizes Malatino's (2021) research on the limitations of feminist coalitions in representing trans communities. The final discussion on Swift's activism is built on current scholarship regarding fandom activism and youth activism.

Further, while analyzing the inclusivity and effectiveness of Taylor Swift's feminism, I utilize the intersectional approach to understand her representations of marginalized communities. In particular, I draw on Malatino's (2021) and Doan's (2001, 2010) work to discuss intersectional dilemmas for transgender people. Intersectional perspectives will also be applied to the proposal that Swift's fandom could complement her activism and enhance the inclusivity of her feminism.

Recontextualizing: "Discomfort" as Epistemological Resource

Discomfort can be overwhelming to engage with, but it can also function as a potential resource for alternative knowledge production (Chadwick, 202). To interpret Swift's public claim of herself as a feminist, the first section of my paper deploys Chadwick's (2021) framework of negative affect such as discomfort as an "epistemic and interpretive resource" (p. 557) in feminist research praxis and knowledge production. Swift's evolution from apolitical artist to an openly feminist one occurred in 2018, marked by her open opposition to Marsha Blackburn's Senate candidacy in the year's midterm elections. Swift posted via Instagram on October 7, 2018, saying that Blackburn's political position "terrifie[d]" her (Swift, 2018).

Staying with negative affects is a person's proactive choice, and it can be a productive decision. By making that choice, a person may be gathering the momentum to alter the situation, where the negative emotion originates. In doing so, they push themselves to recognize the need for an epistemological shift. According to Chadwick (2021 ), discomfort can be a form of affective praxis with substantial epistemic and theoretical significance for feminist methodological practices. It was "stating, and staying with the discomfort" that prompted Swift to make subsequent public claims of being a feminist (Chadwick, 2021, p. 559). The fear and terror pushed her to realize the drastic contrast between her own Tennessee values and the ones Blackburn was advocating-for the public to vote against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape. As documented in Miss Americana, Swift found Blackburn's position shocking: "I'm from Tennessee and I'm Christian. But these [Blackburn's arguments] are NOT my Tennessee values" (cited in Wilson, 2020). She then decided to publicly voice her disagreement with Blackburn, hoping to challenge her stance. The discomfort with Blackburn's stand ended up being the catalyst for a feminist evolution for Taylor Swift. Originating in terror, negative affect finally empowered Swift to speak up after years of being an apolitical artist who was "reluctant to publicly voice [her] political opinions" (Swift, 2018).

Meanwhile, she started to educate herself about political issues, feminism, and social equality issues. Swift declared that it "feels really good not to be muzzled anymore .... I've educated myself now, and it's time to take the masking tape off my mouth ... forever" (Swift, 2018). As shown in the post, Swift included multifaceted aspects of social justice, including antiracism, anti-sexism, and anti-violence against women. She especially stressed that "any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG" (Swift, 2018; Wilson, 2020). Overall, Chadwick's (2021) framing of how affect and emotion's function serves to introduce my first contention that Taylor Swift's confrontation with discomfort propelled her to educate herself about feminist activism to engage with politics and moved her to transition from an apolitical artist to an openly feminist one.

Reconfiguring: Affect's Translation in Swift's Feminism

Since her political coming-out in 2018, Swift has been more actively engaged with feminism, activism, and politics (Driessen 2020, 2022a; 2022b). She has also begun articulating her feminist stance by navigating through a spectrum of emotions and adopting bold and assertive affective expressions. In her Lover album released in 2019, Swift included the song "The Man," which depicts a woman reflecting on how her life would be different if she were a man. Additionally, Swift invited Christian Owens, a Black dancer, to star in the vibrant and romantic music video for "Lover." Particularly, the song "You Need to Calm Down" stands out as Swift's most notable work in support of LGBTQ+ rights. In the following section, I analyze the lyrics and music video of "You Need to Calm Down," as well as Swift's petition for the Equality Act to examine if Swift's affective feminism translates into tangible advocacy and change (Swift, 2019c). In particular, I utilize Malatino's (2021) work on transgender affects and feminist constraints as a framework to discuss the limitations of Swift's feminism and activism.

Released during Pride Month in 2019, "You Need to Calm Down" is a powerful anthem that explicitly opposes cyberbullying and homophobia while advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. The song reflects Swift's feminist engagement by addressing issues of equality and inclusivity for sexual and gender minorities, with the key theme centering around resisting bigotry and supporting the LGBTQ+ community's fight for equal rights. Noticeably, the petition initiated by Swift to urge the Senate to support the Equality Act, which was passed by the House in the year 2018, featured at the end of the song's video. The aim of the petition, as articulated by Swift, is to "push politicians" who will be voting in the Senate to pass the bill via "pressure from massive amounts of people" (Swift, 2019c). Moreover, the music video also demonstrates Swift's proactive approach to advocacy. By including cameos from a diverse array of LGBTQ+ celebrities and drag queens such as Adam Lambert, RuPaul, and Billy Porter, Swift visually underscores the inclusivity and vibrancy of the LGBTQ+ community. Notable appearances were also made by Jonathan Van Ness and Laverne Cox. Scenes featuring Queer Eye's Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Karamo Brown, and Bobby Berk further enhance the video's celebration of LGBTQ+ solidarity. Below are selected lines from Verse 1:

You are somebody that I don't know

But you're taking shots at me like it's Patron

And I'm just like "Damn, it's 7:00 a.m."

Say it in the street, that's a knock-out

But you say it in a Tweet, that's a cop-out

And I'm just like, "Hey, are you okay?

(Swift & Kirsch, 2019)

In these lyrics, Swift employs satire to critique conservatives. "Tweet" is an allusion to "Donald Trump, Republicans, haters, and both kinds of trolls" who are known for their "Tweet politics" (Gutowitz, 2019). "You" in the song alludes to conservatives who are anxious and aggressive, attacking their political rivals-progressives-by metaphorically "taking shots" at them as early as "7:00 a.m."

Further, the second verse begins with: "You are somebody that we don't know / But you're coming at my friends like a missile" (Swift & Kirsch, 2019). Similarly, lyrics at the beginning of the second verse satirize conservatives' attempts to attack progressive allies. When Swift sings, "But you're coming at my friends like a missile," Hayley Kiyoko makes her entrance in the video, armed with a bow and arrow-a more old-fashioned kind of missile. Kiyoko, a pop star known for hits like "Curious" and "Girls Like Girls," is a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and is celebrated by fans for her role in enhancing lesbian representation in pop music. In the video, Kiyoko skillfully shoots an arrow that hits the bull's eye on a target.

"You Need to Calm Down" also calls out conservative forces through the repetition of "you" in the song, which is a direct reference to conservatives engaged in fruitless efforts to attack Pride movements. As shown in the Verse 2:

Sunshine on the street at the parade

But you would rather be in the dark ages

Making that sign, must've taken all night

You just need to take several seats and then try to restore the peace

And control your urges to scream about all the people you hate

'Cause shade never made anybody less gay so

So, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh

Y ou need to calm down

For instance, she mocks the outdated and laborious attempts to make anti-gay signs to sustain heteronormativity with the lines, "But you would rather be in the dark ages / Making that sign, must've taken all night." The directive, "You just need to take several seats and then try to restore the peace," is a call for these individuals to step back and reconsider their actions, suggesting that their disruptive behavior is not only unproductive but also harmful. The following lines, "And control your urges to scream about all the people you hate / 'Cause shade never made anybody less gay," deliver a powerful message: hate and negativity do not change identities or realities. The use of "shade"-queer slang for subtle insults or criticism-underscores the futility of such actions, reinforcing the idea that love and acceptance are far more powerful.

Notably, Swift's affect transitioned from negative to positive emotions when referencing the group to which the first-person narrator belongs. She adopts a hopeful and celebratory tone while describing the Pride Parade facilitated by LGBTQ+ activist communities and progressives. As indicated in the counterpart lines of the lyrics, "Sunshine on the street at the parade," "sunshine" serves as a metaphor for optimism and the joy of LGBTQ+ pride. This phrase contrasts sharply with the imagery of "the dark ages." Moreover, the progressive voice in the song mockingly questions conservatives' time-consuming yet useless efforts: "Why are you mad? / When you could be GLAAD?"

Progressives are resilient and unafraid of conservatives' attacks. In the question "When you could be GLAAD?", Swift refers to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. While conservatives are portrayed as angry, progressives are bemused and express a mixture of mockery and empathy with the lines "Hey, are you okay? ... Why are you mad?" all the while suggesting to the latter to "calm down." The contrasting affects embedded in the lyrics clearly illustrate how the narrative structure of the song reinforces its message by juxtaposing the perspectives of progressives and conservatives. The verses build a narrative of confrontation, where Swift first outlines the conservative backlash and then counters it with the calm and sarcastic stance of progressives. Her progressive stance can also be witnessed in the chorus:

You need to calm down

You're being too loud

And I'm just like oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh (oh)

You need to just stop

Like, can you just not step on his gown?

You need to calm down

The chorus, "You need to calm down," serves as a key refrain that delivers the song's core message-urging those who oppose LGBTQ+ rights to rethink their hostility and aggression. The phrase "You're being too loud" highlights the unnecessary and overblown nature of their objections, portraying their outrage as disruptive and excessive. The command "You need to just stop" directly addresses the need for the critics to cease their harmful behavior. This is further emphasized with the line, "Like, can you just not step on his gown?" which paints a picture of someone disrespecting a symbolic garment, possibly referencing attire worn during Pride or by drag performers. The gown represents the freedom of expression and identity celebrated within the LGBTQ+ community and stepping on it symbolizes an attempt to undermine that expression. By calling out this act, Swift underscores that this hostility is not only unwarranted but also powerless when it comes to effecting real change.

It is an undeniable fact that Taylor Swift's attempt at politics successfully translated her influence as an international superstar into votes. After her 2018 Instagram post, Swift secured 65,000 new voter registrations injust 24 hours (O'Brien, 2020). The petition for the Equality Act, popularized by "You Need to Calm Down," gained five times the signatures needed to gain the President's attention. In particular, when the video for "You Need to Calm Down" won the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), Swift gave an acceptance speech in which she highlighted the petition with a gesture of looking at her wrist, mimicking the action of checking the time to urge the White House to respond (Wilson, 2020). However, I argue that besides the number of votes, it is more important to examine if Swift's political advocacy translates into tangible changes. In doing so, in the following section I pay particular attention to Swift's representation of marginalized groups in her work.

Reinterpreting: Wait... Who Are "We"?

Despite Swift's desire to become more inclusive and intersectional, as shown in Miss Americana, and the significant number of votes she garnered for the Equality Act, Swift's feminism and activism have frequently faced criticism for not being more intersectional in approach. Intersectionality, a framework coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw (1991), examines how overlapping social identities-such as race, gender, and class-create unique experiences of oppression and privilege. Many critics have argued that Swift's feminist gestures often center around her own experiences as a privileged white woman, overlooking the broader and more complex struggles faced by marginalized communities. This critique raises questions about the efficacy and inclusiveness of her public political engagements. Hence, I focus specifically on her well-intentioned efforts to represent and advocate for marginalized communities within her public feminist narratives centered on equality and human rights.

To further analyze Swift's feminist rhetoric through the lens of intersectionality, it is important to scrutinize how her broad, inclusive language may inadvertently obscure the specific and varied struggles experienced by different marginalized communities. As evidenced in her 2018 political coming-out Instagram post mentioned earlier, she emphasized the inclusion of "ALL Americans" and asserted the need for "human rights ... [that] we all deserve in this country" (Swift, 2018). In Swift's accompanying text in the petition for the Equality Act, she utilized the rhetoric of "all" once again by claiming her hope that "on a national level, our laws truly treat all our citizens equally to advocate for equality" (Swift, 2019c).

Why this petition matters

Started by Taylor Swift

Last year, the House has passed the Equality Act, which would protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in their places of work, homes, schools, and other public accommodations. The next step is that the bill will go before the Senate.

While there's no information yet as to when the Equality Act will go before the Senate for a vote, we do know this: Politicians need votes to stay in office. Votes come from the people. Pressure from massive amounts of people is a major way to push politicians towards positive change. That's why I've created this petition to urge the Senate to support the Equality Act.

Our country's lack of protection for its own citizens ensures that LGBTQ people must live in fear that their lives could be turned upside down by an employer or landlord who is homophobic or transphobic. The fact that, legally, some people are completely at the mercy of the hatred and bigotry of others is disgusting and unacceptable.

Let's show our pride by demanding that, on a national level, our laws truly treat all of our citizens equally.

I contend that Swift's broad use of "we all," while trying to be inclusive, risks homogenizing subjects and solutions and overlooks heterogeneity within marginalized groups; she risks flattening the complexities of these identities into a monolithic experience. A critical example is her treatment of the transgender community within the broader LGBTQ+ umbrella. Swift tends to connect transphobia with homophobia and transsexuality with homosexuality. For example, Swift's accompanying text for the petition iterates that "LGBTQ people must live in the fear of... (those who are) homophobic and transphobic" (Swift, 2019). Although Swift adds the two terms to distinguish between them and acknowledge the existence of transphobia, juxtaposing "transphobic" and "homophobic" may falsely imply a level of equivalence in the marginalization and vulnerability that these groups face.

I contend that Swift's framing, though unintentional, could reinforce the marginalization of trans people and render them more susceptible to gendered power. As Malatino (2021) argues, the alignment of trans with feminism "would herald an encompassing lack of attention to the oppression encountered by trans communities" (p. 828). Transgender individuals might encounter distinct and intersectional challenges such as those related to race, class, and access to healthcare, food, and housing, which may not be adequately addressed by a general call for LGBTQ+ rights. For example, transgender communities are more likely to experience food insecurity and unstable housing as they need to prioritize gender-confirming therapies. An openly transsexual geographer, Petra Doan (2001) also argues that transgender people always serve as "mine shaft canaries" that are "let die first" to test the danger faced by people of other sexualities. While they are indeed a part of LGBTQ communities, trans people are always required to provide essentialist proof of gender reconstruction to get medical approval (Doan, 2010). Meanwhile, they are more often confronted with hatred and violence for more visibly violating heterosexual gender norms (Doan, 2010). Despite the well-meaning slogans of the feminist movements such as "Trans Women Are Women," the failure to pair well-intended rhetoric with intersectional support for trans people weakens the inclusivity of feminist movements.

To avoid becoming a "toothless declaration of inclusion" as Malatino (2021, p. 830) underlines, feminist alliances must be scrutinized for hollow performativity and lack of intersectional depth; in short, all systems of oppression must be deconstructed. Despite becoming openly feminist, Taylor Swift has not made any specific statement explicitly on justice for transgender communities. As previously addressed, her "we all" statement could reiterate the vulnerability of some, especially those bearing more overlapping marginalized identities. More nuanced rhetoric regarding marginalized communities, including but not limited to trans communities, should be addressed in Swift's political and feminist engagement. Without addressing the complexities of gender-inclusive issues and confronting these systems, neither Swift's affective feminism nor her political advocacy can lead to truly inclusive, tangible, and transformative change. This discussion sets the stage for exploring potential ways Taylor Swift and her fandom could leverage epistemological shifts to develop a more inclusive approach to feminism, social activism, and political advocacy.

Reimagining: A Possibility of Youth and Fandom Activism

This section discusses how the lack of heterogeneity in Swift's representation of marginalized groups could be complemented by the force of Swift's fandom-"Swifties" who are primarily teens and young adults. The discussion is based on and inspired by the embodiment of hope for youth activism in the song "Only the Young" (Swift, 2020) and in my encounters with Swifties.

"Only the Young": An Anthem for Youth Activism

Recent years have witnessed fandom emerging as an active and critical force shaping civic and political engagement (Brough & Shresthova, 2012; Stanfill, 2020). In particular, transformative fandom-aiming to reimagine and adapt media texts to better align with fan needs-has been seen as a form of resistance against existing power structures and therefore inherently political (Stanfill, 2020). With digital media playing a crucial role in contemporary activism and fandom communities, fandom activism can occur both online and offline. The relationship between online and offline activism, particularly within the realm of fandom, has been the subject of extensive study. Greijdanus et al. (2020) note that there is generally a positive correlation between the two in that efforts initiated online can effectively translate into offline collective action. This claim is further supported by Freelon et al. (2020), who found that activists on both ends of the political spectrum utilize digital and legacy media differently to achieve their political objectives, thus indicating that the online strategies adopted by various movements can have a direct impact on real-world outcomes.

In the context of celebrity activism, Jain et al. (2021) examine how a celebrity's engagement in activism can influence their brand value. They argue that the perception of a celebrity's authenticity or hypocrisy in their activism significantly affects public attitudes towards the celebrity, which in turn impacts brand loyalty, identification, and purchase intentions for the brands endorsed by that celebrity. Importantly, a negative attitude towards celebrity activism can weaken the connection between the celebrity and their brand, thereby reducing brand identification. Notably, Williams (2022) explores how a transgender celebrity, Caitlyn Jenner, leveraged digital platforms to not only amplify her voice but also galvanize offline support for transgender rights, demonstrating the potential for online activism to spur meaningful change in the physical world.

Given her significant influence, Taylor Swift should be particularly mindful of how her fandom's activism has the potential to transition from the realm of music culture to politics and from online platforms to offline action. As Driessen (2020) suggests, Swifties could function as a broader society, where fan engagement offers insight into how young people might be mobilized into political participation through their connection with a celebrity figure. "Only the Young," written in response to the Republican victory in the 2018 midterm elections, exemplifies how Swift utilizes affects to encourage her fandom to make political choices. Specifically, the song centers on political disillusionment and the potential for youth-driven change. The affective language in the song expresses a transition from negative emotions of defeat and frustration to a hopeful call for action. The song begins with:

It keeps me awake, the look on your face

The moment you heard the news

You're screaming inside, and frozen in time

Y ou did all that you could do

The wrong ones think they're right Y ou were outnumbered, this time (Swift, 2020, Verse 1)

Lines in this verse refer to the negative affect felt by many progressives on hearing the victory of the Republicans in the mid-term elections of 2018. The song's narrator representing Swift's stance begins by expressing feelings of helplessness and exhaustion, reflecting the emotional toll of political setbacks upon progressives. Phrases like "screaming inside" and "frozen in time" capture a sense of despair and powerlessness. Progressives may suffer from insomnia and find the news hard to believe while feeling powerless because "you [they] did all that you [they] could do." However, as the song progresses, these negative emotions give way to a more hopeful tone. Even though progressives "were outnumbered," Swift pauses before singing "this time," suggesting hope that although they lost for now, the future still holds the possibility for progressives to make history. The tone then shifts toward empowerment and resistance, urging young people to harness their emotions and become agents of change, emphasizing the political potential of youth power:

But only the young

Only the young

Only the young

Only the young can run

(Swift, 2020, Verse 2)

The structure of the lyrics in "Only the Young" reinforces the song's message by moving from verses filled with despair to a chorus that emphasizes resilience and hope. Following the verses on the shock and sadness of the political outcome, the chorus-the repetition of "Only the young, only the young, only the young can run"-serves as a rallying cry for young activists. As documented in Miss Americana, after repeating the lyrics "[but] only the young" four times, Swift radiates satisfaction and sings "can run" (Wilson, 2020). Her facial expression and progression from negative to positive emotions mirror the journey from disillusionment to empowerment, making the song not just a reflection of political disappointment but a motivational anthem for youth activism. The next generation of "the young" embody a forward-looking belief that the future belongs to those who are willing to fight for change. This emotional transition also echoes Swift's 2018 Instagram post: "So many intelligent, thoughtful, self-possessed people have turned 18 in the past two years and now have the right and privilege to make their vote count" (Swift, 2018). Swift places her political optimism in her predominantly youthful fan base, anticipating their alignment with her political views. As they come of age and gain the right to vote, history is expected to be on their side.

Fandom Activism in Practice: A Personal Encounter

The majority of Swifties, as part of the younger generation, are well-positioned to drive fandom activism, making them a powerful force in political and social engagement. Beyond the potential for youth activism, collective fandom activism emerges as another avenue for Swift's political influence, as illustrated by my personal encounters with Swifties.

One afternoon, I was studying in a quiet study area of the university library. Around 3 p.m., it seemed everyone was distracted by an email from Ticketmaster, which revealed if one was lucky enough to land the code for purchasing tickets to Taylor Swift's upcoming concert in Vancouver. Instantly, people became noisy celebrating that they had received the code or complaining that they were on the waitlist. At the moment, people got to know each other by having conversations about Taylor Swift and sharing the anticipation of experiencing her music live. Could that collectivity be a potential catalyst for activism? I argue that the global collectivities of Swifties, who represent a diverse range of gender, race, and ethnic identities, could enhance Swift's feminism and activism by promoting intersectional considerations. In response to the Reddit question "Why are lots of LGBTQIA+ people Swifties?" many fans from gender and sexual minority groups expressed that they resonate emotionally with Taylor Swift's music, particularly themes of love and personal growth. Others attribute Swift's popularity and influence upon mainstream culture as a reason for her large LGBTQIA+ fan base (Reddit user, 2023).

As discussed earlier, Swift's public feminist identity has faced criticism due to her privilege as a cisgender white woman. However, given her influence, Swift has the power to shape and amplify voices that resonate deeply with her fans. In turn, fans respond affectively and can reproduce and expand upon these voices in ways that they find encouraging (Driessen, 2020). Specifically, Swift's fans have the potential to transform their negative emotional responses to political challenges into epistemological resources, much like Swift did in response to Marsha Blackburn's candidacy for the Senate. Additionally, the presence of fans from marginalized groups can help introduce diverse perspectives and experiences that contrast with Swift's own, potentially highlighting gaps in her representations of marginalized communities. This engagement could push Swift's feminist expression toward a more inclusive and intersectional approach. As Jenkins ( 1992) notes, "fandom does not prove that all audiences are active; it does, however, prove that not all audiences are passive" (p. 287). Fans with marginalized identities may challenge Swift to reflect on how her privileged position influences her approach to feminism and activism. These responses can prompt her to consider how her actions and messages resonate with-or potentially exclude-those who do not share her privileges. This reflection on the lived experience of Swifties could lead to more nuanced approaches to addressing issues like racial inequality, transphobia, and economic disparities. Additionally, the diverse occupational backgrounds of Swifties, spanning policymaking, academia, public service, and beyond, could collectively contribute to a path toward more inclusive social justice.

Celebrity Feminism as a Marketing Strategy?

One final point to consider is the need for Taylor Swift and her team to approach her feminist activism with caution to avoid the dangers of over-commercialization. Some fans and critics have raised concerns that Swift's political activism might be perceived as a calculated marketing strategy, where her role as a "celebrity politician" (Driessen, 2020, p. 3) serves dual purposes: promoting her professional and commercial interests while ostensibly advocating for social justice. This perception challenges the authenticity and effectiveness of her activism. Jackson's (2021) research on the possible backlash against celebrity activism demonstrates that celebrity activism could be seen as being "trendy" and "basic," offering only a simplistic rhetoric of equality (p. 1087). More importantly, Greijdanus et al. (2020) point out that while the Internet supports activism, it also has the potential to facilitate repression. If Swift's feminism prioritizes commercial success over the genuine dismantling of systems of oppression, her feminist gestures may thereby inadvertently perpetuate and reiterate racialized, gendered, and other forms of exclusion and repression.

To avoid this, Swift must actively engage in a process of reflexivity by continuously confronting the discomfort that comes with her privileged position as a white, cisgender woman. The discomfort Taylor Swift might feel may indicate blind spots which can result in new epistemological resources for her celebrity feminist engagement (Chadwick, 2021). Engaging with discomfort is not merely a matter of personal integrity but is crucial for ensuring that her platform is used responsibly and effectively in the pursuit of more inclusive and transformative feminism, activism, and politics. By confronting her privilege and embracing the complexities of intersectional feminism, Swift, her team, and her fandom have the potential to foster more meaningful social change, thus turning her global influence into a force for positive, lasting impact.

Research Limitations and Implications

While this paper provides a thorough examination of Taylor Swift's affective feminism through textual, lyrical, and media analysis, it has inherent limitations that suggest areas for future research. These include methodological constraints, the focus on Swift as a singular case study, and the need to explore the intersectional complexities within fandom.

One key limitation is the reliance on qualitative methods. While valuable for exploring the nuances of affective language and narrative structures, qualitative methods do not allow for the measurement of the broader impact or reception of Swift's feminist messages. Future research could benefit from incorporating quantitative methodologies to provide a more holistic understanding of how Swift's activism resonates with different audiences. For instance, surveybased studies could be used to gather data on audience perceptions of Swift's feminist messaging by measuring variables such as the degree of emotional engagement, agreement with the messages, and subsequent actions taken by fans (e.g., signing petitions and participating in social movements).

Content analysis could also be employed to quantify the prevalence of specific themes or sentiments in social media discussions surrounding Swift's activism, thus offering insights into how her messages are being received and disseminated by her fan base. Furthermore, experiments or longitudinal studies could be conducted to assess the impact of Swift's activism on public opinion or behavior over time. For example, researchers could analyze changes in public support for issues like LGBTQ+ rights or the Equality Act before and after the release of songs like "You Need to Calm Down." Such quantitative approaches could complement the qualitative analysis by providing empirical evidence of the broader societal impact of Swift's affective feminism.

Another limitation of the current study is its focus on Swift as a singular case study, which may not fully capture the broader trends of affective feminism and celebrity activism in contemporary culture. By concentrating on a well-known figure like Swift, the analysis might overlook the nuanced ways in which other artists across genres engage with affect, feminism, and activism, potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings. Comparative studies involving multiple celebrities or public figures could be conducted to explore how different forms of affective feminism are manifested and received across various contexts.

The paper also primarily analyzes the affective dimensions of Swift's public gestures within the context of her music and media representations. However, it does not delve deeply into the reception of these gestures by different segments of her audience, particularly how diverse fan demographics interpret and respond to her feminist messaging. Future studies could incorporate audience reception analysis to better understand how affective feminism is perceived and acted upon by fans and whether this translates into broader social and political activism.

Conclusion

To sum up, this paper examines how affect circulates in Taylor Swift's singer-songwriter career, during which she transitioned from an apolitical artist to an openly feminist one. As articulated by Chadwick's (2021) idea of discomfort as an epistemological source for feminist affective praxis, the first contention is that Taylor Swift's confrontation with discomfort propels her to educate herself about feminism and activism to engage with politics, thereby transitioning from an apolitical artist to an openly feminist artist. Since she began to exercise a political voice, Swift approached gender-inclusive activism with her work, such as the song "You Need to Calm Down," while encouraging the public to sign the petition to support the Equality Act. In addition, I argue that despite Swift's well-intentioned political advocacy and its success in mobilizing voters, Swift's frequent use of "we all" rhetoric could reinforce the homogenized representation of marginalized groups. In particular, Swift's lack of specific advocacy for trans communities further backgrounds them. Given the international influence of Taylor Swift, I propose that her song "Only the Young" amplifies youth activism and the possibility of fandom activism formed by Swifties. Swifties could potentially build more collective feminism and activism as the diversity of Swifties spanning social identities and occupations could complement the lack of intersectionality in Swift's feminism. To promote the force of fandom as a crucial component of Swift's political and feminist gestures, Swift and her team should be attentive to and responsible for avoiding the economic capitalization of Swift's feminism and activism. Finally, I suggest that proposals for better engaging fandom with celebrity feminism and activism deserve further research with diverse methodologies to unveil the intricacy of this discussion. While this paper primarily focuses on Swift as a singular case study, celebrity feminism as an emerging phenomenon and intersectional complexities within fandom warrant further investigation.

Acknowledgments

This paper began as the final project from a course at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus, during the winter term 1, 2023-24 academic year. Here I would like to give my sincerest gratitude to Professor Alifa Bandah who provided invaluable editing and feedback during the revising phase of the paper. All content was produced by the author without the employment of AI tools, with findings based on original data collected.

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