The right-wing movement, including former President Donald Trump, has targeted pop star Taylor Swift, accusing her of being part of a deep state psy-op and a shill for Biden and Fauci. Trump is reportedly obsessed with the idea that he is more popular than Swift and sees the 2024 election as a “holy war” against her. Fox News anchor Sean Hannity has even issued a warning to Swift about endorsing Biden. The attacks on Swift go beyond politics and represent a patriarchal view that sees the independent activism of single women as illegitimate and threatening.
The fixation on Swift is part of a larger culture war that has historically targeted single women. The attacks on Swift echo the derision faced by the “new woman” and flapper in the 1920s. Single women have often been scapegoats in culture wars, with Vice President Dan Quayle blaming the fictional character Murphy Brown for the Los Angeles riots in 1992. Even the left has participated in this scapegoating, with Bill Clinton targeting rapper Sistah Souljah during his campaign and Barack Obama launching the My Brother’s Keeper initiative to reclaim patriarchal order in the Black family.
The current backlash against Swift is partly due to her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Despite joining the NFL fold, Swift’s presence has intensified gender anxieties among the male-heavy fan base. Kelce’s endorsement deal with Pfizer to promote vaccines has also made him a target of anti-vaxx and conspiracy theories. The Swift-Kelce alliance is seen as a threat to the heroic American male birthright.
In reality, the attacks on Swift and Kelce are an exaggerated response to their celebrity status and personal lives. Swift and Kelce are simply two famous individuals dating each other, but the right-wing movement has turned it into a weaponized and politicized issue. The backlash against Swift and Kelce reflects the power and influence of celebrity culture in American society.
