Taylor Swift is the man. Literally.
The pop icon transformed herself into what could be considered the physical embodiment of an out of control male ego in the new music video for her song, “The Man.” He’s obnoxious, arrogant, and applauded by everyone besides the women he disregards, which happens regularly — on the subway, the tennis court, and even in his bedroom.
The male Swift gets away with whatever he wants, whenever he wants, which is Swift’s point: She wanted to make a statement about gender, sexism, and the double standard women face in society — or, more specifically, the double standard Swift believes she has faced in the music industry.
Swift’s broader point is fair. You don’t have to call yourself a feminist, don a pink hat, and march in a rally to understand that women who “play the field,” as Swift says, are generally looked at differently than men who also sleep around. Just consider our urban dictionary: There’s an entire list of derogatory words used to describe sexual women, but about men, the only word that comes to mind is “player.”
It is also fair to say that Swift has been the target of undue criticism throughout her career. Her romantic relationships have been overtly scrutinized, and she almost lost the rights to her original albums to producer Scooter Braun — an incident that is slyly referenced throughout Swift’s music video.
It seems wrong, however, to lay the blame solely at sexism’s feet. Yes, Swift’s relationships have received an over-the-top amount of attention. But perhaps that has more to do with the hit songs Swift pens about her exes than with her gender. Swift’s real complaint seems to be with the curse of fame rather than a lack of equality.
In her song, Swift claims that if she were a man, society would finally see her as the “boss,” the “fearless leader,” and the “alpha type” she is. This seems silly. Swift is already an incredibly successful millionaire whose celebrity status surpasses most of Hollywood, and she accomplished much of that on her own. Her success has required a unique talent, and having a female voice surely didn’t hurt her.
Swift makes some good points, but at times it’s difficult to take her seriously. If anything, Swift is proof that the system works, despite its many flaws. A teenage girl with a passion for country music became a musical sensation, affecting millions of lives and changing the industry forever. And she did it all as a woman.
