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An American conservative man endured Swifties’ wrath after writing an opposite the editorial page (op-ed) slamming Taylor Swift. After arguing that the pop star wasn’t a good role model as a result of publicly dating different men, the writer sparked accusations of misogyny.
In an op-ed entitled Taylor Swift Is Not a Good Role Model, published in Newsweek on Thursday (June 27), essayist John Mac Ghlionn highlighted the 34-year-old singer’s age, in addition to her being “unmarried” and “childless.”
John pushed back against claims Taylor was a role model, insinuating that the songstress wasn’t, as his definition of a role model would suggest “someone worthy of imitation.”
“While Swift’s musical talent and business acumen are certainly admirable, even laudable, we must ask if her personal life choices are ones we want our sisters and daughters to emulate,” the researcher wrote.
Image credits: Newsweek
The man with a doctorate in Psychosocial Studies pointed to Taylor’s “highly publicized romantic life” and her dating “numerous high-profile men—at least a dozen—including singers Harry Styles and Joe Jonas, the actor Jake Gyllenhaal, and, more recently, the American football player Travis Kelce.”
“This revolving door of relationships may reflect the normal dating experiences of many young women in today’s world, but it also raises questions about stability, commitment, and even love itself,” John wrote.
He questioned: “Should we encourage young girls to see the ‘Swift standard’ as the norm, something to aspire to?
“Or should we be promoting something a little more, shall we say, wholesome?
“Would any loving parent reading this want their daughter to date 12 different men in the span of just a few years?
“This is not an attack on Swift; it’s a valid question that is worth asking.”
Image credits: Jamesgmartin
John went on to criticize the musician’s advocacy against a patriarchal society, contrasting her beliefs with “her personal dating choices.”
Taylor has become a notable speaker promoting her feminist values. Back in 2015, she told Maxim: “Misogyny is ingrained in people from the time they are born.
“So, to me, feminism is probably the most important movement that you could embrace, because it’s just basically another word for equality.
“A man writing about his feelings from a vulnerable place is brave; a woman writing about her feelings from a vulnerable place is oversharing or whining.”
Image credits: MUSIC RAMDOM
She also told Vogue in 2019: “People would act like it [songwriting] was a weapon I was using.
“Like a cheap dirty trick.
“Be careful, bro, she’ll write a song about you.
“Don’t stand near her.
“First of all, that’s not how it works.
“Second of all, find me a time when they say that about a male artist: Be careful, girl, he’ll use his experience with you to get — God forbid — inspiration to make art.”
Image credits: MUSIC RAMDOM
The op-ed writer further cited Taylor’s tendencies to date “strong, influential men—celebrities who embody significant social and economic power,” calling the practice hypocritical.
“Swift either doesn’t realize this or doesn’t care,” he wrote. “Neither of the two is a good look.”
John also denounced the Grammy Award winner’s song lyrics, which often “depict her as the victim” despite her being “the most popular musician of all time.”
“This isn’t about moralizing, but about discussing the values we wish to instill in impressionable individuals,” the writer argued.
Can we talk about how diverse Taylor Swift’s dating history is? pic.twitter.com/u51injxz2S
— poppy 🇺🇸 (@imnotpopbase) July 26, 2023
He concluded: “What young girls truly need, perhaps without fully recognizing it, are role models who provide both authenticity and actual depth, rather than artificial narratives and superficial glamor.”
John’s op-ed has been circulating on social media for the past week, igniting significant backlash — it is worth pointing out that the essayist’s X profile (formerly known as Twitter) has been deactivated.
“Shame on @Newsweek & writer John Mac Ghlionn,” Ireland’s Special Rapporteur on Child Protection Caoilfhionn Gallagher wrote on X. “Their ‘hot take’ on why #TaylorSwift is not a role model is misogynistic, sexist & frankly idiotic.”
She added: “Number of times they have written about 34-year-old unmarried & ‘childless’ male celebrities? Zero.”
Image credits: Taylor Swift
An X user noted: “John Mac Ghlionn should know that whenever he unlocks his tweets it’s gonna be a f*****g problem.
“His @Newsweek article about Taylor Swift is some of the most sexist garbage I have ever seen.
“Whenever you come back John, we’re gonna chat about this.”
A person shared a post published last year by John that read: “Feminism exists because not all women can be sexually attractive.”
Taylor swift with children >>> pic.twitter.com/bXN7QxQrlC
— willnights 🤍🍉 (@willnights1) July 23, 2023
The same person captioned: “Note to @Newsweek: You might want to apologize to Taylor Swift &, more importantly, to every woman, for publishing the opinions of John Mac Ghlionn about anything related to women. Period.”
Gender equity Researcher Amy Diehl observed: “This was written by a man who believes women’s highest calling is marriage and children.”
“John Mac Ghlionn, who based on the name isn’t a woman, is telling Taylor Swift, who’s a highly successful woman, to become a human incubator so she can be a good role model to little girls… so they can aspire to become incubators too!” a separate individual chimed in on X.
The Shake It Off hitmaker has a long history of experiencing sexist attacks. For instance, back in January, Taylor was sexualized against her wishes as a result of explicit AI-generated images.
Image credits: Taylor Swift
Sandra Wachter, a professor of Technology and Regulation at the University of Oxford, told Bored Panda at the time: “I think it will be extremely important that we as a society recognize these acts of sexual violence as serious offenses and treat them as such.
“It is not ‘fun’ or a ‘joke,’ someone’s dignity, physical and psychological integrity are violated.”
Nevertheless, Taylor’s advocacy against sexism has also been scrutinized, often labeled as “white feminism.”
As University of Pennsylvania student Mariana Martinez explained in The Daily Pennsylvanian: “White feminism focuses on the idea that empowerment is achieved through capitalist means.”
Taylor Swift only knows white feminism. Her whole branding screams of it. She’ll never care for WOC. She’ll never speak for women in Palestine, Sudan and the Congo. Let’s be real here. If these comments weren’t directed at her. She wouldn’t say anything. https://t.co/tnbeBgMJdL
— rhae🍒 (@idespisecho) June 6, 2024
“The problem is that it leaves many other identities behind and ignores the fact that different women all over the world experience misogyny in different ways.
“However, the white feminist narrative insists that she is battling misogyny by going on the first-ever billion-dollar tour, making history.
“While yes, it is nice to see a woman succeeding in a sexist industry, it is also crucial to acknowledge the other fights women are leading: women affected by conflict and wars, women unable to go to school, women without reproductive rights — Swift’s massive tour and ‘aesthetic feminism’ is not going to fix that.”
Moreover, British Egyptian writer Yousra Samir Imran wrote in The New Arab: “While [Palestinian women being killed in Gaza] should have been a cause for uproar by feminists worldwide, the only thing white mainstream feminists can seem to muster energy for is the misogynistic hate against Taylor Swift and women’s football.”
Consequently, many Swifties have urged their favorite singer to embrace a more intersectional approach to feminism, one that recognizes and addresses the unique forms of oppression faced by women of color, LGBTQ+ women, and other marginalized groups.
Bored Panda has contacted John Mac Ghlionn and Newsweek for comment.
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Writer, BoredPanda staff
I’m a journalist who works for Bored Panda’s News Team. The team, which has been launched on the website fairly recently, produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”.
Writer, BoredPanda staff
I’m a journalist who works for Bored Panda’s News Team. The team, which has been launched on the website fairly recently, produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”.
Author, BoredPanda staff
I am employed as a Visual Editor in the news team. I make sure you have the best pictures near the most interesting text. In general all day I am looking at all you favourite celebrities facies and I am geting payed for it!
Author, BoredPanda staff
I am employed as a Visual Editor in the news team. I make sure you have the best pictures near the most interesting text. In general all day I am looking at all you favourite celebrities facies and I am geting payed for it!
This guy sounds like a total wank stain.
I have added “wank stain” to my vocabulary. Thanks 😁
So it’s 2024 and successful women still get slammed with “but why aren’t you married and have kids”. Not cool.
Totally doesn’t sound like he’s insanely jealous of her lifestyle, nope, not at all. What a tool!
This guy sounds like a total wank stain.
I have added “wank stain” to my vocabulary. Thanks 😁
So it’s 2024 and successful women still get slammed with “but why aren’t you married and have kids”. Not cool.
Totally doesn’t sound like he’s insanely jealous of her lifestyle, nope, not at all. What a tool!
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