There’s something about a group of grown men booing at the sheer thought of Taylor Swift that is just deeply cringe.
Whatever you think of her music, she’s been a staple of the charts for 20 years. Yet unlike with any of her peers, there seems to be a certain group of people who think it’s cool or original to desperately make their hatred known.
Swift appeared in a pre-recorded message at Alan Jackson’s show at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville over the weekend to pay tribute to the country icon.
She was one of many stars, including Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs, and Miranda Lambert, who shared how Jackson had influenced their careers.
Yet when Swift appeared on the screen, the crowd broke out into a mixed bag of cheers and boos. The initial jeers were so loud that it was hard to hear what she was saying about Jackson until the end.
Metro understands the viral video was filmed from an area of the stadium with a large group of MAGA and Trump supporters nearby, with cheers clearly heard later in the clip from further away.
As someone who has endorsed a number of Democrat candidates for high office, it’s not surprising Trump supporters took issue, but this isn’t the first time Swift has faced a negative vocal response like this.
During some early NFL games, men in the stadium began to boo when she was shown to be there supporting fiancé – soon to be husband – Travis Kelce.
She didn’t sing. She didn’t even say anything. She was simply on the screen. And it was enough to upset a sensitive portion of the crowd.
After 20 years, it just feels so exhaustingly performative – people (often men) trying to define themselves by their hatred of a female singer.
There are a few artists who elicit such a polarising response as Swift.
Perhaps the pop pivot that made Swift’s career might mean it’s a little harder to get a good reception at a country event, as fans have on occasion accused her of betraying her Nashville roots. However, the hate isn’t limited to that genre.
Because seemingly, Swift’s greatest offence remains being a female singer who built her audience largely without pandering to the male gaze, and is now an undeniable industry heavyweight.
She’s climbed to the top of a notoriously difficult industry, got her masters back in the process, and is breaking records held by legacy artists.
Her popularity was evident in the success of the Eras Tour, a unique tour experience thanks to the overwhelming feeling of connection and sisterhood I and many others felt in the stadiums.
According to Infegy, the gender split was over 70% female-identifying gig-goers, with 25 to 34-year-olds posting the majority of social content about the shows.
But whether fans or detractors, it seems everyone has an opinion on Swift.
With the singer reaching a dizzying height of fame, the hatred for her has moved beyond whether or not you like the music; she’s become Marmite and we all must pick a side in the great war.
There seems to be no middle ground – you are either a ride-or-die Swiftie or a hater who instinctively boos her.
That’s not to say Taylor Swift is a flawless role model.
Being a billionaire is inherently questionable, she’s had a few feuds we’ll never really know the truth of, and her use of private jets has raised eyebrows even from fans.
Similarly, she’s not been vocal on certain political issues, such as Gaza or the Trump administration using her music, but she has shown a long history of liberal views, including positioning herself against the President publicly on multiple occasions.
She’s not alone in her silence, though, and while I wish more influential artists would speak out, there’s a fervour and a desperation to point out her flaws and tear her down on a scale few celebrities artists can fathom.
Friends of all genders have rushed to tell me they hate Swift, as if she’s personally wronged them, only to later confess they like a few songs, gradually softening as their hatred fails to get a rise out of me.
Having been a fan since Fearless, I’ve learned not to take the bait.
I think for a lot of people, that knee-jerk reaction they have to hate Swift as a person or symbol is probably rooted in misogyny, internalised or otherwise.
That’s what motivates someone to boo at the mere sight of her on screen.
Yes, it might be annoying if she pops up on occasion at your Alan Jackson concert, but go grab a drink and come back when she’s done with her less-than-two-minute tribute.
Hating on her – or any celebrity – only gives more attention; if all the men who booed her had simply been quiet, she probably wouldn’t have been on their newsfeeds as much the next day.
The ingrained hatred for Swift is such loser behaviour in a world where you can just walk away. Even if you don’t like her music, you don’t have to engage.
Maybe the next time you rush to tell someone you hate her, ask yourself that uncomfortable question: why?
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing Ross.Mccafferty@metro.co.uk.
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