The Drama Over a Hot Take
The New York Times has kicked up a fuss by dropping a mammoth essay speculating about Taylor Swift’s sexuality. This monster of a piece, called “Look What We Made Taylor Swift Do,” had editor Anna Marks digging into Swift’s songs, claiming she might be secretly signaling that she’s part of the LGBTQ+ squad.
The Haters Pounce
But hold up—this thing got slammed big time. Readers of the Times and some folks close to Swift are all up in arms about it. They reports that Swift’s crew is calling out sexism and shady ethics in the article. They’re saying if this were about a dude like Shawn Mendes, who’s also had fans questioning his preferences, it wouldn’t have seen the light of day.
Backlash and Ethical Wrangles
Someone from Swift’s team, keeping it on the down-low, called foul play. They’re saying this article is out of line, full of lies, and just plain wrong. They’re extra ticked that it’s labeled as an ‘opinion piece,’ giving it a free pass for stirring the pot.
Variety’s bigwig music critic, Chris Willman, took a shot at it on Twitter, calling the article indefensible. He also pointed out that Marks had a history of this kind of guesswork, like an earlier piece about Harry Styles.
Strong Words from Those Affected
Chely Wright, a country singer mentioned in the article because of her own journey coming out, wasn’t having it. She said it was a terrible read, not because of her own story in there, but because she’s not cool with publicly dissecting someone’s sexual orientation.
What the Article Says
Marks defended herself by saying Swift has been dropping hints about being queer in her work for ages. She argues that Swift’s been low-key signaling to the LGBTQ+ crowd, even before it was cool in mainstream America.
Swift’s Stand and Actions
Sure, Swift’s been a big supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and made her gigs safe spaces for everyone. But she’s never said she’s part of the LGBTQ+ community. In fact, in her 1989 album re-release prologue, she spills that she hung out with female friends on purpose to shut down all the gossip about her love life.
Marks’s Explanation and NYT’s Silence
Marks knew she’d stir stuff up. She tried to cover herself by saying she gets why people might think it’s gossipy, but she thinks these conversations keep important discussions alive.
The New York Times chose to stay silent and pointed to Marks’s own words about handling criticism.
Wrap-Up
This whole thing with the Times dropping this ‘maybe Swift is gay’ piece has sparked a huge debate. It’s got everyone talking about privacy, ethics, and how much journalists should be poking around in celebs’ personal lives. It’s a messy reminder of how tricky it can be when media starts guessing about who someone really is. – coin303