The Man

In October of 2018, Taylor Swift made a move on Instagram that most celebrities would advise against. She broke her silence on politics, endorsing two local Democratic candidates in the upcoming midterm elections. She encouraged young people to register to vote, as well as actively consider what they want from their elected officials. Celebrities taking political stances are generally frowned upon, as it appears divisive and can alienate a large portion of their fans. Since 2018, Taylor has continued to speak out for women’s and LGBTQ rights, as well as be very open about events in her personal life that have led her to feel strongly on these issues.

Politics

No one knows rejection from the country music scene due to politics better than the Dixie Chicks (now known as simply “The Chicks”), who received backlash after making a comment disapproving of President Bush in 2003. Swift has expressed herself as a longtime fan of their band, learning to play guitar with their music. In her 2019 album Lover, they worked together on an emotional track, “Soon You’ll Get Better”. By following in their lead, Taylor Swift is telling her fans that she knows what could happen. She feels that the subject of politics and the issues are important enough for her to use her platform and expose herself to criticism.

Women

It is impossible to talk about Taylor Swift’s political involvement without mentioning her involvement in women’s and LGBTQ rights. There is at least one girl power song on nearly all of her albums, notably "The Man", which analyzes what life could be like if she was a man instead of a woman.

One of her biggest reasons for condemning Tennessee Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn was her vote against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. Her infamous court case in which she accused radio personality David Mueller of sexual assault resulted in her being awarded $1, a symbolic win to raise awareness for all women who can’t fight or win their own cases.

LGBTQ

Taylor Swift is well known for being an LGBTQ ally, and her most significant achievement in this area is her song, “You Need to Calm Down”. The music video for this song featured other celebrities that are well-known for being part of the LGBTQ community. It is also full of "Lover" Easter eggs, a classic Swift move in her singles that get released before her albums. She regularly expresses that “Love is love” and fights for safety and marriage equality for all.