I discovered Taylor Swift’s music when her Red album came out.
It was a particularly difficult time for me, and one of the songs in the record (I almost do) was really appropriate, and helpful.
Before that I was thinking she was too young for me, I mean, she’s too young to be able to describe feelings and life in a way a 28 years old can relate to.
But then I listened to the whole record, and I thought that the simplicity of the lyrics compared to the complicated metaphores I was used to look for in a song lyric was surprisingly effective.
I discovered that the singles out of the record weren’t, in my opinion, the best songs, that it had really beautiful songs hidden in it.
I began to read things and listen to her talking about her songs.
I also began to learn about all the critics, let’s even say hate, that she gets, daily.
And about the way she reacts to it.
And I also began to think that this girl is not just a very talented song writer, but also a very smart woman, aware of being a role model to younger girls, and willing to live up to it.
So what’s all the hate about? My answer is simple: post-feminism.
TS is the perfect example of a very powerful and successful woman breaking all of the fake-stupid rules this post-feminists would want women to follow. She’s kind, she’s naif (which is a beautiful thing), she’s all smiling and hugging people, not showing her body like every other Miley, not wasting herself, really emotional, falling in love every other minute (thank God, she’s 24) and not being ashamed of it. She dares to proudly sing about it.
Of course they hate her.
She shows girls that they don’t need to be cynical to achieve something in life.
I can’t stand modern feminism. I said it.
I think it’s just a bunch of judgemental frustrated women with penis envy who wants to tell girls how to think and live their lifes.
And nothing has changed, it’s like we’re still in 50s.
A woman now can have a social life outside her husband’s house, but she’s still not free to decide which life, ‘cause they know what’s best for all of us.
Basically it’s like: ok, we saw men getting power, let’s do the same, let’s fight for equality.
We’d like to be more in power so all we have to do is copy men, they’ve been so good at it.
You’re a woman, and you want to be successful at work?
Give up on family, it’s lame, it won’t give you space for ambition.
Be cold, a man woundn’t mind to be cruel to get what he wants.
Be cynical.
Grow balls, long story short.
You dare to be romantic? You stupid fool, it’s all a lie, it’s all Disney’s fault we believe in prince charming, that’s how they screw us!
Those post-feminist are really confused though.
You dress to much? C'mon, you’re a woman entitled to show her body without feeling guilty about it.
You show too much? Whore.
You value kindness? Naif, they will eat you alive in this cruel man-controlled world.
Are you looking for prince charming? Stupid girl, live your life instead of dreaming the impossible!
You date a lot? Again, yes, whore.
That’s the world we live in, and it’s pretty much the same everywhere, with small differences due to the specifics of each country history and culture.
Feminism in 2014 still needs to exists.
Women still have to fight prejudice, misconceptions, violence.
But do we need this kind of feminism? No.
We need to eradicate all prejudice, first of all the ones that women have about women.
We have to think about our own individual freedom of being whatever we want to be, and not build new stereotypes to fit in.