By In recent years, when social justice movements have taken off due to their immense coverage on mainstream social media platforms, the world has taken notice of who decides to take action and participate, and those who stay silent amidst atrocity. Due to this, users of social media have begun to call out influential people such as celebrities, brands, and organizations for their lack of support amidst a human rights crisis. When it comes to Gaza, it has been a prevalent practice, and supporters of a free Palestine are calling out one of the biggest artists in the world: Taylor Swift.
Why should Taylor Swift speak on Palestine and Israel?
Since October 7, individuals on various social media platforms have showcased their support for Palestine by creating content to call for action, sharing information and resources, as well as amplifying Palestinian voices and narratives. We have seen many celebrities and influencers showcase solidarity for Palestine and speak out against the genocide taking place in Gaza. Swift is not one of them.
Swift has a massive influence on the media, and with that comes the power of the masses. If there’s anyone that can influence millions of Americans, it’s Taylor Swift.
Many fans of Swift, better known as “Swifties”, have shared their disappointment and rage over her silence regarding Palestine on various social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok as well as starting petitions to get Swift to show her unequivocal support for Palestine. Why does it matter if she does? It’s simple really, Swift has a massive influence on the media, and with that comes the power of the masses. If there’s anyone that can influence millions of Americans, it’s Taylor Swift.
She’s a major reason why the U.S. economy didn’t enter a devastating recession as planned because her “Eras Tour” in the spring and summer was highly successful and made a billion-dollar revenue! Political speech regarding Palestine coming from someone with the influence as Swift has the potential to do two things: significantly sway individuals to join the movement in showcasing solidarity for Palestinian liberation by supporting a permanent ceasefire and put pressure on American government officials to push for a ceasefire once seeing the overwhelming amount of support for it.
But Taylor Swift IS pro-Palestine, right?
As the atrocities committed against Palestinians continue relentlessly in Gaza, Swift remains silent. That is, until she is spotted attending a charity event for Palestine in New York City.
In early December, Swift, along with other celebrities who have remained silent when being called out on social media for not showcasing support for Palestine, is seen attending a comedy show hosted by Ramy Youssef, an Egyptian-American comedian, raising funds for Gaza. This news broke out on social media platforms with fans and casual users now calling out Swift and her friends for doing this as a “PR move” and being perpetrators of performative activism. 1
She explicitly states that she “needs to be on the right side of history” and argues for the protection of basic human rights.
While some might see this action as an action showcasing Swift’s stance on Palestine and Israel, it’s still not a form of unequivocal support for Palestine. I mean, can you really be pro-Palestine if you don’t actually vocalize it? In fact, this is contradictory to Swift’s own words. In her 2020 documentary, Swift touches on her decision to be open to the public about her political views amidst the Trump administration era. She explicitly states that she “needs to be on the right side of history” and argues for the protection of basic human rights. Yet we’re supposed to let her slide on not speaking up about the current genocide taking place in Palestine, which the United States is backing?
Since her documentary, Swift has shown more political engagement, one of the biggest being in regard to voting. In September 2023, Swift posted on Instagram encouraging her fans to vote in upcoming elections, and stats from vote.org show that there was a surge in new voter registration soon after. Given that 2023 has been her biggest year to date in terms of visibility, fame, and success, many news outlets predict that Swift has the potential to impact and even swing the 2024 presidential election due to her influence.
As we ring in the new year, the injustice in Gaza heartbreakingly continues. Taylor Swift, we’re calling you out. It’s not too late to still show that you’re on the right side of history.
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- A PR move is typically known as a narrative that is created to alter the perception of the general public in regard to a public figure or event. ↩︎