Kanye West recently released a new album, "Life of Pablo," which includes a song called "Famous" about Taylor Swift.
“I feel like me and Taylor still might have sex/ Why? I made that bitch famous.” A line from the new song.
This is, of course, referring to the 2009 MTV Music Video awards when Kanye West infamously jumped on stage and interrupted Swift’s acceptance speech. Although Kanye apologized, and I am a big fan of his music and time has passed between the incident and now, I cannot help but feel a deep hatred for Kanye yet again.
I hate to be that girl who defends Taylor Swift almost religiously, but it is not really fair that Taylor Swift faces all of the criticism that she does. When we think of Taylor Swift, we might think about the night that Kanye interrupted her acceptance speech. We might think about all of the famous ephemeral relationships that she has been in. We might think about her “whiny” love songs.
Taylor Swift is one of the most successful artists of all time. She has won countless awards. She writes all of her own music and she is a brilliant performer. Yet all we think of her is her role as a whiny, lovesick girl.
I honestly believe that if Taylor Swift were a man, then she would not receive all of the negative feedback that she does. The media wants to portray her in this role of being a heartbroken singer who dates serially. She was criticized for being obedient to her country genre. She changed her genre to pop, and the negativity continued. Society only depicts her life revolved around romantic relationships … and this is only because she is a woman.
Ed Sheeran, Swift's male counterpart, has been in almost the same number of relationships in the past three years as Swift has. He writes just as many love songs as Swift does. He also writes his own music. Yet, the only criticism we have heard over the past two years is for an ugly chest tattoo.
It is quite disgusting that in Hollywood women are criticized so heavily just for being women. Take Madonna for example, she is still touring and coming out with new music. She is criticized for being “too old” to continue her career. Yet there is nothing about Mick Jagger who still tours with The Rolling Stones.
Women and men are doing the same things in Hollywood, but the media is especially critical of female stars. Yes, Kanye West has the right to pursue free speech. However, he does not have the right to lay claim to one of the most successful careers in Hollywood for a rude and disrespectful move nearly 7 years ago. In Hollywood, as in life, behind every great woman there does not have to be a "great" man.
