While lazily scrolling through social media today, I saw a certain image multiple times on various platforms that brought me out of my I'm-too-tired-for-this haze. This was it:
And it rubbed me the wrong way, for a couple of reasons. Here me out on this one.
First and foremost, Taylor Swift has gotten a lot of insults thrown her way throughout her career. She has been mocked for dating, dancing, being happy, you name it. She has been involved in a lot of drama. And sometimes, it seems like no matter what she chooses to do, she can never do anything right; she either says too much or too little. She has a lot of haters, and it's become somewhat of a game throughout the years to make fun of Taylor Swift. And she's aware of this (if you're unsure, watch the "Look What You Made Me Do" music video).
However.
Kesha was trapped in a contract with her abuser and rapist. He "sexually, physically, verbally, and emotionally abused [Kesha] to the point where [she] nearly lost her life." She was accused of lying. She was offered deals to say that she was lying. She was a victim being victimized over and over.
These "traumas" do not compare. They are not equal. Taylor Swift has been insulted; Kesha has had her bodily autonomy taken away from her. This picture implies that what has been done to these women are equally bad, and it is unfair and inconsiderate to Kesha to imply that they are. That is my first problem with this picture.
My next problem lies in the fact that the message portrayed in this picture is clear: Taylor Swift should get over her hurt feelings and move on, because Kesha is handling her feelings much better. But in my opinion, both of these women are handling things (assuming that this picture accurately describes how they are handling things) in an admirable way.
Kesha is strong and resilient, and I have the utmost respect for the message she conveys in her song "Praying." I want to be like her, living through forgiveness. If I'm ever hurt, I want to have the strength to let things go and regain my freedom in the process. I want to exhibit her strength and determination. And I'm sure that's not easy.
But just because Taylor Swift expresses her anger and hurt in songs such as "Look What You Made Me Do," it doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with her methods. In fact, I think there's something to be learned from Taylor Swift's emotional, even angry, songs.
Because I also want to stand up for myself when I feel that I've been wrongly put down, like Taylor Swift does. I want to be the kind of woman who doesn't allow people to talk down to her, no matter how justified the person thinks they are or how harmless of a joke they think that it is. I want to always have a creative emotional outlet that I love and never quit, like she has in songwriting. I want to work at my career for years, focusing on improvement and success. I want to have enough confidence in my abilities that I no longer see the need to seek anyone's approval, because I know that I am talented.
As a writer and a woman myself, I aspire to be like Taylor Swift. She is a talented songwriter, she has never given up on love, and she stands up for herself, whether it be in her song lyrics or while testifying in court.
And I also aspire to be like Kesha. She has worked through the unfair circumstances in her life, and she has remained dedicated to her career and her art. She is able to put her pain aside and choose a life of peace, both for herself and for those that have hurt her.
There's no point in putting strong, successful women against each other when they both exhibit such admirable characteristics that we can learn from.
