My kids and I just watched a very cool 30 minute Scholastic video where Taylor Swift talks with students about reading, writing, and feminism. We found the video because my 11 year old entered an essay contest where she wrote one page about the meaning of Swift’s “Shake it Off” which to her (and probably most people) is a song about how to overcome bullying.
A die hard Swift fan, here’s my daughter holding her finally finished (almost finished?) essay and her beloved guitar. I am very psyched Taylor inspired her to think about her experiences with bullying and to write about her feelings.
Obsessed with Taylor since 2012 (and always told she looks like her) here she is dressed as her idol on Halloween that year.
I was so happy she picked Taylor instead of a sparkly poofy princess, or witch or vampire with a costume that looks just like a princess. (Her younger sister in the background is Batgirl. Unfortunately, she has since realized Batgirl hardly exists in the world and has now lost interest in that character. Sad!)
I can’t believe we hadn’t seen this Scholastic/ Swift video! It’s so good. You must watch it with your kids. Swift is sitting around with a bunch of students and more students are Skyped in. What I loved is that first and foremost, Swift defines herself as a writer. I really appreciated my kids hearing Taylor say this because they think of her as a pop star. Taylor says that she would never want to get on stage and just sing someone else’s songs. She recommends journaling. After introducing the kids, Taylor opens the video with this statement:
I’m really excited to talk to you about reading and writing because I wouldn’t be a songwriter if it wasn’t for books that I loved as a kid and I think that when you can escape into a book it trains your imagination to think big and to think that more can exist than what you see. I think that’s been the basis of why I wanted to write songs and why writing became my career.
What’s the first question, from a 11 year old boy?
I saw that you liked the Emma Watson video about feminism, and I wanted to know what female characters influenced you in literature?
Can you see why love this video? Watch it now with you kids and find out what Taylor says! Here’s the link.
Previous Reel Girl blogs on Taylor Swift:
Taylor Swift spoofs psycho ex-girlfriend trope in ‘Blank Space’ video
Mini Taylor Swift gets her hands on ‘1989’ as it hits stores
If Taylor Swift is boy-crazy, is Dylan’s ‘Idiot Wind’ confessional?
I admit it, I loveTaylor Swift’s ‘Red’
Taylor Swift sings her way from victim to hero, triumphs at Grammys
I’m sorry for not being clear Margot. Perhaps you didn’t see in the news that Taylor Swift was filmed possibly kissing her friend Karlie Kloss at a concert. She reacted in a homophobic manner to these rumors, by ‘liking’ tumblr posts calling people who were happy to imagine she might be in a relationship with a woman ‘freaks’.
Most the people who were happy about the possibility of Taylor having a girlfriend are young lesbians or bisexual woman and girls, and in my opinion Taylor spit on these fans by using a word commonly used to degrade gay people. There is very little nuance to the word “freaks” in that context. You can look up the situation yourself Margot if you wish to.
I want to also be clear that I respect Taylor Swift for her talent and for inspiring girls like your daughter. I think it’s important that feminists not get too hung up on needing women to be perfect . Hell, I stand up for Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann when others try to drag them down for being female politicians and THEY openly campaigned against equal rights for gay people. But I do think it’s worth mentioning that this is a situation Taylor could have handled MUCH better.
I don’t know if this link will go through, but this is a post she went out of her way to endorse:
http://kaylor-love.tumblr.com/post/104685824417/for-those-asking-she-liked-this-post-as-well-as
Taylor Swift has been a homophobic jerk lately. She referred to people who thought she might be dating Karlie Kloss as ‘freaks’. She has never said similar things or gotten so upset when people speculate about males she might be dating.
Hi Anna,
Your comment makes no sense to me.
Margot