Ahead of Taylor Swift’s upcoming Nashville concerts, the singer-songwriter’s past comments about political involvement and Christian faith are going viral. The pop star, a registered voter in Tennessee, is playing three “Eras Tour” concerts at Nissan Stadium May 5 to 7.
Swift hadn’t spoken publicly about politics or religion until 2018, when she endorsed two Democratic congressional nominees in Tennessee. The musician took a particularly strong stance against U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, whom Swift accused of opposing equal rights for women and gay people. “These are not MY Tennessee values,” Swift posted online.
In June 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Swift tweeted, “I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are – that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that.”
Taylor Swift: Christians Don’t Stand for Inequality
The 2020 documentary “Miss Americana” featured a candid peek at Swift’s decision to use her platform for social advocacy. In a two-minute clip from 2018 that’s now recirculating, the singer had a heated discussion with her parents and team. Although Swift’s father and another man expressed concerns about the singer’s safety and fan base, Swift was adamant about needing to go public and be “on the right side of history.”
@swifts.clips Replying to @formicality FULL SCENE of her talking about her politics! #swifttok #swifties #taylorswift #swiftie #marshablackburn #tennessee #democrat #feminism #lgbt #missamericana ♬ original sound – swift clips
Swift said she regretted not speaking out during the 2016 presidential election, because “really basic human rights” are at stake. Politicians disguise their stance “behind Tennessee Christian values,” she said, adding, “I live in Tennessee. I am Christian. That’s not what we stand for.”
On May 1, Lance Cotten shared that clip on Twitter, garnering thousands of likes. “That moment Taylor Swift tells her dad she’s not staying quiet anymore!” he writes. “She is finally going to ignite her base! Listen till the end #taylorswift well done!”
Someone who retweeted the clip wrote, “I realize it’s from a few years ago, but I needed the reminder tonight.” Another person commented, “I am surprised [Swift] hasn’t been more vocal lately,” to which someone else responded, “Here’s hoping for a word from her this weekend in Nashville!”
Taylor Swift as LGBTQ Ally
In the September 2019 issue of Vogue magazine, Swift addressed her shift to advocacy. The turning point, she said, was seeing rights being “stripped from basically everyone who isn’t a straight white cisgender male.”
Prominent gay celebrities appeared in the singer’s music video for her 2019 hit “You Need to Calm Down.” Some critics accused her of “using gay rights as a fashion statement,” while others took issue with the negative portrayal of anti-gay protesters.
