Taylor Swift, who was named Time magazine’s Person of the Year, has made it quite evident that she is indifferent to the situation in Palestine. Not enough to like a post, discuss it, or even donate. We find it incomprehensible that Time selected Swift as their Person of the Year for this year. Is there not something else going on here, something really serious? Maybe the destruction of Gaza’s population?
See, we adore Taylor Swift’s discography. Although we’re “Cruel Summer” fans and we don’t mind admitting it, it’s just plain crazy to pick this year to honor music and celebrities above the fortitude and resiliency of people.
Particularly considering that Swift has remained silent during all of the pain and violence. In contrast to numerous other artists and celebrities, she has remained completely mute. The majority of her pals have expressed their opinions in one way or another. Selena Gomez came under fire for her remarks that centered the argument on her after she had first remained silent. Naturally, Gigi Hadid has been vocal, but that was to be expected—after all, she is a Palestinian. Swifts’ other pals have also expressed their support: model Karlie Kloss has stated that she supports Israel, and Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have given a $1 million donation to youngsters in Israel and Palestine. Remarkably, Joe Alwyn, her ex-boyfriend, has also demanded a cease-fire.
With the exception of Taylor Swift, everyone is acting or speaking.
Swift has always had a huge fan base, but it grew exponentially this year as a result of her successful Eras tour and movie, which brought in millions of cash and admirers. We can see why she was named Person of the Year, regardless of what other people may think. Or, if this enormous conflict wasn’t directly in front of us, we could understand. We may argue that Taylor Swift deserves to be named Person of the Year in a world without this problem. However, given the impending danger facing this world, we find it incomprehensible that Time would choose to make such a tone deaf decision while disregarding what is happening right in front of it.
Indeed, Taylor Swift has been the talk of the town this year—from her Eras tour and split from Joe Alwyn to her happily brief relationship with Matty Healy to her current affair with football player Travis Kelce. We comprehend. However, in addition to the endless photos of red-lipped Swift supporting her boyfriend at a football game that E News and similar outlets have been posting to Instagram, we have also been deluged with images of children in Gaza who are dying. The two are placed in such an almost nightmarish juxtaposition.
Not that Time isn’t a political publication, after all. Time named President Volodymyr Zelensky and “the spirit of Ukraine” their Person of the Year when the conflict in Ukraine first erupted. Over the years, it has named countless politicians or activists its Person of the Year. So why then did it choose Taylor Swift to represent 2023?
Why can’t a political publication like Time Magazine discuss Palestine on its platform, when Vogue Arabia and GQ Middle East may do so on their typically non-political ones?
Swift is the “main character of the world,” as the magazine stated in its cover story, and we agree—she is the protagonist of a civilization that is indifferent to human pain.
Swift has followers in practically every demographic on a worldwide scale. The magazine presented an attractive picture of her accomplishments this year: a tour that is expected to break all previous records and bring in over $1 billion; the Taylor effect, which saw politicians all over the world pleading with her to perform in their nations; cities, stadiums, and streets being renamed in her honor; an economic boom when she ventured to new locations; a movie deal that gave the American theater chain AMC its highest-ever single-day ticket sales in history; ten college classes devoted to her; and a significant boost in attendance for her boyfriend’s football games once she began attending. All of that is extremely astounding and suggests a person with a cult-like following.
Her supporters of her and her accomplishments are legendary. So much so that someone on X (formerly Twitter) allegedly doxxed a young lady and her family for asking why Time had selected her Person of the Year.
times person of the year when russia invaded ukraine vs when israel is committing literal genocide against palestinians pic.twitter.com/rvhzkUUXxu
— sippin on that 🇵🇸 (@vivafalastin) December 6, 2023
times person of the year when russia invaded ukraine vs when israel is committing literal genocide against palestinians pic.twitter.com/rvhzkUUXxu
— sippin on that 🇵🇸 (@vivafalastin) December 6, 2023
If Swift spoke out about Palestine with her amazing influence, all of it could end. While we do not claim that Taylor Swift’s support could end all wars and bring about world peace with a single tweet, we do believe that her voice could encourage people to reconsider their beliefs and exert political pressure on nations that actively support Israel’s war crimes.
All of the justifications that people—including ourselves—made for well-known celebrities like Swift remaining silent are now moot. When nearly 20,000 people have lost their lives and thousands more have been injured, remaining impartial is no longer an option.
Not only in white American suburbs, Taylor Swift has admirers all around the world, and many of them want her to take the next step and become the role model they look up to. Someone who, in the face of injustice, speaks up and stands up for what’s right, no matter the cost. Unless, naturally, she’s too afraid to give a damn
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.