An opinion piece published by the New York Times speculating about Taylor Swift’s sexuality and public identity as an LGBTQ ally has drawn intense criticism from the pop star’s associates. Calling the article “invasive, untrue and inappropriate,” sources close to Swift condemned the Times for overstepping boundaries.
Published on January 5th, the op-ed titled “I Have Questions About Taylor Swift’s Sexuality” raised eyebrows by openly questioning whether Swift might be secretly gay or bisexual. Despite no evidence to support these claims, the author deduced Swift’s songs contain “clues” about her identity and urged her to publicly “clarify” her orientation to strengthen her status as an icon for young queer fans.
Backlash over Columnists’ Baseless Speculation
Swift’s team wasted no time slamming the column, calling its speculation about her personal life “offensive” both to the singer and the LGBTQ community.
“There seems to be no depth of low that some people, like this author, will not sink to in order to get attention,” an anonymous associate of Swift’s told CNN. “It’s obviously untrue, offensive and frankly very invasive and inappropriate.”
Sources close to the singer doubled down on this sentiment in comments to other outlets. “It’s a very inappropriate message,” one insider told Yahoo Entertainment. “Taylor has been an advocate for the LGBTQ community for years. …[the op-ed] is untrue and hurtful.”
Taylor’s History of LGBTQ Advocacy
Despite no public comments on her own sexuality, Swift has long been an outspoken LGBTQ ally. Her recent music videos have shown support for marriage equality, while Swift continues donating to LGBTQ organizations and pressing for protections like the Equality Act.
However, critics accused the Times piece of undermining this advocacy by forcibly speculating on Swift’s orientation – especially given the criticism queer celebrities face if they don’t publicly define their sexuality. “Taylor has faced these kinds of ‘are-they-or-aren’t-they’ narratives for a long time,” notes NME.
Violating Swift’s Right to Privacy
Ultimately the fiery backlash stems from the op-ed being viewed as a violation of Swift’s reasonable right to privacy regarding personal relationships. Despite her life playing out in lyrics, fans know Swift values keeping intimate aspects of her world – like sexuality – off limits from speculation.
“It’s frankly disgusting that anyone thinks they have a right to define anyone else’s sexuality for them,” a source told Pedestrian TV. “It’s no one’s place to out or speculate anyone.”
With Swift poised to kick off her Eras Tour in March, she seems unaffected by this latest media storm – though her associates made clear the Times crossed serious ethical lines. Celebrity news outlets should heed warnings about forcing stars to disclose private details, no matter how famous. Stars deserve basic rights like choosing which aspects of their lives – and identities – remain wisely out of the spotlight.
