Full disclosure: I’ve been a Taylor Swift fan since 2008. I’m an OG. As you can imagine, I was among the many who joyfully anticipated her new album announcement. I loved listening to her interview on the New Heights podcast (as an Eagles fan, I was there for Jason Kelce too!).
And then… the photo shoot. Taylor’s a genius businesswoman, and releasing albums with different covers is a smart move. Except that many of the album covers–and promotional photos–look like they belong in a Playboy magazine.
I think it’s worth addressing, especially since I am a fan. (Sidenote: I’m accountable to honor God in all things, including entertainment choices. Like the movies I choose not to watch, there is music I choose not to listen to and I skip some of her songs. I also think there’s a need for individual discernment… angsty break up songs may not be helpful to teens, but listening as a happily married woman just hits different… pun intended. 😉
Taylor Swift isn’t a Christian, and the worldliness of unbelievers shouldn’t surprise us (though we should be aware of their influence on us). Frankly, I’m more concerned by those who proclaim to follow Christ yet justify sins like greed, sexual immorality, or political idolatry than unbelievers who do so. Paul said we’re supposed to judge those inside the church, not outside it (1 Cor. 5:11-13).
And though Taylor isn’t a godly woman, that doesn’t mean she’s without commendable characteristics. She has a great work ethic. She’s creative. As a writer, what I appreciate most about her is her lyricism. I love a good metaphor, personification, or unique turn of phrase. And despite her level of fame, she also has a reputation for treating “normal” people with kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity.
In a fallen world like ours, Christians should be quick to recognize and celebrate these kinds of vestiges of goodness. God’s common grace abounds!
While I don’t expect Taylor to act like a Christian, I’m so disappointed that she’s willingly played into such a harmful narrative. This isn’t the first time, but it’s definitely the most blatant.
In whatever spheres of influence we have, each of us are responsible for the stories we tell. For better or worse, we all play a part in culture-making. Taylor Swift has a massive influence. That comes with responsibility, chosen or not. That’s why I’m grateful for the ways she’s used her influence for good… and why I’m so disturbed by this decision to steward it so carelessly.
We live in a culture that constantly sexualizes and objectifies women. And the problem doesn’t only stem from men, but from the women who perpetuate it. Perhaps that’s what bothers me most about these album covers and promo pics. Try to spin it any way you want, but they are inherently objectifying. She freely chose to present herself in a way intended to incite lust. In doing so, she reinforces the very lie that has long disrespected and diminished the worth of women.
That’s not liberating. It’s not progressive. It’s backwards. And it fuels toxic cultural views against women.
She’s obviously not alone. She represents a larger cultural current (especially among singers, it seems) that justifies self-objectification while masquerading as empowerment and self-expression.
But do you know who appreciates these kinds of “liberated” women the most? The Andrew Tates of the world who actually do view women as nothing more than sex objects. They dishonor women, and then cheer from the sidelines, Yes! By all means, liberate yourself and take off your clothes! Meanwhile, countless others, feigning as feminists, savor the view too.
I want better from Taylor and all the powerful and influential women who are aiding and abetting this kind of corrosive message. It’s so harmful.
More than that, I want better for them—I want better for us all.
We were made for more than this. Our daughters were too. God created us with inherent dignity, and our bodies were meant to be honored. They are not fodder for lust. They are not objects to be envied. They are an intrinsic part of who we are–deeply valuable and worthy of respect.
This isn’t meant to just be a cultural critique, it’s an invitation to play our part in changing the narrative. As we go out into the world, as we raise our daughters and sons, as we present our own bodies, and as we regard the bodies of others, let’s tell a better story. One that celebrates beauty rather than exploiting it, preserves dignity rather than degrading it, and embodies the character qualities of a godly woman–for “she is clothed with strength and dignity” (Prov. 31:25). Most of all, let’s tell a story which honors the God in whose image we were made.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20