Taylor Swift Faces More Backlash For ‘Racists’ Lyric

The deep dive into Taylor Swift’s newest lyrics on her surprise album has critics calling out her hypocrisy over racism and historical revisionism.

Page Six spotlighted some of the pop star’s librettos on “The Tortured Poets Department” as listeners hunt for Easter eggs, double entendres, and insights into her romantic mindset in the era of Travis Kelce. However, it was her desire to travel back in time that caught flak from some who cried foul over her desire to airbrush racism out of her daydreaming.

“My friends used to play a game where / We would pick a decade / We wished we could live in instead of this / I’d say the 1830s but without all the racists / And getting married off for the highest bid,” she sang on the track “I Hate It Here.”

Not all fans were pleased, with some noting that slavery was alive and well during the decade.

“There is no way Taylor Swift said she’d like to live in an era where Chattel Slavery was the law of the land and say ‘but without the racists.’ Like it was some casual microaggressions or something. Is this what we’re doing??” tweeted one user.

There is no way Taylor Swift said she’d like to live in an era where Chattel Slavery was the law of the land and say “but without the racists”. Like it was some casual microaggressions or something. Is this what we’re doing??

— she better be coming… (@CannyZanny) April 19, 2024

“Pretty astonishing to stipulate that she wants to live in the 1830s, ‘except without the racists,’ and not mention slavery, so slavery still exists but everyone’s chill about it,” added another.

I mention Taylor Swift once for a joke and now I'm getting news about her, and I gotta say: pretty astonishing to stipulate that she wants to live in the 1830s, "except without the racists," and not mention slavery, so slavery still exists but everyone's chill about it

— ★ (@corpseinorbit) April 19, 2024

“I know I can’t stfu abt Taylor Swift but of all time periods WHY THE 1830s??? The most notable event from the time period is the trail of tears like I cannot wrap my head around it? Is this another one of her dumbass codes?” asked a third fan.

I know I can’t stfu abt Taylor Swift but of all time periods WHY THE 1830s??? The most notable event from the time period is the trail of tears like I cannot wrap my head around it? Is this another one of her dumbass codes?

— sam 🫡 (@samhcarr0ll) April 19, 2024

“Taylor Swift wanting to go back to the 1830s surprised no Black person anywhere,” said a fourth user.

https://twitter.com/JennMJacksonPhD/status/1781435913890832676

Swift, a global phenomenon in the midst of her two-year mega tour, has waded into issues of race and politics before. At the height of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, she tweeted her support for calls to reform or abolish racist police departments.

“Racial injustice has been ingrained deeply into local and state governments, and changes MUST be made there,” she added along with the BLM hashtag and three various skin-toned fist emojis.

“In order for policies to change, we need to elect people who will fight against police brutality and racism of any kind,” she added with a link to an article by former President Barack Obama sharing his thoughts on BLM.

To be sure, Swift is certainly aware that repeated forays into polarizing subjects can divide her fan base and eventually lead to a dethroning from the Billboard charts. During the March 5th primary elections on Super Tuesday, she opted against another endorsement of President Joe Biden, instead posting an insipid call to action for her Swifties to exercise their right to vote.

“Today, March 5, is the Presidential Primary in Tennessee and 16 other states and territories. I wanted to remind you guys to vote the people who most represent YOU into power,” she wrote on Instagram.

Conservatives such as Candace Owens have picked up on the current anti-Swift sentiment percolating on the right. She recently accused the singer of promoting “toxic” ideas among young women through her lyrics about various boyfriends over the years and her pent-up aggressions towards them.  Others have cited work by her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce, in promoting a film that leverages green tax credits implemented by President Biden in order to pay for itself.