Just in case you’re not in the know, Taylor Swift is a pop music singer-songwriter. Alongside her music career, she has also starred in a few movies over the years, including Valentine’s Day, The Giver, and the infamous Cats. These have all been small roles, but her interest in movies has always been clear. In 2010, she co-directed the music video for her song “Mine,” and since 2019, she has been regularly directing her own music videos, such as “The Man” and “Anti-Hero.” Her entry into the world of short film direction came from her long-form music video for “All Too Well.”

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Variety included Swift in their 2022 “Directors on Directors” lineup, alongside Martin McDonagh, which prompted the initial wave of backlash against her as a director. Later, in the same week, Searchlight Pictures announced that they will produce her feature-length directorial and screenwriting debut. Swift is no stranger to misogynistic hate, so it won’t be surprising to some that many people were not happy with this information. People are arguing that Swift is stealing limelight and opportunity from other women in the industry, that she only has this opportunity because of her fame and wealth, and that they can already tell it will be a terrible movie.

The History of Misogyny Towards Taylor Swift

     New Line Cinema

From the early days of her career, Taylor Swift has found herself at the center of misogynistic rhetoric from her peers and the public. Perhaps the most famous example of this is the Kanye West incident at the 2009 VMAs. If you need a refresher: Swift won the award for Best Video by a Female Artist and was interrupted mid-acceptance speech by West, who argued Beyoncé should have won the award. Following this event, she was frequently targeted by West’s fans who accused her of playing the victim, despite the fact that, in this case, she very much was the victim. The, mostly one-sided, feud between Swift and West continued for several years, and included West creating a wax model of her naked body to put in a music video and spreading a doctored recording of a phone call to make her look like a liar.

Other notable moments of misogyny towards Swift include being groped by a radio DJ during a meet and greet and subsequently being sued by him, arguing that it was a false accusation. She also had her back catalog of music sold out from under her by a previous manager to a man who had bullied and harassed her in the past. There is a lot to be said about Swift’s privilege as a wealthy white woman affecting how these events have been perceived, but that exists in tandem with the very real impact of misogyny on her career.

Is Taylor Swift Stealing Opportunities From Less Privileged Women?

     Taylor Swift Productions

Taylor Swift’s inclusion in Variety’s “Directors on Directors” series alongside the announcement of her directorial debut prompted many people to discuss other women directors whom they believed deserved those opportunities more, particularly during a year that saw many films directed by women at the fore of critical acclaim. It’s hard to argue that Swift doesn’t seem out of place as a music video director in a series of prominent feature-length movie directors such as James Cameron and Ryan Coogler. However, this rhetoric of Swift “stealing” the position from another woman is antiquated and sexist.

Who’s to say that if Swift hadn’t been included that there would have been another woman director in her place? The lineup features eight men and just four women, so why are we punishing Swift for being chosen? Also featured is Robert Rodriguez, whose last feature film came out in 2020. Since then, he has directed three episodes of a TV show, a music video, and a concert film. This is a portfolio that is not dissimilar to Swift’s, but there is no uproar about him being included in the series. We can acknowledge the fact that her whiteness and pre-existing fame were likely huge contributors to her receiving the invitation without needing to direct the blame onto Swift. This places the responsibility for systemic sexism onto a woman and does nothing to uplist those with less privilege.

Does Taylor Swift Only Have This Opportunity Because of Her Privilege?

     Universal Pictures

In regard to the feature film she will direct, is it just a vanity project for a wealthy woman who decided she wanted to make a movie? The answer is no. Taylor Swift is a songwriter who has been telling stories since she was a child; her fan base has been built on the power of these narrative abilities. Moving on to writing long-form stories in the form of a movie script is an entirely natural progression of her career. Initial reactions to her short in 2021 prove exactly this: writing for NME, Rhian Daly states, “Swift is always searching for ways to give her storytelling new life – and, so far, is the undisputed champion of that approach.” She has proven time and time again, in the form of a fictional love triangle written into an album or by directing so many of her own music videos, that she is an accomplished storyteller and filmmaker.

Some of the most famous male directors in the world got their start directing music videos. People like David Fincher, Spike Jonze, and Michael Bay all began directing in the same way as Swift. Evidently, a music video and a feature film are very different projects, but they are both built with the same tools. Why is it so wrong that Swift learned to become a filmmaker in this way when it’s not a problem for those male counterparts? Once again, her privilege as someone so famous is undeniable, but she has truly put in the work to reach this stage of her career. She has been on sets since the age of 16; over a decade of experience and hard work seems like it should be enough to qualify you to make your own movie in peace.