I very sincerely could never understand this. Maybe it’s the autistic thing. But Taylor Swift’s audience isn’t male. Her fans are very young girls. How is this on target?
Also, and again, maybe it’s the autistic thing, but I can’t understand why a rich woman would want to do this. Isn’t the whole point of having money not to have to do this?
And finally, let’s say you do want to show your butt at age 35 for reasons beyond my comprehension. Why does it have to be shown against the background that reads like a truck stop toilet?
The music sucks, too, by the way.
Clarissa's Blog 
It could just be ego. From what I understand, a recurring theme in the Taylor Swift discourse is that she’s beautiful but not really “sexy” (which also explains her appeal with younger girls). Her public displays of affection with boyfriends come across as staged. She lacks that effortless insouciance and charm that elevates someone from merely attractive to genuinely sexy.
Many a social media war has been waged over this and much ink has been spilled. Maybe that finally got under her skin and she decided to reinvent herself. Who knows.
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That’s interesting. My daughter knows every song by heart and tortures me with them frequently. But I don’t want her to see this because it’s tawdry and weird. And I don’t know how to explain it.
The woman needs to get married ASAP.
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And that’s precisely why she’s doing it. Mothers will act all inexplainably yucked about it, and tween girls will then latch on it as something to build an identity separate from the mothers. This is exactly why I listened to Marilyn Manson when I was 12.
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“Her fans are very young girls. How is this on target?”
My alarmist take: Groomer Culture and Smutification
It’s not about Swift, but about her handlers. This is just one more foray into a long term attempt to sexualize children.
My cynical take: It’s a natural stage in the life cycle of a Pop Chanteuse….
Most female pop stars (maybe female performers period) if they stay in the limelight long enough go through a ‘bad girl’ phase.
Sometimes it’s just a ploy for publicity and an attempt to stay relevant. In the case of Madonna (yeah even she had one…Erotica and the sex book) it was an attempt to be taken more seriously…. and didn’t work. Usually these don’t work long term (or even short term) and are followed by a return to more conventional image.
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This cover is just so off. It’s like she’s trying to adopt a black aesthetic and it’s a complete failure. It’s the equivalent of Beyonce with her bleached skin and blond wig. It’s not working for either woman.
Beyonce at least is talented.
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“trying to adopt a black aesthetic”
Doesn’t especially read as ‘black’ to me, but the bilious lighting and world weary pose read more like a cheap strip club.
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I think she’s just trying to stay relevant and “sexy.” There is a group of younger very talented women that are starting to displace her.
Some of this celebrity types just cannot accept aging and letting go. Will Smith is another one that’s just cringe right now.
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Modern popstardom for women is all about not wearing pants. I have no idea why.
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