Newsweek columnist: Taylor Swift is a bad role model because she’s unmarried

Last year, USA Today hired their first Taylor Swift-dedicated reporter. As in, a reporter whose entire job is knowing everything there is to know about Taylor Swift and reporting on Taylor’s professional and personal life. I sort of agree that Taylor is, to borrow an economic phrase, too big to fail, and that the life and times of Taylor Swift are certainly begging for more concentrated and knowledgeable reporting, if not genuine scholarship on Taylor’s whole deal in a musical, cultural and economic context.

Personally, there are many issues in which I am on Taylor’s side: her political power scares all the worst people in the country; she’s one of the smartest businesswomen I’ve ever seen; she’s incredibly powerful but she’s mostly careful and thoughtful about how she wields that power. And then there are some issues where I think she deserves criticism in good faith: her selective white feminism; her weaponization of her fans against her enemies; her obsessive focus on charts and numbers rather than simply making good music; her perpetual and performative victimhood. Would I consider Taylor a “good role model”? A qualified yes. But Newsweek columnist John Mac Ghlionn says no, “Taylor Swift Is Not a Good Role Model.” This is why national outlets need to hire dedicated Swift reporters, so they won’t publish some guy sh-tting his pants over a pop star in her 30s being unmarried. I kid you not. Here’s part of the column:

Taylor Swift wields immense power. Although her economic impact is extremely beneficial, it’s worth asking if Swift’s influence extends positively to other areas. More specifically, is she a good role model for young girls in the U.S. and beyond? Numerous pieces have been written explaining why she is; I would like to offer some pushback. Swift is now the most influential celebrity in America. Her popularity is staggering, and her position as a cultural colossus is unquestionable.

At 34, Swift remains unmarried and childless, a fact that some might argue is irrelevant to her status as a role model. But, I suggest, it’s crucial to consider what kind of example this sets for young girls. A role model, by definition, is someone worthy of imitation. While Swift’s musical talent and business acumen are certainly admirable, even laudable, we must ask if her personal life choices are ones we want our sisters and daughters to emulate. This might sound like pearl-clutching preaching, but it’s a concern rooted in sound reasoning.

Swift’s highly publicized romantic life has been a source of prime tabloid fodder for years. She has dated numerous high-profile men—at least a dozen—including the singers Harry Styles and Joe Jonas, the actor Jake Gyllenhaal, and, more recently, the American football player Travis Kelce. This revolving door of relationships may reflect the normal dating experiences of many young women in today’s world, but it also raises questions about stability, commitment, and even love itself. Should we encourage young girls to see the “Swift standard” as the norm, something to aspire to? Or should we be promoting something a little more, shall we say, wholesome? Would any loving parent reading this want their daughter to date 12 different men in the span of just a few years? This is not an attack on Swift; it’s a valid question that is worth asking.

The superstar’s vocal criticisms of the patriarchy add another layer of complexity. Swift’s recent rallying cry against patriarchal structures stands in stark contrast to her personal dating choices. The singer often dates strong, influential men—celebrities who embody significant social and economic power. This can appear hypocritical. Hypocrisy fundamentally undermines the ability to be a good role model because it involves a contradiction between one’s actions and the principles or values they publicly advocate. Swift either doesn’t realize this or doesn’t care. Neither of the two is a good look.

[From Newsweek]

Again, this is why dedicated Swift reporters are needed, if only to catch the lies and falsehoods: “Would any loving parent reading this want their daughter to date 12 different men in the span of just a few years,” right after he cites Swift’s boyfriends from over a decade ago. Taylor has probably dated a dozen guys throughout her entire LIFE, not “in the span of just a few years.” She was in a relationship with Joe Alwyn for around seven years. She was with Calvin Harris for two years, right? By my count, she’s dated five men in the past TEN YEARS: Calvin Harris, Tom Hiddleston, Joe Alwyn, Matt Healy and Travis Kelce. Not that it even matters, but I’m just pointing out that this guy doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about.

As I said, I think there are plenty of subjects in which you can criticize Taylor in good faith, but her dating life is pretty typical of a powerful, wealthy woman with terrible taste in men. “Having a healthy romantic/dating life as an adult woman” is not a moral issue and we’re living in the year 2024, not 1954. The part about Taylor dating men “who embody significant social and economic power” is ridiculous too – Taylor stands alone, she is peerless in a certain sense because no boyfriend is going to be equally famous or powerful. Even Travis Kelce, who is certainly famous, understands that Taylor’s fame and power is next-level.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

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139 Responses to “Newsweek columnist: Taylor Swift is a bad role model because she’s unmarried”

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  1. Mil says:

    Oh, petty little man. Just made Taylor more popular. Oopsie! And i was so sad to see Newsweek publish this.

    • AlpineWitch says:

      I’ve never been a Taylor Swift fan but I might become after this…

      This journalist has written a whole column based on misogynistic tropes and asinine concepts.

      • ML says:

        I’m just curious as to how many articles this douche has written about unmarried men who are childless and how they are such crappy role models for little boys. His perspective on Leo DiCaprio must be amazing!

      • Couch Potato says:

        Yeah! The last part made me think the reporter desperately wants to marry Swift and get full control over her.

        @ML He probably thinks DiCaprio as a great role model, male and all. Incel was one of the words going through my mind as I read this.

      • Megan says:

        I really hope Taylor wields all of her power against these MAGA mother f*ckers this November.

      • Christine says:

        Yeah, I hate every part of being alive and a woman right now. The fact that anyone is attacking a successful woman who also gives back, in every city she tours, makes me fucking hostile.

    • SummerMoomin says:

      It’s important to remember that Newsweek was sold to some weird cultists and is no longer a reliable news source. As this article demonstrates!

    • nutella toast says:

      FWIW, this man looks like an EASY 45 and as far as I can tell, HE’S not married. So…bad role model for angry conservatives? Where’s his trad wife? His 3 matching children? Their survival homestead where she wears dainty white cotton dresses while supposedly doing messy things like gathering freshly-layed eggs covered in hen poop and picking blackberries?

      • Jais says:

        This. So basically he wants TS to serve as a role model for marriage and children in the hopes that some woman will want to be with him. Pretty sure we can all see why that hasn’t happened for him yet. He’s a creepy misogynistic tool.

      • Elizabeth says:

        This “essay” is so freakishly regressive. So horrible. As said in the article, there are lots of valid areas of criticism of Taylor Swift, but her marital / parental status is absolutely no one else’s business.

      • Isabella says:

        He was obviously hired because he’s on the Maga-edge. Turns out he previously wrote for Town Hall, a site that claims that Big Tech is out to silence conservative voices.

        His stories include:
        Fear of China (endless stories on that theme)

        Admiration for all-around jerk Gov. DeSantis

        Amber Heard bashing

        His bio on that sitye:
        With a doctorate in psychosocial studies, John Mac Ghlionn works as both a researcher and essayist. A Brownstone Institute correspondent, his writing has been published by the likes of Newsweek, NY Post, The American Mind, and The American Conservative.

      • kirk says:

        @Isabella – That’s some good sleuthing there! I’d never heard of Brownstone Institute before, so I checked it out; it managed to qualify as ‘nonprofit’ 501(c)(3) – re: pandemic “people have more to fear from politicians than viruses.” Per Wikipedia, the Brownstone Institute was founded by Jeffrey Albert Tucker, a libertarian writer, advocate of anarcho-capitalism and Bitcoin, who worked for many years for Ron Paul and Lew Rockwell, founder of the Mises Institute. Tucker’s affiliations make him sound like a neo-Confederate white supremacist. As for Mac Ghlionn having a doctorate in “psychosocial studies,” that degree sounds like it could only have come from a UK school. So, basically a Brit-trained correspondent who’s “on the MAGA-edge.”

      • bisynaptic says:

        Another closet case. 🙄

      • Deering24 says:

        He’s 38. And terminally misogynistic.

    • Lolo86lf says:

      I am loving this! There are many people who post here who can’t stand Taylor. There are posters who criticize her every chance they get. But today even those people are standing by Taylor, and they are defending her against misogyny. Let’s keep this trending.

      • blueberry says:

        Yes I cannot stand her! But this guy is loud and wrong. I wonder if they are trying to discredit her before the election to minimize her impact. Again, I dislike her so I don’t may much attention, but I’m watching now.

    • Teddy says:

      This guy’s vision board is The Handmaid’s Tale.

    • Mustang Sally says:

      I am so sick of this crap. I am 60, married 2x. I never had children (never wanted any). I earned an MBA at 50 and became a CFO and have traveled, worked at amazing jobs and lived my life so that I could help others. My now-husband has a wonderful son that I consider my own and he considers me his mom. Children, or lack thereof, do not define a career, success or a life well spent. It is a personal choice and I am sick of hearing the same shaming I got from my ex-MIL when I was married to her son from 1988 to almost 1999. I would like to think the world has evolved, but select people clearly have not.

    • Isabella says:

      The backlash against women in the U.S. is so intense. This kind of story would’ve been killed a couple of years ago. Women don’t need to get married or have kids if they don’t want to. The planet doesn’t require us to procreate. Let this dude do his part if he thinks it’s so important.

    • fishface says:

      I hope TS writes a song about what a little douche this manbaby is. Without actually mentioning his name of course.

  2. Dee(2) says:

    “At 34, Swift remains unmarried and childless, a fact that some might argue is irrelevant to her status as a role model. But, I suggest, it’s crucial to consider what kind of example this sets for young girls.” It gives them the example that is perfectly fine to be unmarried and child free at 34. Which honestly is the issue for these people outside of Taylor Swift. A woman having autonomy and the ability to choose her own way and not be reliant on someone else, and more importantly not be shackled by someone else into staying in a situation that they don’t need to is what they fear. She represents the antithesis of the ” trad wife” movement and they are terrified she has so much sway with young girls, and to put it bluntly young white girls ( see replacement theory). I have a ton of issues with Taylor, but in this I hope she continues to stick in their craw.

    • Kebbie says:

      Yeah, basically, young girls should be taught to accept less. Keep your standards low and get married young! They’re so terrified of women making choices for themselves.

      • ariel says:

        Of course they are- (most often white) men are told they are amazing masters of the universe by merely existing and being mediocre. We praise men as fathers for doing the absolute bare minimum of parenting.

        Them having to better themselves is frightening to them.
        Because women can get mortgages and credit cards and support themselves, we no longer “need” a man. And a lot of women would rather raise a child alone than raise a child with a man, who essentially acts as another child to be cared for and not a partner to share the load.

        They don’t want to be better- they want to have it easy and be praised and adored and depended on- they want control.

        And we are scaring them.
        And instead of going to therapy/becoming better partners/people, they listen to joe rogan and reinforce their own stupidity and misogyny, and judge women for not being “high value” and by “high value” they often mean virginal and submissive, They want servants they can abuse without suffering any consequences. I am sure they do not think of themselves as the bad guys.

        They just want what’s best for only them.
        You know- exactly that you DON’T want in a life partner.

        Abortion is gone, making our lives worse, they are coming for birth control and no fault divorce next.

        They want us dependent.
        And every stupid white woman who votes GOP has helped make this happen.
        Trump wouldn’t have been elected in 2016 without white women voting for him and/or not bring able to “bring themselves” to vote for Hillary Clinton because- reasons!!
        I am angry.

        Apologies- i love talking Taylor- but this is a lot bigger than her.
        Also- her song I’m the Man kind of sums of how women are treated in our society.

      • Chantal1 says:

        💯 to the above comments. I’m no Taylor fan but I respect her autonomy and her hustle bc she’s a smart businesswoman and hard worker. You’d think the manosphere would be happy that she hasn’t had a child out of wedlock (they never condemn the men who fathered the children though). But I find the whole trad wife hype disturbing in this modern era.

      • cee says:

        @ariel I share in your pain and send hugs your way.
        I’m 37 and remain unmarried and childless for the time being even though I’ve been in a relationship for the past 5 years. I’ll stand on my own as I only depend on myself.

    • Lux says:

      She makes 34, childless and single look incredibly fun. That’s something I’m not sure I had growing up…most of the mid-thirties people I knew as a child were my teachers and they all had children. As an elder millennial I definitely felt the pressure to be married by 30, so good for her for reflecting the times and how hard it is to find a good partner.

      If Swift is problematic it’s definitely not from being single. I think the overt focus on men, falling in love, and heartbreak in her songs are what some consider “wholesome,” yet to me they are like love-tunnels and vacuums (and like J.Lo, she really can’t just be single for any period of time). Her non-love songs (personal opinion) aren’t as good or powerful (“You need to Calm Down,” “The Young,” “The Man”) Overall, she’s hardly the MOST problematic artist for little girls…but seriously, I have a daughter…I 100% don’t want her looking up to any self-absorbed celebrity and modeling herself after them. There really aren’t many “good” ones, of any gender.

    • Asdf says:

      Is the problem that she’s unmarried or that she is childless… If anything she’s setting a great example to not settle and rush into an inevitable bad situation …personally what always annoyed me was her always playing the victim not the number of guys she dates….I also thought most of those relationships in the beginning were just faux-mances since they all conveniently lasted 3 months or less , but she has been long-term dating lots of guys that are long-term committed relationships that just didn’t work out

    • schmootc says:

      I took am unmarried and childless and hit 50 last year. And am frankly glad that I can be a role model for making my own choices and having a good life without either of those things for the next generation in my family.

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Dee(2), of course the patriarchy would write this. Taylor Swift shows that women don’t need a man in order to find success–however they define it. The patriarchy can’t control women like that, so they have to find a way to make it ‘bad’.

      I actually love that this idiot wrote this. I bet the Swifties are going to come out swinging.

  3. HeatherC says:

    Ugh, another white man explaining why the patriarchy is good for women. This one happens to write for Newsweek, NY Post and I think Epoch. His fragile masculinity is hurt because no matter how many times he writes about aliens, Taylor Swift still won’t give up her career and have his babies.

    Cry more, John.

    • Josephine says:

      Men are getting more and more bold in saying the quiet part out loud — they consider women as baby factories and the person who keeps house for them. And too many women are somehow digging that designation thinking that it means being taken cared of when it really means being controlled and made small. Wake up and vote.

    • Lau says:

      This article sounds like it’s been written by an incel.

  4. sevenblue says:

    😭😭I think, this guy listened to her rerecorded albums and read swifties’ comments about which song about which ex and now thinks she just dated them all recently. That is the only explanation I can come up with for his ignorance. It is a stupid piece and I guess they thought it would bring some balance to provide a critical article against all the glowing articles they are writing. There are a lot of things to criticize her for, dating guys while single and not marrying with kids are the stupidest one.

    • Kebbie says:

      Or he’s just knowingly twisting the truth and exaggerating her dating history because he knows the misogynists will believe it without question

      • sevenblue says:

        @Kebbie, she was dating Joe for 6.5 years, all her dating history was in the past. The re-recordings brought it all back to the headlines. We got “Jake took her scarf” discussion all over again after Red TV. So, no I think, the TVs and its discussions about the previous exes made an impression on this guy that it all happened in recent times. The guy is an asshole, but a lot of people who didn’t follow her back then caught up with her discography thanks to TVs. So, I understand it feels recent if you are too lazy to do a little research yourself instead of scrolling for memes.

      • Kebbie says:

        I really don’t think the “Taylor’s Version” releases have reached anyone but her fans. He’s just taking old accusations of her “bed hopping” or whatever and acting like it still somehow applies because his audience will accept it as fact.

      • sevenblue says:

        @Kebbie, I disagree. There were a lot of people who didn’t listen to her and didn’t take her seriously when she published the albums first because she was a young woman marketed towards her age demo. After Folklore and Evermore, she added a lot of casual listeners to her fan base and they listened to TVs. When Jake was promoting his new movie, they made references to Red TV and the scarf. The interview’s title was even something like “Jake’s Version”, then probably after some calls from his PR, the title was changed. By staying away from the spotlight and being in a long-term relationship, the headlines of “who is this song about?” were forgotten for some time. TVs brought it all back, I saw that with the people around me who didn’t listen to her before Folklore and started following the theories about TVs after being a casual fan.

  5. Steph says:

    But no criticism of the unmarried child free she dates?
    This whole piece is really about a man trying to limit a woman’s power. He’s using marriage and parenthood as a ball and chain.

    • MaisiesMom says:

      That’s a damned good point. Her current partner is the same age as she is, never married, no kids. Why is she the one getting flak?

      Yes, I understand that having biological children does get more difficult as women get into their mid to late 30s, more difficult than it is for men. But if you think getting pregnant is difficult, try birthing, raising and paying for a child! Not that Taylor has to worry about either, given the wealth she has. I would bet money she has already frozen her eggs, actually. She is smart and a planner. My niece who is the same age just did this recently.

      At any rate, this guy is an idiot and his piece is insulting to all women. I hope Taylor (and Travis) are laughing at him right now.

      • Assf says:

        @masiesmom exactly! She is rich and powerful and can choose to have or not have children whenever she so desires. She even has the ability to just have the kids with a sperm donor (a la Mindy Kaling) so she’s not fighting anyone for where she lives or does (Sophie Turner)

        She lives a very nice life with options unlike us peasants.

  6. TQ says:

    What a misogynist! She is indeed a positive role model in many ways. I give her big props for her many successes. I am no Swiftie though and agree with the criticisms @Kaiser notes above, but this guy’s 1950s attitudes do not belong in a mainstream publication.

    • Blithe says:

      Newsweek is no longer a mainstream publication. It hasn’t been mainstream for about a decade. Newsweek isn’t the only classic publication with new ownership, new editors, and what read like AI generated articles reflecting MAGA values.

  7. Wagiman says:

    Proves yesterday’s point.. Newsweek are right wing trolls and are irrelevant.

  8. Jais says:

    The writer says “this might sound like pearl-clutching preaching, but it’s a concern rooted in sound reasoning.” Nope, lol. It sounds exactly like what it is. Pearl-clutching preaching. What a d*ck.

  9. Proud Mary says:

    Be careful what you wish for– she could marry William. Lord knows his one-sided competition with his brother knows no bounds: “Famous American celebrity wives are mine!”

  10. Laalaa says:

    One of my dislikes about her was the fact she keeps saying the press is slutshaming her, and I really didn’t see it. I saw it as gossip, not slutshaming.
    I WAS WRONG, I APOLOGIZE.
    The photo where she’s sitting with her legs up is from when she sings The Man. Yeah, “If I was a man, then I’d be the man” is a great lyric.

  11. Paty Kerry says:

    Who asked him his opinion anyway? I can’t even begin with this. I actually am genuinely surprised that Newsweek published that drivel!

    • Brassy Rebel says:

      Newsweek is now a right wing rag. This is very much a right wing talking point—white women should be married and have lots of children. He seems blissfully unaware that lots of women remain unmarried their entire lives and do just fine. But people like him don’t want this to be a popular trend because of their “replacement theory” that people of color want to “replace” white people in positions of power but also because they just love the patriarchy and see it dying. It’s complicated.

  12. Rai says:

    As the mother of a hardcore 10yo swiftie, I can say without a doubt that Taylor Swift is absolutely someone I am fine with my daughter seeing as a role model.

    I get some of the criticism of Taylor but I also recognize that a lot of it is either performative, misogyny or hater nonsense. But this singular focus on her love life is ridiculous. “She’s spectacular and special but she’s unmarried!” Give me break. Especially since I doubt her talent, worth, power and influence would dim if she were married… but then they’d just figure out a different way to show their ass.

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Rai, it’s good for girls to see single women being good business women. It shows them that they can choose a direction in life and make it a success. They don’t need a man to do that. I’d rather she marry because she loves someone and it enhances her life. Women do not need to marry to further the man’s career unless that’s their choice.

  13. equality says:

    This guy actually has a doctorate in psychosocial studies. Unbelievable. I would think people would prefer their daughters dating until they find the right person to marry over just marrying to be married.

    • Kebbie says:

      Or so he claims. Interestingly, it’s never mentioned where this alleged doctorate is from. I tried googling and I didn’t find any information on where he went to school. If it’s even real, it’s probably from like, Liberty University.

      • equality says:

        Yeah, I couldn’t find any university listing of his education at all.

      • Cali says:

        You have to dig deep but I think he got it at the Parkmore Institute. He wrote a paper that referenced him being a PhD scholar there. Since Parkmore appears to be online only it’s inferior to Liberty University.
        This guy has no real bio nor a LinkedIn account. He writes for right wing outlets.
        And yes his photo gives off big time incel vibes.

      • BeanieBean says:

        Probably from the same university as the guy who wrote Men are from Mars, Women from Venus.

    • Anna says:

      Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean anything. Scientists are also people with personal opinions, that are often, sadly, not shaped by reason and data. I know doctors who were hard core anti-vaccine during the pandemic. And ob-gyns refusing abortions or even contraceptives based on religious grounds.

      All in all, he’s just a prick who refuses to become a better potential partner to find a willing woman, and prefers to scare young women into marriage. The younger the better, before they start having their own world view and decide what they need in a partner. Would be great if they had three kids with him by that time and no choice anymore.

    • Minnieder says:

      Or maybe he should entertain the idea that she (gasp!) doesn’t care to be married, maybe she has no desire to have kids. What an insane assumption by this a-hole!!!

    • Deering24 says:

      equality–most sane people would. But guys like this dude regard women in terms of their sexual “body count” and “high value” virginity. They don’t want women to have any choice–women should marry the first guy they see and start pumping out babies. Women dating in general means being “sluts” as far as they are concerned.

  14. Amanda says:

    If anything, I think it makes her a good role model. It shows young girls that they don’t necessarily need to marry or have children to have a happy life

    • MY3CENTS says:

      Exactly! My daughter loves her and I’m glad she sees a hard working career oriented woman who’s top priority is her work and doing what she loves, not finding a husband.

  15. Mia4s says:

    “we must ask if her personal life choices are ones we want our sisters and daughters to emulate.”

    Being entirely financially and socially independent so the choice to have a partner is entirety a want and not a need or a fear? YES!!!!! That’s exactly what we want them to emulate you slow witted waste of oxygen.

    Johnny I hope the rent is due because otherwise you are “writing” at a level of pathetic I can’t even fathom. 🙄

    • AlpineWitch says:

      Some of his paragraphs are insulting to read, absolutely vile person!

    • Sunny says:

      Yes to all of this! I am a Swift fan and I agree with every one of @Kaiser’s criticisms but what she is being attacked for in this article is the worst sort of misogyny. It’s vile and disgusting and dangerous.

      And on a real petty note, please google an image of this man because it explains a lot.

    • otaku fairy says:

      He assumes that everybody shares his misogynistic belief that a woman’s worth lies in her sexual purity and marital status, and would be scandalized by a female relative making the same choices. Some people have a healthier view of women than that. His take is very 00’s/early 2010’s, when the conversation about female role models was all about how close a female public figure was to modestly dressed virgin status. We know how damaging that was. Now it’s moving more toward having an open mind about who can be a role model (while also being cautious about putting people on pedestals in the first place, remembering that people can be complicated and messy). Besides the misogyny of it, it’s a stupid take. The average young woman will try to figure out what’s right for her, and is not going to blindly base her relationship and reproductive decisions on what a celebrity she likes is or isn’t doing. If a woman chooses to be child-free and unmarried in her 30’s, and decides that she just wants to date and have sex, trust that that’s how her wishes and circumstances worked out.

    • Tate says:

      Yep 100%. I have two daughters and this is exactly what I want for them.

      Taylor is selling out stadiums around the world and this doofus thinks she should be home barefoot and pregnant. GTFO

  16. Amy Bee says:

    What this white man is really saying is Taylor remaining childless and unmarried will encourage other young white women to do the same. Plus, he thinks that she shouldn’t be with strong and powerful men because most feminists hate these types of men, thus she’s a hypocrite. Newsweek is the pits.

    • Cheshire Sass says:

      your comment – 100% – This is the Christian conservative, white male authoritarian, right wing agenda to demonize positive single women role models from every possible angle. TV, podcasts, “news” magazines, etc.. It’s truly frightening and gaining momentum – I know I sound a little conspiracy theorist – But there is an actual agenda – i.e. Claremont Institute, heritage foundation/Liberty central to name only a few – Washington DC based think tanks getting their candidates in senate/rep seats and on the Supreme Court – said it before and I’ll say it again – This is no different than Iran 1979 – Watch how you vote, it matters.

    • otaku fairy says:

      That comment shows that he doesn’t even understand what he’s against. The problem isn’t a man being influential or strong, the problem is women being denied the same opportunities as men and women being abused and disrespected by men.

  17. Amy says:

    This writer-guy ALSO published an article criticizing Nicola Coughlan’s weight and how awful it is to see a plus size heroine in the Romance show Bridgerton. He is a POS. Also he first privated, then deactived his twitter. No doubt he’ll claim now that unhinged women harassed him yada yada.

  18. Tursitops says:

    If some “loving parent” is spending time obsessing about the social life of their ADULT, independent child, then the parent has the problem, as does anyone else who asks the question.

    For far too long, society has seen the sexual activity of WOMEN (not girls) as part of its purview; to be crystal (expletive) clear, its no one’s business, including family, friends, wider society, or a greasy hack trying to generate clicks.

    I’ll have to add popcorn and NA Schadenfreude Sangria to my grocery list this week, because I’ve already run out of both and it’s only Tuesday.

    • otaku fairy says:

      Exactly. Sounds like he also has a warped, narrow view of what it means to be a loving parent. Clearly his definition of love does not include being mindful of how one’s regressive beliefs can be harmful to a loved one or the group they’re a part of.

    • Oh come on. says:

      @ Tursitops Exactly! No normal “loving parent” of an adult woman thinks they get to decide how many boyfriends she can have before she’s required to settle down.

      Also, between this 💩 and his anger at Nicola Coughlan being case as a romantic heroine, it’s giving incel who’s mad that Taylor Swift dates men in her league, instead of his own mediocre self.

  19. AA says:

    I think we need to play “The Man” by Taylor for this guy. Gross.

    I would be complex
    I would be cool
    They’d say I played the field before I found someone to commit to
    And that would be ok
    For me to do
    Every conquest I had made would make me more of a boss to you

  20. Lynn says:

    I’m not a Taylor Swift fan. I don’t dislike her, I’m just kind of uninterested in her music. I mention that only to clarify that I have no skin in this game. THEY WOULD NEVER, EVER, EVER SAY THAT ABOUT A MAN. Ever. Take your fake concern about “the children” and shove it up your a**!

  21. LeonsMomma says:

    I was talking to a friend last night about the power Taylor Swift has with young women, in particular, of voting age and that the conservatives are going to start picking away at her in the press. Not like she hasn’t gotten bad press before, but I feel more articles like this will start popping up, as they are worried that she will endorse Biden.

    If she can affect an area’s economy by having a concert here, she can definitely affect an election.

    • Truthiness says:

      I couldn’t agree more. “Don’t listen to the woman getting her fans to vote.”

  22. Emily says:

    Women don’t need to get married. Period.

    Taylor Swift does want to get married. She has spent years writing about happy endings and more recently about her last partner not wanting to get married. She’s also independent enough not to settle for less than and end a dead end relationship.

    The author—if he is so committed to “family values”—should criticize the men. Men who were far too old for her; men who promised commitment and didn’t deliver.

    But of course, it’s always a woman’s fault. Women are damned if they do and damned if they don’t.

  23. Nic919 says:

    This reads like something in 1954. There are many things to criticize Taylor Swift for, but the fact she isn’t married or has kids is not one of them.

    Why not just write that he thinks she’s a slut and move on. Because that’s what he is saying but covering it up in right wing bs.

  24. Beech says:

    This sounds like something from Project 25. Read up on it. I dare you. I triple dog dare you.

  25. K says:

    If there is ever another toilet paper shortage we all now know what we can use instead. I really think at this point anyone who writes stuff like this on Taylor’s coattails is drumming up publicity butthis wanker sounds like he means it. Gross.

  26. Abby says:

    Every time I read something about this dang article it makes me madder. SO mad. An article like this would never be written about a man.

    His views are so stuck in the 1950s when women had no agency. Ugh he is infuriating.

    • sevenblue says:

      Well, they are trying to bring 1950s back. There are currently plans to ban no-fault divorces and they are already restricting abortion. Some sport guy is giving speech about women staying home as an commencement speech at a university. I bet he feels right at home.

      • DaveW says:

        Yup…random sports guy who happens to be a teammate of one TS’ boyfriend.

      • Blithe says:

        I don’t get it. If they ban no-fault divorces, won’t there be even FEWER women who will be willing to risk their future well-being to incels and partners with other types of major red flag inadequacies?

      • sevenblue says:

        @Blithe, you are thinking of educated women making logical decisions. A lot women marry young due to societal (their church, parents, etc) pressure, pregnancy, grooming. So, they want to make marriages harder to get out for women with less resources. I believe there were stats showing that no-fault divorces decreased women suicide rates and domestic violence.

  27. flower says:

    Why is he not also asking these questions about Harry Styles too? It’s okay for him to date casually but not Taylor. Just say you’re a misogynist and move on

  28. Bad Janet says:

    Would that EVER be written about a man. No.

    REJECTED. F*** you and your trad wife bulls***, John Mac Ghlionn.

  29. Gemtrudy says:

    I don’t give a darn about T.Swift and I don’t know any of her songs, and honestly don’t care.

    What I admire is the remarkable things T.Swift has achieved as a person. Not just as a woman.

    This kind of clout-chasing article is the reason I’m happy that there are single women dominating in their industries in this our time.
    And as a fellow 34 year old single woman from Nigeria, this is such a great time to be alive.
    Ladies, never ever allow society and its expectations of you make you settle for less, be it in career, business or relationship.
    Remember, your worth is priceless.

  30. MY3CENTS says:

    This guy signed it with his full name? He really is that stupid.

    • sevenblue says:

      Even some album critics wrote their articles anonymously because of death threats from swifties. This guy is gonna get destroyed.

  31. QuiteContrary says:

    — “This might sound like pearl-clutching preaching, but it’s a concern rooted in sound reasoning.”

    — “This is not an attack on Swift; it’s a valid question that is worth asking.”

    The columnist is trying hard — and failing — to convince readers that his screed has social value and, hey, he’s raising concerns that are valid because he says they are.

    Swift’s power scares the bejesus out of conservative men and it should. She gets 80,000 girls and young women to shout “f*ck the patriarchy” at her concerts. Many of her audience members are going to just parrot that bit of performative feminism, but if it sinks in for just a few of them, that’s going to make it harder for guys like this writer to set the narrative for women.

    • Oh come on. says:

      @ Quite contrary “Just asking questions.” Never heard that line before 🙄

  32. Kelly says:

    I’m 62 and am appalled at this …person. How old is this little twerp?

    I guess we haven’t come a long way, baby.

  33. girl_ninja says:

    Like many white men he is jealous of her power, money and her reach being far, far greater than his will ever be.

    It’s also hilarious to me that do nothing Meg McCain hates Taylor. She will rot in her hatred for the people who are smarter, better, more talented and have true work ethic.

    • DaveW says:

      And doesn’t have to constantly refer to “my father” as the sole basis for why she even has a career and platform.

  34. otaku fairy says:

    Not that men should get criticized for being unmarried child-free sexually active adults either, but it’s very telling that he targeted women and girls with this piece. Also, it’s good that people are criticizing misogyny against Taylor Swift without slut-shaming other women to defend her. This wouldn’t be okay no matter who it was directed at.

  35. Lightpurple says:

    I would rather my daughter have had dating relationships with 12 men at that age over 2 divorces because some idiot guy at Newsweek told her being married was more important than anything else

  36. Ben says:

    Does the incel writer knows about Queen Madonna? I know right now their demos are opposites but at one point many little White straight girls and teens were Madonna fans too.

  37. Mel says:

    In what world is it NOT okay to be single and childless at any age? Everyone isn’t interested in having children or getting married, what maga moron wrote this?

  38. Maggie says:

    If anyone needs a good laugh just read the comments dragging him on Twitter. On top of being an out of touch p.o.s, he’s ugly as well🤣

    • Mel says:

      @ Maggie– he’s ugly as well– Figures. Inside and out.

    • Truthiness says:

      Oh God. This dude wrote last year that Feminism exists because not all women can be sexually attractive. And you’re right, he’s ugly.

      Oh wait, he deleted his account …

  39. Maggie says:

    His next article is going to be about men waiting until their fifties to settle down/have kids like George Clooney and John Stamos, or maybe about men who have kids when they’re octogenarians like Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro…….yeah I’m guessing that’s not how this a-hole thinks.

  40. Sass says:

    Newsweek has been hacky for YEARS. There are a lot of reasons to dislike TS; her relationship status and being childless are not any of them.

  41. Nano says:

    I do not like taylor swift. She’s performative every time she’s in public. The lyrics of her songs and who she presents in public are very different. She’s the problem and she knows it.

    • Abby says:

      And what is the problem that she has? That she is unmarried and childless, while also being wildly successful and seemingly happy? Please explain.

    • Amy says:

      The incel is still wrong. And even if Taylor get married and has kids at some point. Her priority in her 20s (and before) was her career. Many people don’t like this. They want girls to think a marriage under 20
      Is super and so is the life of a trad wife . I mean remember Buttface (Travis Kelce’s team’s kicker)? I still
      Believe Travis was extra non confronting in public about Buttguy, because he didn’t want to give him any of his fame.

    • kirk says:

      Yes! That’s my favorite Taylor song! “I’m the problem, it’s me.” Have never really been wowser on Taylor’s music, even though I liked that Fairycore (?) album. But I heard that “I’m the problem, it’s me” and thought wow, Taylor’s really advancing here.

      • Amy says:

        The incel is still wrong, because criticizing Swift from that angle is an insult to women and girls – and also a dangerous and harmful message.

        People like the incel are scared because Taylor is currently the influence on elementary school girls (and also some boys). They don’t like messages such as: “in your life you’ll do things greater than dating the guy on the football team” this is from a song she released in 2008 already and that especially young fans still discover and like.

  42. jill says:

    I hope this douche gets eviscerated in the comment section of his article. I hope Newsweek gets flooded by pissed off people for letting it through. I hope Swifties just take the whole damn site down.

  43. Jaded says:

    Maybe he should have praised her for all her charitable donations, wherever she’s performing she gives millions of dollars to local charities. Her love life is her own damn business you poncy a-hole.

  44. BeanieBean says:

    WTF is happening??? Why are we getting articles like this in this day & age???? This is one helluva backlash we’re going through right now.

    • Deering24 says:

      A wounded animal is most dangerous when it’s cornered and dying. As well, the right-wing figures now is the time to go in for all the Project 2025 marbles.

  45. Kateee says:

    Yes… how could we possibly raise our daughters to measure their value by any metric other than “but does a man want to marry her?”

    I hope we all raise brilliant daughters capable of choosing the future they want for themselves, independent of what some middle-aged man thinks is correct and acceptable for them. Raise hell, young ladies, and define your own benchmark for success.

    Tl;dr: get fooked sir. Unbelievable with this shiet.

  46. Digital Unicorn says:

    She scares them as she can motivate her fan base to do good, like vote for Biden in November. She appeals to a WHOLE generation and then some – her fan base is massive, powerful and encompasses people from many different age groups and backgrounds. To the christo-fascists she is the anti christ because she’s an successful woman.

  47. filledelettres says:

    It’s amazing that he managed to find one thing Taylor Swift doesn’t actually deserve criticism for, to the extent that he might as well have been paid to come up with a diversion from more sound criticisms of her. I mean, he could have roasted her as a “terrible role model” for about a thousand different things, from being a billionaire, indiscriminately using her private jet, at best being politically apathetic unless her profit margins are affected, at worst weaponising her white womanhood to absolve herself of any responsibility while continuing to condone partners, friends and fans who engage in Heil Hilter salutes and wear Nazi paraphernalia, hell, if the angle is her relationships in relation to her age, even for having a history of creeping on teenagers while in her twenties… But no, this man picked “unmarried in her thirties.” Her team must be thrilled.

    • sevenblue says:

      Doesn’t this show all this type of men care about if a woman tied herself to another man and brought children into the world as her womanly duty? I doubt this guy knows even the half of Taylor’s scandals. All he wants from her is to marry off preferably at a young age and start having children. Her successes or failures as a human being have no significance to him.

  48. lucy2 says:

    How about he lets his sisters and daughters do whatever the hell they want, without any unwanted input from him? No one cares what this guy thinks.

    If Taylor ever does get married and/or decide to have children, then the articles will be “How is she out touring, shouldn’t she be home with her husband/children, what a terrible wife and/or mother!”

    Because what guys like this really want is for all of us women to sit down and shut up.

  49. Pabena6 says:

    And now, if she and Travis do end up going the distance and having a family, this incel will take credit for it, just watch. “Oh, good, she listened to me.”

    • alaquaday says:

      Reading the latest pieces in People and Entertainment Tonight (which I believe are usually still publicists’ mouth-pieces) and looking at the PR story they’re trying to tell at the moment (the emphasis on the photo on her socials of her in a white dress, carried by him in a tux), I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t at least get engaged, maybe soonish, which makes this article particularly eye-rolling timing-wise.

      That said, I can’t imagine Kelce’s master-plan here is getting her barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen permanently, because he seems to understand he’s the support act and appears to be very, very comfortable with the role and perks of being Mr Taylor Swift.

  50. HopeSays says:

    Honestly, this guy makes me sick. How is it still a thing that any woman (rich, poor, white, black, whatever…) is expected to hitch her wagon and start a baby farm just because she is now in her 30’s. All people should aspires to the such an amazing (with qualifiers) influencer. F this guy, the horse he rode in on and the morons who published this nonsense.

  51. Wolfmamma says:

    Okay.. he’s not alone… There is a movement .. Hence “Trad wife “ et al.

    Let this misogyny inform you and thinking and coming together and…
    VOTE.

    This country is on the brink with this and other outdated thinking by ( mostly ) men.

    If it bothers you ~ let it empower you ~ as Taylor ( and many other strong women .. like Michelle Obama, Serena, ) have said.

  52. Megan says:

    Everyone look this little shit up online. He wrote for Epoch Times. This incel has laid good bait.

  53. Chichi says:

    The face really goes with the views. Some men are just so toxic the only way they can get in any sort of relationship is if the other person is a dependent (as opposed to a partner). The violence!!!
    Also had to delete his X, LMAO.

  54. Anonymous says:

    Lol, that’s ok – the Swifties will get him.

  55. Henny Penny says:

    Kaiser, you’re always such an incisive writer. I enjoy reading your take. Seeing this attitude spoken out loud that dating is somehow indicative of a woman’s poor moral character makes Elizabeth Taylor’s eight marriages make a lot more sense.

  56. bisynaptic says:

    LThis might sound like pearl-clutching preaching, but it’s a concern rooted in sound reasoning.”
    — LOL

  57. Oh come on. says:

    “This may sound like pearl-clutching”

    I don’t think it’s his pearls he’s clutching.

  58. Deering24 says:

    Simply put, trad bros, incels like this, and right-wingers are furious that Swift won’t be the pure-white-blonde face of the conservative movement. They are taking out her “betrayal” by slamming her. How dare she not want their protection from the “dark hordes…”