Dear Taylor Swift by Marie Cartier

February 5, 2024

Dear Taylor Swift-

Am I completely lost? I haven’t listened to your music –I mean NOT REALLY listened to it…that I totally know of–and now I see on the Grammys that you have won more best albums than anyone in history- can I be excused because I’m a writer?

I think you seem like a kick ass take no bullshit kind of woman, which I like… being one myself…but so are a lot of women in the music industry—which I am not…but listen, if you get far enough to have won the most best album Grammys of anyone ever then—girl you had to be kicking some serious ass…and…well…you had to be…we’ll talk about that. I mean, Beyonce.

 I mean I am so excited for your relationship – with the NFL player—Travis Kelce…again, I don’t watch football but I am on social media, I mean I’m not hopeless…I’m just as I said, a writer…and I’m happy for you and I think the bubbas who hate that you show up at football should take a back seat or no seat at all because hey! It looks like you are saving football by showing up as your diva self and… you know…you go girl!

Although that look he gave his coach and the yelling at the coach…the Swifites are all over that…you do need to be careful girl, but like I said I think you are kick-ass and know what you are doing…but so do so many women…but you have brought single-handedly—I mean with the Swifties, your fans, you have brought 331.5 million into the NFL–Report: How Much Monetary Value Taylor Swift Has Generated For NFL (msn.com)—that is a huge amount of money…bank…revenue… Taylor Swift Generating Huge Money For The NFL: REPORT (outkick.com)…why are these guys messing with you? It takes a woman to save all kinds of things and now you are saving football- who would guess?

I mean…I get it. You are a musician. I love how you said you were as happy getting the award, the Grammy I mean, the big one, best album, as you are for writing a song, blah-blah-blah rehearsing. And for going to Hong Kong or Tokyo to do a show. I mean! Grrl I’d love to go to Hong Kong or Tokyo all expenses paid…I mean it’s not exactly that for you since you are working…BUT. Off you go. Hong Kong. Tokyo.

However, to digress, I loved, for me, the best part of the Grammys was Tracy Chapman – see she was ours first, lesbian, she sang at Michigan women’s music festival in the late 80s…and she rocked the house, I mean night stage filled. 10,000 women…wow. I saw her in small venues where I was a few rows back and she is so shy. Women around us yelled, “Tracy, talk to us!” And Tracy smiled, and leaned into the mic and said, “Thank you,” and sang another song. So, to see her at the Grammys—getting here due—it was truly moving.

And let’s be honest it was her performance that broke the internet.

There she was playing with a bubba who gets her and I’ll tell you a black lesbian next to a white bubba singing together– the patriarchy does not want that.

They don’t want poor whites, white guys who would have more to gain from banding together with poor black guys than they get from idolizing white guys with golden toilets (do I need to name him? no) to figure out that class can connect you. You know—class matters. Where We Stand: Class Matters: Hooks, Bell: 9780415929134: Amazon.com: Books

The electoral college was designed to disenfranchise blacks and make whites think they have something blacks don’t—right, they’re white. Systematic racism—well, if you’re poor, you’re poor (I should know) …and coalition building can change things.

And…well Taylor I’m getting off track.

Let’s just say…so… whites and blacks connecting…well, that kind of thing might just disconnect systematic racism—you never know. (Except I kinda do know since I’m a gender studies professor. Unpacking the privilege backpack, etc. January 28, 2009 (nationalseedproject.org) I mean come on. Here Are 6 Things White People Say That Highlight Their Privilege And OMG I Hear These Allllll The Time (msn.com)

So, Taylor Swift I am listening to your music and I love how you are upending football expectations and okay you got all those best album Grammys.

You got my attention.

But I still wish, you know, they’d give it to Beyonce.

I mean- lemonade, anyone??

Kisses and all they very best-

Marie

–with thanks to the performance collective QUEERWISE