Why Taylor Swift's 'Terrified' Father Opposed Her Taking a Political Stance
Taylor Swift is revealing the drama behind her decision to break her political silence and throw her support behind two Democratic candidates in her home state of Tennessee in late 2018.
According to Variety, the 30-year-old superstar is seen arguing with her dad, Scott, and members of her team in her upcoming Netflix documentary Taylor Swift: Miss Americana about the lengthy statement she posted on her social media accounts.
“I’ve read the entire [statement] and … right now, I’m terrified. I’m the guy that went out and bought armored cars,” Scott reportedly tells Swift in the documentary (premiering at the Sundance Film Festival) after an “unnamed associate” opposes the release of her impending political post.
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In Variety‘s latest cover story, Swift explains she understood where her father was coming from but that his concerns about her safety weren’t enough to dissuade her from making the potentially career-altering move.
“This was a situation where, from a humanity perspective, and from what my moral compass was telling me I needed to do, I knew was right, and I really didn’t care about repercussions,” she told the outlet. “My dad is terrified of threats against my safety and my life, and he has to see how many stalkers we deal with on a daily basis, and know that this is his kid. It’s where he comes from.”
A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Oct 7, 2018 at 4:33pm PDT
Critics have slammed Swift in the past for her silence, and now the singer isn’t shying away from admitting fear dictated her earlier decision to stay apolitical.
“I saw how one comment ended such a powerful reign, and it terrified me,” she says about watching the fierce backlash against the Dixie Chicks after Natalie Maines publicly criticized then-President George W. Bush.
“These days, with social media, people can be so mad about something one day and then forget what they were mad about a couple weeks later. That’s fake outrage,” says Swift. “But what happened to the Dixie Chicks was real outrage. I registered it — that you’re always one comment away from being done being able to make music.”
But now Swift is no longer afraid to stand up for others — and herself — as she continues to advocate for those who may not have the platform she holds.
Says the entertainer: “When you’re saying that certain people can be kicked out of a restaurant because of who they love or how they identify, and these are actual politics that certain politicians vocally stand behind, and they disguise them as family values, that is sinister. So, so dark.”
