Taylor Swift is 23 years old and has had at least six high-profile romances that we know about; we can probably safely assume she’s had other paramours out of the public eye. Most of these relationships seem to last less than nine months or so, which I agree seems short; however, celebrity couples have crazy schedules that often keep them apart from each other and strain relationships. Considering that Taylor’s been famous since she was around age 16, is having six-plus boyfriends really that big of a deal? No, it is not — of course she’s a normal woman in her 20s playing the field. I’m quite certain that I had about as many boyfriends as Taylor Swift did by 23, plus a list of hookups a mile long. It’s called being young, experimenting, exploring, and having fun.
The problem is that Taylor Swift — being a celebrity who is open about her person life — does this in public. Only I don’t see that as a “problem.”
The patriarchy divides women into the “good” ones who keep their legs crossed, waiting for a man to scoop them up, and the “bad” ones who open their legs to as many men as they want. Female pop stars are this virgin/whore dichotomy writ large. Katy Perry and Rihanna are “sluts.” Miley Cyrus was a “virgin” until she started acting like a “slut.” Taylor Swift, with her pretty blonde hair, A-line dresses and cute matching purses, is supposed to be a “virgin” and now everyone is freaking out that she’s not playing by the script.