On Tuesday, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got engaged and broke the internet. Swift is the biggest pop star in the world. It makes sense that many in the general public would be interested in the personal life of a singer-songwriter who often talks about love. But the level to which people are preoccupied with her relationship decisions is extreme.
Swift has been the subject of politically motivated derision for quite a while. After being silent about her political leanings for years, she eventually let it be known that she supports Democrats. This was hardly surprising. Add to that some harsh words from President Donald Trump over the years, and Swift has become a target. (Trump had some nice things to say about the couple upon hearing of the engagement.) But the disdain is nonsense. Despite warnings of an expected Taylor Swift effect, she was never going to, and clearly did not, sway the 2024 election in favor of the Democrats.
This curious outrage at her engagement to Kelce seems to center on her age. She is a 35-year-old woman who is one of the most successful people on the planet. Clearly, her career has been the focus for many years. During an era when marriage and fertility rates are low, Swift’s engagement is being treated by some as occurring too late in life. Online, there are comments about any future pregnancy being considered a “geriatric pregnancy” due to her age. On his show, Charlie Kirk even said, “This is something I hope will make Taylor Swift more conservative. … Submit to your husband, Taylor. You’re not in charge.”
This preoccupation with making a mid-30s female the poster-woman for all things marriage, family, and tradition is odd, to say the least. Taylor Swift is a constant presence in the media and music. But she’s also not the reason for or solution to these societal ills. Her engagement isn’t going to increase marriage or fertility rates. And I doubt it’s going to make her a conservative. People, and definitely her mostly female fans, love the idea of love. And seeing Taylor Swift finally get that ring is a secondhand thrill for them.
Swift is an extremely talented artist who hasn’t really harmed anything. She is unbelievably wealthy, well known, and makes pop music that appeals to a female demographic. If you compare her to other musical acts, she could actually be considered a role model. She doesn’t get in trouble with the law or abuse drugs or alcohol. She doesn’t write sexually suggestive lyrics. For all her fame, she seems like a relatively well-adjusted young woman.
The desire to have the biggest pop star in the world represent or be the spokesperson for a traditional worldview is foolish at best. So too is the tendency to shame Swift for her relationship choices. Marriage is important and should be encouraged. But this doesn’t mean it should be rushed. One should wisely choose a life partner. Otherwise, divorce is a real possibility. Having children should also be encouraged. But this doesn’t mean fertility journeys are easy for anyone. Acting as if Swift’s engagement is bad because of her age or because she’s been career-focused is more a desire to find a villain among celebrities than it is discovering a real problem.
HERE’S WHY WE SHOULD HOPE FOR SOME SWIFT-KELCE BABIES
There is sure to be as much of a focus on Swift’s wedding, marriage, and any family plans as there has been on her previous chapters. Her supporters and detractors will find things to applaud rapturously or criticize severely. But at the end of the day, Swift’s personal choices are just kind of regular. She just happens to make them while being in the spotlight, with a catalogue of love songs, and a reported net worth north of $1 billion. Take all that extra away, and getting engaged at 35 is not anything outrageous.
The best reaction to the Swift and Kelce engagement news is to hope they’ll have a long, happy life together. There are far too many celebrities who are on their second, third, or even fourth marriages. Traditional conservatives won’t win over any converts by treating Swift as some horrifying third-wave feminist creation. The first mistake was expecting a pop star to be a Republican. The second was getting upset at her for things that are actually just normal and fine.
Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog and a contributing freelance columnist at the Freemen News-Letter. She is a mother of two and lives in the southern United States.