Taylor Swift has released a new album with a powerful song on double standards for women and why she’s tired of it.
After a well-deserved break, Taylor Swift is back once again to treat the world to her musical genius, and her first port of call is to do what she does best: call out inequality.
Her new album, titled Lover, was released today (23 August) and there’s one song in particular that people are raving about: ‘The Man’. Whether you love or loathe Swift’s music, you’ll be able to relate to her words.
“I’m so sick of running as fast as I can, wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man,” she sings in the chorus.
“And I’m so sick of them coming at me again. Cause if I was a man, then I’d be the man.”
In three minutes and 10 seconds, Swift manages to tackle some of the biggest double standards for women, including how if she was male, she wouldn’t have to defend her choice of clothing, partners or perhaps most importantly, her success.
“They’d say I hustled, put in the work,” the song goes.
“They wouldn’t shake their heads and question how much of this I deserve. What I was wearing, if I was rude, could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves.”
The album release comes just a few weeks after Swift took a swing at sexism and showed her support for 29-year-old singer Bebe Rexha, who was recently told she was “too old to be sexy” by a music executive.
“DRAG THEM,” she wrote, ”29 YEAR OLDS UNITE.”
In ‘The Man’, Swift doesn’t specifically reference ageism but does point out the misogynistic reality that women live with every day – of constantly being judged in a way that a man never would be.
Not only that, but Swift is angry. The entire song is a glorious middle finger to anyone who has ever called a woman a “bitch” for celebrating her accomplishments and spending her well-earned money.
“If I was out flashing my dollars, I’d be a bitch not a baller,” she sings.
“They’d paint me out to be bad. So, it’s okay that I’m mad.”
The message behind the song is clear; Swift is sick and tired of having to live by a different set of rules than her male counterparts.
We’re right there with her.
Image: Getty
Sign up for the latest news and must-read features from Stylist, so you don’t miss out on the conversation.
By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy
Thank you!
You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.