Unpacking Affect in Taylor Swift’s Feminism

While affective feminism and Taylor Swift’s feminist engagement have been explored in various contexts, there remains a gap in scholarly research examining how Swift transitions affect into explicit feminist practice. This paper aims to investigate how Swift utilizes a range of emotions, from negative to positive, to express her feminist sentiments, while also examining the limitations of these expressions and possible complementary strategies from her fanbase. The first section of the paper employs a theoretical framework based on affective feminism by incorporating Chadwick’s (2021) concept of “discomfort” as a valuable epistemological tool in feminist practice to contextualize Swift’s political emergence in 2018. Building on Malatino’s (2021) critique of feminist coalitions and Doan’s (2001, 2021) discussions on intersectional challenges faced by transgender communities, intersectionality is applied as a framework to assess the inclusivity of Swift’s feminist stance. This intersectional approach also examines the potential for Swift’s fandom to evolve into a more transformative activist force. The methodology includes textual analysis of Swift’s social media posts, lyrics from selected songs, and her statement accompanying the petition for The Equality Act in 2019. Additionally, media analysis of the documentary Miss Americana and other media coverage of Swift’s feminist activities provides a broader context. The paper argues that: 1) Swift’s engagement with discomfort has driven her toward self-education in feminism and activism thus facilitating her shift from an apolitical figure to a vocal feminist advocate; 2) Her use of “we” and “all” narratives may inadvertently homogenize marginalized groups and render transgender people more invisible; and 3) To advance more inclusive and transformative feminist activism, collaboration between Swift, her team, and her fanbase is recommended to further develop Swift’s fandom activism as a civic and political force. Future research may consider exploring other artist-activists and diverse fan responses and employing quantitative methodologies to enhance understanding of the interaction between fandom and celebrity activism.