Lauren Heseltine, contributor

As someone who wouldn’t consider themself a “Swiftie”— like many of Taylor’s fans refer to themselves— I’ve realized that I have a considerably more neutral viewpoint on her than most people who are in the popstar space online. In an era where female pop stars are at an all-time high, many of them are under constant scrutiny. I find that it is an appropriate question to ask if being a feminist and being a billionaire can be two true statements that coexist at the same time. 

Taylor Swift has risen from a small country-esque artist to a global pop star in the 20 years since her 2006 debut. From her debut album “Taylor Swift” to her most recent album “The Life of a Showgirl,” she has displayed considerable talent in many people’s eyes, including my own. 

Growing up, I was a big fan of Swift and her music, even attending her “Reputation” album tour in the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. However, as I’ve gotten older and my tastes in music have changed and matured with me, I’ve started to look at Swift in a different light. This has made me want to find the answer to my question of if Swift is both a feminist and a billionaire, is it ethical?

Billionaires have always been criticized for their extreme amounts of wealth, but people seem to be very divided on whether this applies to Swift or not. Personally, I have always believed that you cannot be an ethical billionaire, no matter how they earn their money. Regardless of whether it’s based on work or inheritance, they are still exploiting people along the way to the top of the money ladder.

While the majority of Taylor’s money comes directly from her music and concerts, her merchandise is made in Honduras, Egypt, and China, which are countries that are known to use child labor in their production of products. On the other hand, Taylor has been a philanthropist who donates money to a variety of charities and causes: Stand Up 2 Cancer, African Parks Foundation of America, the NYC Schools system, etc.

With her being a billionaire, is Swift still a feminist? She has publicly declared herself to be a “feminist” in 2014, stating that she believes men and women should have the same rights and opportunities. However, multiple of her own songs have lyrics that directly disparage other women, while in others she lifts women up, encouraging them to stand up for themselves and not fall for sexist ideals in our modern world.

I enjoy listening to Swift’s music in a casual way and often find myself listening to her songs that have themes of tearing down the patriarchy and abandoning misogynistic beliefs. This has felt conflicting for me in recent years as Swift’s wealth has grown exponentially after her Eras Tour. While I enjoy her music, I directly disagree with billionaires being ethical in a time where so many people are living in poverty and struggling to afford the most basic of necessities. This brings into question how she can identify with feminism while also being a billionaire. 

For me, this question is unanswerable in a general sense as every person has their own perspective on what feminism is and if billionaires are people we should be supporting. All in all, I believe that Swift can be a feminist and a billionaire at the same time but being the latter is unethical, no matter how you spin it.