First of all, I am not a football fan, nor am I a Swiftie. The only one of her numerous songs that I could name is Shake It Off. I know people who spent a lot of money to see her perform and from what I heard, it was exhilarating and well worth the time, energy and funds to be there. Multi-generational audiences joined her on her Eras tour and came home with friendship bracelets that they traded with other audience members.
I am Philly born and NJ bred. The Eagles are our home team and once they were out of the running for the Super Bowl, I stopped checking the score of NFL games. Jason Kelce is our hometown hero and his brother Travis fills that same role in Kansas City. Together, they are a winning team. They have their own podcast called New Heights, and performed together on an album called A Philly Christmas Special. which raised funds for charities. They have a teasing, but most definitely mutually supportive sibling relationship. Evidence Jason stripping off his shirt, baring his chest and belly while swigging a beer after his little bro caught a touchdown pass. He had a wild night which included meeting his brother’s new sweetie.
This has been a whirlwind year for Taylor Swift and the man in her life, Travis Kelce. They have been together since last summer and she can be seen often at his games, cheering her heart out sometimes sitting next to his mother Donna. They are expressive of their love for each other. The camera pans in her direction at the discretion of the camera person. She wasn’t calling for attention, any more than Jack Nicholson does when he is at Lakers games. And yet…
These two are under scrutiny as their love story is unfolding in the public eye. Not easy under any circumstances, but made even more difficult by the less than flattering things said about them, her in particular. Some have included, that their relationship is not genuine, but contrived so she can get lots of attention (note Time Magazine Person of the Year) in order to, get this…on Superbowl Sunday that she is going to come out and endorse Joe Biden for President in the 2024 election. At her recommendation, another 30,000 new voters are on the rolls. The assumption is that since the majority are young, first time voters who are more likely to be Liberal, she has somehow done something unethical. As a citizen who votes, she is free to endorse whoever she chooses.
Right wing pundits contend that Swift is a government psyop planted by the powers that be on the Left to aid Democrats in winning the 2024 elections.
Swift was outspoken following the massacre at the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School that left 17 dead and at least 17 injured.
“No one should have to go to school in fear of gun violence,” Swift wrote on March 23, 2018. “Or to a nightclub. Or to a concert. Or to a movie theater. Or to their place of worship. I’ve made a donation to show my support for the students for the March For Our Lives campaign, for everyone affected by these tragedies, and to support gun reform.”
She donates generously to charities and gave huge bonuses to truck drivers who transported her equipment for the Eras tour.
Swift is living her best life, and need not answer to anyone for being outspoken and visible.
Kelce has been seen on tv ads, encouraging vaccines which puts him smack dab in the minds of conspiracy theorists.
I can’t help but wonder how these men are so intimidated by a powerful, successful woman and may have Swifties in their lives; their daughters, wives, partners and friends. How do they explain this irrational fear?
And what’s that I hear that the former president claims that he is “more popular than Taylor Swift.”?
I wish these two superstars of the heart, a long lifetime of love together.
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: Unsplash
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