Bollywood CC #107 - Page 8

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Originally posted by: carisma2

U really do have a ting for her. Bless

😆

It has been a weird journey. Since I wanted to write you an essay in the celebrity crush thread.

Normal Swiftdom

'Love Story' made me a fan. It was the first pop song on the radio that reminded me of a Bollywood love song. Kanyegate sealed my support for her. I started liking all her songs on the radio because they reminded me of being a nineties kid growing up on Bollywood songs. All other Top 40 hits were meh. Some catchy, but meh, no feel ya know? But I was always a casual radio fan. Never bought a CD, and never attended concerts.

But if people asked what band/artist I like, I always said Taylor Swift. However, people always seemed shocked that I liked Taylor Swift. From 2013 to 2018, people thought I was joking or being sarcastic if I said I liked her music. I had to convince them. So I slowly started making being Swiftie more of my personality.

Most of my Swiftie friends are either POC or Queer. But the public notion of a Swiftie is always a cishet white woman. So I decided to make being a Swiftie my personality to amp up the presence of the POC and Queer Swifties.

Gaylorism

Everyone knows Taylor Swift as Miss Americana. The all-American good girl who dates many boys and then writes songs about them. Then Kissgate happened. You had to live under a rock in 2014 if you missed the tabloid and TMZ headlines and all the grainy photos and videos. Taylor couldn't have been any cooler. But I always dismissed it as a drunk straight girl being silly. I liked the idea of Kaylor but thought it was just two BFFs.

Then came folklore. Cottagecore lesbian was already a major vibe on TikTok and IG, and I was like, hmm, interesting album theme. And then LGBetty happened. Then came evermore. Gold Rush, Dorothea, Tis' the Damn Season, Cowboy Like Me, Ivy, Evermore....fvcking Emily Dickinson. It wasn't just me. Every lesbian in America adopted evermore as their anthem. But, it was all "fictional." Just writing songs like short stories.

Then Lavendargate happened. I finally dived into rabbit hole. The rabbit hole went back in time to 2005. I only knew Kaylor but discovered Taymily, Tayliz, Swiftgron, and more. I started hearing all the pronoun slip ups "she never loved me" and "I want her midnights." I started hearing all the questionable lyrics "I don't wanna keep secrets just to keep you" "I snuck in through the garden gate" "wear you like a necklace" "I'd kiss you when the lights went out" "Id' hold you when the water rushes in" "I don't want you like a best friend". I started seeing all the themes of secret and forbidden love, keeping relationships from friends, and religious undertones of sin and salvation - themes typically found in queer romances in the modern West. I don't know, and I don't care how Taylor sees herself. But her music and music definitely resonate with queer folks at a deeply personal level.

The Concert Addiction

I used to hate concerts. I still don't like them. I am an introvert and hate crowds. I avoid crowds like the plague. But one of my coworkers who knew I was a fan got me floor seats to Reputation at Soldier Field. I loved it so much that I went to Indianapolis in the fall to see it again. My friends and I watched the Netflix Reputation Special the night it dropped. The production value, the performance, the antics, mindblowing and worth every penny.

Eras was an ordeal. I didn't get a presale code. I didn't get tickets. I managed to get into the queue for Soldier field concert day drops and was checking out when it said seats were no longer available. Then another coworker came through and got me Minneapolis. It was incredible. The concert was incredible. I don't know how she does 44 songs each night. I don't know how she remembers two new surprise songs each night. There were times the floor was literally vibrating from all the jumping and screaming. The transition from Don't Blame Me to Look what you made me do and the entire performance of Vigilante Shit.

I now have tickets to see her in Sweden next May. I almost would have done Australia in Feb if I didn't fall asleep in the queue. I might still do LA next week if I snag last-minute tix.

--

PS: It's summer. It's the one time of the year when higher education employees have some free time. I don't have many summer travels - so putzing around. Soon it will be fall, and I won't have time for essays again.

I am now picturing RTH as an English professor and the swiftie-ness just goes well with that vibe 😆

https://twitter.com/nathanvarni/status/1686513769806168067?s=20

https://twitter.com/queersocialism/status/1686510348587675648?s=20

https://twitter.com/greg_jenner/status/1686465302593175552?s=20

https://twitter.com/PopeAwesomeXIII/status/1686190593834418176?s=20

😆

When birds are more thoughtful than humans ❤️

https://twitter.com/gunsnrosesgirl3/status/1686380026349133825?s=46&t=tZzRor5dLvRasXaXfa6jBw