2023 was, within the mainstream and according to Time magazine, the year of Taylor Swift. In the span of one year, she re-released two records, went on a sold-out stadium tour, and released a film. As a result of all this, her fanbase grew immensely, and she became one of the most talked-about people in the public eye. This led to both positive and negative press. Most notably, her relationship with Travis Kelce and her presence at Kansas City Chiefs games, led to lots of criticism. I spoke with Ms. Delaney, the Head of Xavier House and a self-proclaimed Swiftie, on these criticisms and how they can be teaching moments for us all. 

Now, some background on Taylor Swift’s involvement with Travis Kelce and the NFL. For months, it seemed Kelce was desperately trying to catch Swift’s attention, going to her concerts and speaking publicly about his interest in her. Then, Taylor began making appearances at his games, accompanied by family members and friends. Over the course of the next few months, the two were seen together numerous times, and Swift frequented games. Ms. Delaney describes watching this as “pure FUN,” and delights in seeing the star “out with Brittany Mahomes, or experimenting with new looks.” Ultimately, The Chiefs went on to win the Swift-attended Super Bowl, but not before Taylor Swift became the victim of intense vitriol. 

This hatred started, seemingly, from the moment she was on screen. Swift was “taking screentime from the game,” “making the chiefs worse,” and “ruining football,” according to some fans of the sport. To these people, she served as a scapegoat for their discomfort, surrounding strong women establishing themselves in traditionally male-dominated spaces. At the end of the day, Taylor Swift benefitted football immensely. She was on screen for an average of 35 seconds per game, and generated $331.5 million for the NFL. 

This situation, while many could just brush it off, serves as an opportunity to self-reflect, and resolve to do better. You might be asking yourself, “How can I do anything in this situation?”, when, in reality, the male-dominated NFL can be seen as something of a parallel to BC High. In relation to our school, Ms. Delaney sees it as “so important to have women in these communities” and to “grant [them] the same respect as male faculty members.” She would like to see us call our peers “in” rather than out, by not only asking them to do better, but also showing them how to. 

I would encourage you to listen to Taylor Swift’s music if you haven’t already. She truly has something for everyone, and is a phenomenal performer! Max Achab and Michael Carroll just recently started “BC High (Taylor’s Version),” a club dedicated to the singer, which is a great time! Ultimately, this whole situation is a great opportunity to do better and create more welcoming, accepting communities both at BC High, and beyond.