For someone who thinks about every word she sings and writes, you would think she would realize a phrase from the new record is going to set off all kinds of conspiracy theories about grooming.

Taylor Swift

Lavender Haze

Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ album release prompts more Tay-spiracies on social media

A group of Taylor Swift fans have flooded social media to dissect yet another theory about the artist that suggests one of her songs on the “Midnights” album is “queerbait.” But some experts say the accusations are just part of the larger fan fervor surrounding celebrities, which at times can go too far.

“Queerbaiting” is when straight people allude to being LGBTQ for their own gain without actually being members of the community. Speculation surrounding Swift’s sexuality has been on the internet since as early as 2012, but it wasn’t until her 2019 album, “Lover,” that social media erupted over a theory that she might be part of the LGBTQ community. The album included the allyship anthem “You Need to Calm Down,” which featured supportive lyrics like “’Cause shade never made anybody less gay” and a music video with cameos by drag queens and queer celebrities. After the song’s release, the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD said it received an “influx” of donations.

The online obsession of some fans only intensified after the release of her albums “Folklore” and “Evermore” in 2020. Fans specifically honed in on the song “betty.”

Swift, who said she was “not a part of” the LGBTQ community in 2019, has been with her current partner, English actor Joe Alwyn, for six years. She also dated actor Tom Hiddleston, DJ Calvin Harris and performer Harry Styles.

Bogus fan theories have long been a part of stan culture — the fanbases that are ready to defend their favorite celebrities. But the mobilization around stars can sometimes cross the line, especially with the rise of subcommunities such as SwiftTok or r/GaylorSwift, a now private subreddit discussing theories around Swift’s sexuality. On TikTok, the hashtag “Gaylor” has more than 264 million views; the term refers to Swift fans who subscribe to the theory that she is queer. Some “Swifties,” or fans of Swift, have become convinced that she is either bisexual or a lesbian. – Source

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