Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Taylor Swift told us shes straight.
She said as much toVoguelast year after releasing her rainbow flag of an album,Lover.
Rumors, however wildly flung, only furthered by Swifts own actions.
The subtle:a short, blue and pink manicure.
(Blue and pink are, notably, colors from the bisexual flag.)
The less-subtle: The wording Swift chose to announce her first single offLover ME!
featured Brendan Urie of Panic!
At the Disco, whocame out as pansexual in 2018.)
And then, a surprise performance at the Stonewall Inn.
Much ofLoverfelt like being trapped in a crowd of drunk, straight people during a Pride parade.
Her latest album,folklore, is a refreshing departure from all that.
Its a callback to some of her earliest work.
Its Breathe all over again.
James is a woman and Betty, the classmate she pines for the entire song, is too.
When James skateboards past Bettys house, she cant breathe.
Real, useful allyship is hard, even with the best intentions.
With betty, she does.
Its like a lyrical Mad Libs.
James can be you, if you want her (or him or them) to be.
In that read, Swifts still singing as James.
Shes donning a male persona, embodying him in a sort of musical drag.
It takesLovers The Man from hypothetical to very literal.
William Bowery, a songwriter nobody has ever heard of, has a credit on the track.
Theres some speculation that this is Swift herself, once again using a male pen name.
(Shespreviously writtenasNils Sjobergwhen she didnt want anyone to know it was her.)
A story about a father who wont let Juliet be with the person she loves.
A male name Romeo, James used as a cover story.
In Love Story, Swift sings and writes as Juliet.
Conspiracy theories about Swift still abound.
The whole album is in lowercase save for Bon Ivers name.
His initials spell … you know.
William Bowery is an anagram for wow Im really bi.
(The actual words are till her claws come out.)
(Allegedly, footage of the kiss had leaked.)
In reality, the two only hugged.
That is ABSOLUTELY false, Swift said of the rumor on Tumblr.
To be an ally is to understand the difference between advocating and baiting.
Anyone trying to twist this positivity into something it isnt needs to calm down.
Years later, Id listen to Delicate and Dress and find that same feeling.
Allyship is creating art where were just naturally part of the narrative.
Withfolklore, Swift finally gets it right.
