In 2008, I attended a Taylor Swift concert. As I walked to my seat it was impossible to ignore the excitement on all the little girls’ faces who were there to watch their idol. As she came on stage, the girls jumped up and down and sang along to every word. It was contagious. Even I felt like I was 10 years old again. While watching, I couldn’t help but think that Taylor Swift is (so far) a great role model for these young girls. I wondered if that would change. Would she fall into the mentality of “sex sells” as too many before her have? Fortunately, almost 10 years later, I am glad to say that she has stayed true to herself and her fans. For that, I say Thank You Taylor Swift.
As I watched the show, I had no idea that I would shortly find out that I was pregnant with my own little girl. Now my daughter is almost 9, and she loves Taylor Swift too. She loves her so much that she did her second grade book report on her. As part of the assignment, she dressed up like her idol. That morning, my sweet girl was a bundle of nerves. She dressed quickly, making sure to leave time for hair, makeup, and – of course – pictures. As we drove to school, the excitement beamed from her face. It was obvious that she was ready to conquer her presentation.
Although my daughter adores her, she doesn’t realize why Taylor Swift is such a great role model. She doesn’t notice that Taylor Swift dresses rather modestly or that she is a strong business woman. She doesn’t understand the meaning of some songs, such as Fifteen – even though every time I hear it I pray that she’s not like “Abigail”. I want my sweet girl to keep her innocence forever, but I know that I can’t keep everything from her for too much longer. After all, we live in an overly sexualized world where even TV commercials allude to sex. But, one day she will understand. When this time comes, I hope she stands up for herself. If someone touches her against her will, I want her to show the same strength that Taylor did in her recent court case.
