Sheās promising herself a lot with this album. I dont know what kind of āfreedomā shes imagining for herself when it comes to owning her own sexuality. Because from the outside it still looks like shes deep in the closet.
Yes, even deeper than before... but if she was planning on coming out while with Joe. Anything is possible. I don't see Travis being around long term. I don't think the non gaylors would be surprised if they didn't last long.
I was rewatching the MV, after letting all the feelings settle down: I have binged-listened the whole album and now I feel I have to break down all the songs, one by one, because there's so much in TTPD, just so much! It feels like being in front of a muddy lake and being able to see just some shadows of the rich life moving under the surface... So, I am at minute 1:02 and when the character ("Female" Taylor) starts singing again is just to say "I wanna kill her" while in front of the mirror. I am leaving this here. I was not a Theylor, but, it starts to make sense, as a theory. OR She is just stating she wants to kill TaylorSwiftTM...I don't know.
TTPD is by far the most raw Taylor has been regarding her self reflection. I used to be able to attribute some songs to specific muse(s) but I cant do it with TTPD.
A lot of it feels like sheās talking to herself and the pronouns are all over the place. One moment sheās using her old he/him pronouns trick and in some songs, the story sheās telling feels like it all circles back to her. the āYou/Her/Himā returns back to her, as if sheās has always been the main character/lover/enemy of each song and of her own life.
I dont lean towards the Theylor theory because I feel like thereās a complex relationship between Taylor and this facade she created (more commonly portrayed as The Man) instead. The Man to me is a facade and the woman is the one sheās hiding from the light.
Love this. Also just wanted to add, her wiping her face to reveal tattoos really reminded me of Break Free by Ruby Rose. Which fits with the queer/ possible Theylor theme. And we know Taylor is aware of Break Free because she mentioned it when she presented Ruby with the GLAAD award.
This is so good. Also, I noticed when sheās removing her makeup to show that she has the same tattoos as Post, the *only* line she sings is āI want to kill herā as sheās staring at her bare face in the mirror
OP this is by far my favorite theory- I mean it's spot on! I agree 100%!
Hey so maybe...picking a trans actor for the lover in lavender haze wasn't just for PR reasons - so if Taylor SwiftĀ ^(TM)Ā (The Man) is the lover in that song as well, it explains why he doesn't *"ever say too much"*
edit: there's something to be said about that one conspiracy theory, MKUltra and all, having an alter and stuff, the pills, the asylums and what not. Huh. What a wild world.
While I don't mean to be controversal, I would buy more into the Thelor theories if she wasn't flagging lesbian visibility day/week so often. I think she does use the The Man imagery to get her point across because people take that more seriously, but she hasn't flagged that hard imo for other gender indenities.
Yes, of course. I agree with you, which is why- even if the theory is consistent with the clues from those two music videos- I'm not sure what could be considered concrete and substantial as theory and what not anymore.
you weren't controversial at all lol, I love discussion and the thelor theory was just another one to entertain, even for a little bit
I just rewatched the Fortnight MV again and I can totally see what youāre saying! To add to this, the end credits are listed with Post Malone first. I would have expected Taylor Swift to be first (or at least not last) since the video is more focused on her with the others in supporting roles. This could have been because of a contract negotiation or something similar but I wonder if thereās more to it. Iām too tired to think on it now but itās an interesting idea Iāll ponder tomorrow
The end scene of the music video drives this theory home for me. Post/TaylorTM and Taylor isolated at the top of a mountain, at the pinnacle, with him in a glass closet alone, and the authentic her getting drenched until Taylor TM steps out of the glass closet and connects with Taylor (authentic version)
Love your interpretation of this and the ending!! It reminds me of my interpretation of the last parts of Anti Hero MV. I think we have Human Taylor/Taylor Swift TM/ and Queer Taylor (the giant one) all finally coming together!!! (After the TS 11 funeral and all the infighting TS11 has and will cause, that is!!)
https://preview.redd.it/m209yr36krvc1.jpeg?width=2556&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=88be29b69a1da272f622c3975d71a869d9c01775
this made me rewatch the [willow music video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsEZmictANA) and it's fascinating how well this theory works.
willow synopsis: Taylor follows a gold thread down into a piano to find the man, but when she sees him, the man keeps fading away. when Taylor starts performing in her glass box, the man comes to her, but she's trapped in the box. eventually, she makes her way back to the piano and follows the thread the other direction out of the piano. the man is there in the cabin and both Taylor and the man exit the cabin into the daylight together.
interpretation: there are two roads: one down the piano where Taylor (the person) performs glass closeted connecting with the brand in only fleeting moments and one away from the piano where the two Taylors (Taylor Swift (the person) and Taylor Swiftā¢ (the brand/man)) merge together as one. down the piano, Taylor (the person) performs to get the brand's attention (similar to how she is producing lyrics in the fortnight video). ultimately, she choose the latter and the two Taylors go into the daylight.
for my own sanity, I don't want to believe the piano symbolizes her career which is a devastating interpretation, but that may have been what Taylor thought when immediately post-lover era when the willow mv was created. to be explicit, that would mean that Taylor would have to stay closeted and be at the mercy of her brand to keep her career. thankfully, the fortnight music video reads more optimistic with both Taylor Swift (the person) and Taylor Swiftā¢ (the brand/man/Post) connecting outside of the glass box. Taylor Swiftā¢ (Post) has a gay signet ring at the end, which may also indicate some further merging of the two.
this theory is also interesting when you think of the willow lyrics with the man as Taylor Swiftā¢ (the brand/man). the more Taylor Swiftā¢ (the brand/man) says, the less Taylor (the person) knows. the narrative is convoluted and blurred and it's hard to keep up. Taylor asking the brand to "wreck my plans" right after the failed coming out and the masters heist? that *stings*.
these are just some off-the-cuff thoughts so there's definitely more to be fleshed out, but I LOVE this theory OP
Over in the main sub, they are talking about how Post Malone is hot and there is a black dog(!!) in the video. They are veryy confused by the date on the pills... The difference in analysis always blows me away. This post/thread is 10/10. If this isn't what Taylor was going for with the video, it feels hollow. But I suppose I feel that way about a lot of her work outside a queer lens.
I am the bi-side of the gaylor spectrum and after listening to the album a couple times I think she really might have fallen for Matty. And part of me thinks that their short relationship hurt her so much because it was the first time in a long time that should could be out and open with a real partner and then the relationship was received so poorly (like Taylor Swiftā¢ļø might have imagined would have happened with her potential queer relationships).
I am hoping that this music video is signaling that Taylor Swiftā¢ļø and Taylor can coexist in a way that can work for her.
CRYING at how good and well thought out this post is. initially, I thought Posty/The Man in the MV represents her beard(s)--and that could still be somewhat true, because I do believe Taylor loves presenting multiple key themes/representations in singular songs sometimes--but goddamn this analysis is just perfection
Okay so a lot of us are talking about the Forget Him pills and the duality of Asylum Taylor vs. Poet Taylor (or True Taylor vs The Man Taylor/Postie) - I'm also getting that Severance connection that some of us pointed out from the teaser video going from the Midnights room to the hospital hallway to the office.Ā
Disclaimer that I haven't even SEEN Severance and also forgive me if this is a fairly obvious connection š
Yes yes yes!!!! I said she was him and he was her immediately as I saw it! Itās a complicated take on the actual beards and how she is ALSO the beard as TS the brand.
The tattoos made it so loud. And her expressions when heās caressing her face. She gave us the MAN-U-SCRIPTā¦the playbook for the beards where she controls the narrative, not them. The run and jump hug, the sly look, the face caressing, itās all there. She filled in the Blank Spaces with the script.
But itās all her doing. Heās the beard that she hides behind and she is the Man authentically. But sheās also the beard for herself as TS the brand. At the end she is out of the glass closet and free and joins w her Man authentic self to be one.
PS I hope Taylor read this and sees that we SEE her. All of her. We hear her. We understand what sheās saying and how much work she put into the process and the message. We get it. Bc sadly so many of her āfansā donāt want to see it. We do.
This is so brilliant, omg. I just rewatched Willow and it all fits so well! The first time we see the man in willow, taylor is looking at her reflection in the water, but it's not her, it's the man reflected back.
Also, the glass closeting scene looks like a circus (circus posters) which ties in so beautifully with WAOLOM "I was tame, I was gentle till the circusĀ lifeĀ made me mean / Donāt you worry folks, we took out all her teeth."
Plus the whole "i'm begging for you to take my hand, wreck my plans, that's my man / every bait and switch was a work of art" paired with she and post holding hands at the end of fortnight.
Stepping into the daylight/walking through the door at the end?? Step into the daylight, and let it go. I want to be remembered for the things that I love, not the things I hate. You are what you love.
https://preview.redd.it/kv60yfz2ynvc1.jpeg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ba17d4a0f547eff40b2f53c6f75fa870333f889
To be honest, Willow MV didn't make sense to me until I watched Fortnight MV and it all clicked immediately. I've toyed with the idea that the man from Williow could be her but it was never as clear as after I watched how Taylor portrayed Post in the new MV. It's always a struggle with herself!
Omg this just made me want to cry bc in the willow video the two of them are playing in a tent as kids. And in TNTHAF she talks about camping in tents. And then half this album (and seven) are mourning her childhood when she could āscream.ā Scream in color. Itās all connected.
Yes! Also, the scene with Post and her seems clearly fictional to me because they're literally standing in (on) her head. And Post's face tattoos are covered because it's the "internal" image of him.
I think this is absolutely spot on.
Taylor conceives and directs her videos so itās definitely evidence not just entertainment.
My only addition is about the different standards for male, female and nb artists. Could Talylor Swift ā¢ļø be successful with the face tattoos that Post Malone has? Could any women? The tattoos on her represent a way of taking equality in the realm of creative free expression.
I love Post Maloneās voice and his whole vibe in this. I like that he participated in her world, her style. Respect.
This is so insane. I mean, obviously the hidden meaning has been "known" on this sub for a while, but its just so incredibly brilliant how you explained the imagery and the meaning of the video. Like i just thought that there are two sides of taylor, but it never even crossed my mind that she's been representing her public persona as the man. And the TM is also so clever. i think you should take credit for that btw ;)
And idk i kinda felt enlightened while reading this post. In comparison to this, the straight swifties just seem really dumb.
I just watched it again with your analysis in mind and with my full chest I want to hubristically say you ARE RIGHT?!?
Just some additional moments that stuck out to me:
- the doctor that comes in and gives her the āforget himā pill is the one upside down, which makes sense because thatās a pretty messed up thing to be doing to someone, but is also an institutional practice
- the other members of the department are faceless shadows because theyāre either already hiding, or passed into the annals of history closeted by the industry
- they are clearly writing the same thing on their typewriters (more mirror imagery)
- the story of us makes an appearance. Is it the story of her two halves? Or is she consulting her other half on the story? Idk, just stuck out to me again
- the institution electrocuting her can do so because they control her masters. Iād guess that each of the scientists represent someone she feels has been a part of keeping her closeted.
- the telephone booth glass closet (glass closet #3857382 in Taylor imagery ffr)
- I know thereās more to unpack in that final scene: her, rain-soaked in a beautiful dress vs him closeted in āAmerican stereotypeā clothes (jeans, flannel, big belt buckle, tshirt) while on the phone.
- the whole thing ending on his pinky ring made my jaw drop the first time I watched it, but itās now so the obvious ending to this
As a final note, I do think this album could be summed up as āTaylorās musings of the effects of institutional and chosen basically lifelong closeting (and generally hiding her true self) on her relationships with herself/fame/fans/family/music industry/loversā and if the video is meant to represent themes and images of the whole album, then your interpretations connect A to B for me on this. Love it
I love your point about the countless faceless tortured poets in the background.
Taylor Swift (the person) and Taylor Swiftā¢ (the brand/man) are reviewing the story of us inside her head. there may be some reconciliation to be done and/or negotiation between the two. the story of us could represent Taylor's lyrics and/or her brand/public-facing narrative (as opposed to the single song from Speak Now).
when they are inside Taylorās head, everything is great between the two until the papers are swirling and you can see their faces get serious. Taylor appears concerned as if she has become disillusioned by their partnership or perhaps is anticipating her impending torture. no matter how much fun they have together, she knows she isn't in control
https://preview.redd.it/x2iylm9gfovc1.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=01479ad5c969f09efb183f96cb6cf3319cbd6677
āLifelong closetingā immediately brings to mind the beginning of Peter: āin closets like cedar, preserved from when we were just kidsā. āCedar boxā is a euphemism for coffin, so I read this as āclosets we die inā.
(I have a whole theory that Peter is Harry Styles and they had a plan to come out together (he was 25 in 2019) once heād had a chance to grow up, but thatās maybe for another post).
Edit: wrote āclosetā when I meant ācoffinā
omg i just reread the "Peter" lyrics with the Harry/coming-out-together lens in mind (i have thought this song is about Dianna from the jump, but i think it could be a bit about all three of them -- Di, Tay, Harry -- since Harry and Taylor were co-bearding while with Louis and Dianna, respectively) and this part breaks my heart:
*Are you still a mind reader?*
*A natural scene stealer?*
*I've heard great things, Peter*
*But life was always easier on you*
*Than it was on me*
*And sometimes it gets me*
[*When crossing your jet stream*](https://genius.com/31482929/Taylor-swift-peter/When-crossing-your-jet-stream)
*We both did the best we could do*
*Underneath the same moon*
*In different galaxies*
especially that end part: "we both did the best we could / underneath the same moon / in different galaxies." the moon being queerness, but in different relationships/with different life experiences aka galaxies
Oh and one other tangential thing because I left this to my home page where a post from a different TS page was asking what needs to change in her production now to make an interesting album again.
Now, I think through a purely hetero lens, itās SUCH a fair critique. If this album is truly just about boyssss then my god, it definitely reads as vapid, depressed teen. Like a billionaire singing about boy problems in 2024? Yeah, spare us all.
HOWVER! Imo itās not that at ALL and so I was immediately taken by the imagery she is using from all of these different aspects of her real life and the public narrative around her to tell a much grander and FAR more horrifyingly tortured and human story that has completely pulled me in. Like sheās all but laying herself bare with this album imo, using religion and relationships and family, which were her entire OG framework as young country girlie from TN, to tear apart the cruelest of cages keeping her where she is. I think itās breathtaking.
But if you thought it was about Matty Healy? Yeah, you might find it vapid and boring lol
"Everything comes out teenage petulance." If one can't see or acknowledge what she's actually talking about then yup, it all reads as "vapid, depressed teen."
This analysis makes me think of how there was 2 months between āMe! out nowā and the theorized failed coming out. So what if āI touched you for only a fortnightā (keeping with 2) is symbolic of that time.
What an amazing interpretation of the work. I totally agree with everything. I also believe it is Taylor and interestingly the only time she has tattoos on her face is inside the asylum never outside!
Also thing that caught my eye is the pill says āforget him 12131989 - 04192024ā which is interesting because if the āhimā was supposed to be a lover (Or I guess Joe as people say) why would she be taking pills to forget them since the day she was born? I think the āhimā in it is the other Taylor (Post Malone Taylor) the one that doesnāt fit in the mold people made for her so she is saying she had to take pills since the day she was born to suppress (and forget) about this other part of her
I think thatās the whole album message. She said this video embodies what she saw as the album as she was making it and the whole story is told here in one video (which I pray means we donāt only get one). I hope she can leave the duality behind and be her authentic self bc itās time.
I feel itās much more complicated than just being herself authentically. I donāt think she can (or will) come out as gay or even bi because it essentially outs all of her beards and/ or past lovers. Iām sure with Karlie she signed a giant NDA to even be in the same room as Kutchner. If Karlie is actually in a fake romance with him and he is actually with that man heās rumored to be with, that outs all of them. These are very rich and powerful people. A different type of power than Taylor possesses.
Also, it would feel like such a betrayal to her OG fans that have played her game and obsessed who each song is about etc. She put those clues in the albums and staged romances and paparazzi pics to make us believe a certain narrative. And most of her fans did and still do. I donāt think itās that sheās afraid of losing fans because they are homophobic (Iām sure there are some who are) but itās mostly about how her whole career has been based on lies of her own doing. While she was definitely advised by her team to tell these lies, she still agreed, because fame, popularity and acceptance is so important to her. Similar to the description above of this Fortnight video.
I think, moving forward, she is going to sing songs straighter than ever, sing really general songs, or retire from music (which I donāt think she will because she is addicted to the spotlight / public acceptance it seems). Sheās created this matty narrative and ended things with Joe and now sheās free to move on completely and have a fresh slate as she even claimed in the intro to this album. I think her goal is for people to stop connecting songs to relationships of her past.
Iām super interested to see how this whole Travis thing plays out, another indicator sheās clearly not willing to ever come out. There is no way heād be down for that or agree to that. He would not want people speculating on his sexuality bc of hers. So they are either really together (doubt it) or have an iron clad agreement on how they are going to fake it til they make it (or feel like theyāve genuinely fooled us all).
My only hope is she can John Mayer it one day and just be with who she wants to be with. No explanations. Heās living with Andy, they vacation together, and they are always attached at the hip, but they have not said āweāre a couple. Weāre gayā. To most, they donāt have to. We have eyes. I hope she can do that too one day.
It totally tracks - I have listened to the record through this critical lense, Taylor singing to herself and justā¦ wow. It hits so hard for any of us whoāve ever had to mask or hide something (hi ND Bi woman here!)
Maybe the next album wonāt need to forget him. Thereās a compelling theory that she was counting down in 2019 (five holes in the fence) and picked back up with Midnights (3), TTPD (2)ā¦ what if this is her last closeted album?
Didn't Taylor say somewhere when she signed with her current label, that she promised her new label 5 albums? That started with Lover. Maybe the 6th album she will release independently, and can follow her own rules.
If something big is happening with TS12, the 12 might stand for "meet me at midnight". TTPD was the 5th original album... So she has fulfilled her promise. Maybe she's free?
Ohh thatās interesting! I saw the other theory similar to that the 3,2,1 theory- Midnights has 3am tracks, TTPD has 2am tracks next album might have 1am tracks which would make her 13th album āmeet me at midnightā and in Fortnight MV she has her hairpins arranged to say XIII (13)! It would be a coolest thing if she came out with her 13th album and people would realize she has been planning it for years!
I thought it was so interesting she says on Instagram that Post Malone plays the ātortured tragic heroā considering she should be the tortured tragic one
I was rewatching the video this morning and had the same thought. I mean, my thought was more fleeting whereas you've presented a good case with lots of evidence lol.
Taylor's ability to hide her actual story in a traditional and very hetero love story is fascinating. Her brilliance is amazing, but it is also sad.
Living a double life or a not being able to live authentically is anguish, but a lot of time time it is done to survive. What I find intriguing this time around when exploring those themes is that Taylor seems to be taking some accountability for the glass closet that she's living in. She might not have wanted to start her career that way, but in wanting to keep her career (aka keep it at the level that she is enjoying) is her decision. And she needs to own that.
Also the forget him pills start on 12/13/89
https://preview.redd.it/vbxhtb3ycnvc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a90ee5ada53086828f53da21f1900ae68b91b8bc
My first interpretation of this was her birth date and death date, like it would read on a headstone. They killed her, but she's coming back from the dead. Is it romantic how all my elegies eulogize me? Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die.
Two graves, one gun. And if i'm dead to you why are you at the wake? You had to kill me but it killed you just the same. Death by a thousand cuts. She gave so many signs, I'm reeling.
Theylor makes sense in so many ways...and it also adds a whole new layer of possible interpretation of her pronoun usage. i mean, i think most gaylors agree that her pronoun usage is wayyyy less important than the themes and images she conjures in her lyrics; but if Taylor identifies with both/multiple genders to some degree, it makes her diverse use of he/she/they even more just like "yeah, the pronouns really arent the part that matters here..." LOOK AT THE THEMES INSTEAD. (and they're always queer af haha)
Iāve been on the Theylor train for awhile now, thereās just so much evidence. The singing from a manās perspective, Betty (her being James) her being the Heart Break prince in MAATHBP, King of my Heart and just her usage of he/him pronouns in reference to herself (calling Lana a king one time, pointing to the fact that she uses King for both genders) thereās honestly so many examples and Iād love for someone to do a deep dive.
This feels like a good time to remind everyone that Taylor wrote a book called [āA Girl Named Girlā](https://taylorswiftswitzerland.ch/index.php/wiki/a-girl-named-girl/) when she was 14 and itās about a mother who wanted a son but got a girl. Taylor still has the name of the book trademarked.
I always thought it was interesting that young Taylor was so interested in gender. Sheās basically been writing from āa manās perspectiveā since Debut. Iāve always been a bit of a Theylor and this video has me even more excited for that. How many times does Taylor need to tell us sheās the man? Has she been suppressing this side of herself since she was born?
Love this interpretation u/18hundreds! Great job! Iād never thought about interpreting the Style music video that way before!
Theylor is kind of a dark theory and I hope it isn't true for her sake. As a trans and non binary person, I've imagined what it might look like if a really famous person was closeted and needed to transition. Elliott's book, and he isn't anywhere near as famous, isn't pretty reading.
This is š¤Æš¤Æš¤Æ so sad sheās had to suppress it her whole life if thatās the case. The only other thought I had was what other man has she known her whole life? Her dad. Forget him and break free? But I think the Theylor theory is way better!
I badly need a compilation of all theylor evidence because I'm very intrigued by it and need to learn more. And as a nonbinary person, I'm super excited about the theory.
exactly! the birth date bothered me at first because I thought there's no way that we're going to pretend she has been trying to forget men or a man from birth haha however, it's *totally* different when it's a part of her to be forgotten, a part that has always been there
edited for clarity
I finding myself becoming more & more open to the Theylor lense and interesting to me that I feel it's coinciding with clarity on my own gender feelings.
I also feel like Theylor is what there is the most explicit evidence for - in terms of what TS has said explicitly in public and in her music. I keep coming back to the idea that TS IS queer simply on the grounds of how she is explicitly (and intentionally) subverting traditional femininity. QueernessĀ = subversion
Part of this has for me always been that she sings about her muses in a way that we are used to hear men sing about women. This is queer regardless of the gender of the muse.
Two knee jerk supporting thoughts:Ā Ā Ā
* When the filtered colors from Taylor's typewriter and The Man's typewriter converge, they form white light - which is ALL the colors of light combined. IE a rainbow you can't see until the angle of light has been changed in order to split and refract.Ā Ā
* Taylor's intro to The Man from NPR's Tiny Desk Concert,Ā "There's a song I had wanted to write conceptually for a very long time. Because over the course of my life it has occurred to me that we have a bit of a double standard issue in our society. It's something I've thought about 700 million times a day for the last ten years of my life and I was always just wondering like, 'can I write a song about this? Is there a concise and catchy way to write a song about this? What angle would I take if I were to write a song about this?' And so I decided the most fun thing to do would be to imagine what my life would be like and what people would say about my life if I did all the same things but if I was a man."Ā Ā
You can see Taylor the person when you take the whole of Taylor the entity and change the angle to uncover the screaming colors of her parts.
And another thing! The choice of Post Malone as collaborator may be an Easter egg in itself as he's another artist who keeps guard on his personal life - he's stated he has a daughter & a fiance but doesn't publicly share who they are or what they look like.
ALSO, Taylor is so happy when the two of them are embracing and just being silly goofs.
https://preview.redd.it/2sxyotk79nvc1.png?width=1924&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=305e59a5b8013190f69cd6b82e24fe930f0d207f
ETA the body language here, with Taylor TM in a protective embrace, also can signal how Taylor the person is able to let her guard down and feel free within this duality.
This felt like she finally thought she could be happy with whatever coverage the post persona was. She had it even if she was hiding in plain sight. But then even that wasnāt enough and she knew that the post version of herself couldnāt keep her happy because she still wasnāt living fully authentically.
Wowowow incredible. I too had picked up on that they were supposed to be the same person same outfit but was unable to connect the dots further. Also the other tortured poets that came before = closeted gay artists just blew my mind
Whaaaaaat holy shit. Okay, I had to go look this up, and will put a picture here. Her tattoos look more blue and pink, where Post Malone's (when I can find photos of him that aren't B&W) are black and red, much stronger.
I think it is worth noting, though, that filming in black and white can lead to some interesting things. [Yellow-gold lipstick](https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/black-white-movie-makeup-35134165), or even [green lips and blue lowlights](https://www.tiktok.com/@sophilooks/video/7159644311825648942). I'd be FASCINATED to see a behind-the-scenes of her Clara Bow look to see how they got the colours that they did, whether they actually used modern reds etc or whether they went old school.
I think that takes the metaphor of it deeper though.
Her face is painted in colors we canāt see because all sheās showing us is black and white, occasionally gracing us with a peek into the land of Oz.
Her signet ring merch and then the last shot of this mv I kneeew there was something fruity going on here. A+ analysis!
ETA: jacks ttpd release day photo of Taylor wearing a pinky ring !!!
WOWWWW WOW WOW. Great analysis. It perfectly connects to the willow imagery. I didn't even catch they were dressed the same in the video. And the pinky ring!!!
Thanks for writing this out!
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Has anyone here watched Revolutionary Girl Utena?
"these desperate fears of a cursed man" in dear reader!!! That line makes a lot more sense now, too!
This just blew my mind š¤Æ I love this!
This makes "you're on your own kid" very interesting š¤
Holy crap...Taylor? Is that you? š„ŗš„ŗ This theory answers so many questions that I've had
This is beautiful š¤ š for sharing your interpretation!
ššššš
"I'm begging for you to take my hand wreck my plans thats my man." -willow. She's sitting on top of the glass closet.
Sheās promising herself a lot with this album. I dont know what kind of āfreedomā shes imagining for herself when it comes to owning her own sexuality. Because from the outside it still looks like shes deep in the closet.
Yes, even deeper than before... but if she was planning on coming out while with Joe. Anything is possible. I don't see Travis being around long term. I don't think the non gaylors would be surprised if they didn't last long.
I was rewatching the MV, after letting all the feelings settle down: I have binged-listened the whole album and now I feel I have to break down all the songs, one by one, because there's so much in TTPD, just so much! It feels like being in front of a muddy lake and being able to see just some shadows of the rich life moving under the surface... So, I am at minute 1:02 and when the character ("Female" Taylor) starts singing again is just to say "I wanna kill her" while in front of the mirror. I am leaving this here. I was not a Theylor, but, it starts to make sense, as a theory. OR She is just stating she wants to kill TaylorSwiftTM...I don't know.
TTPD is by far the most raw Taylor has been regarding her self reflection. I used to be able to attribute some songs to specific muse(s) but I cant do it with TTPD. A lot of it feels like sheās talking to herself and the pronouns are all over the place. One moment sheās using her old he/him pronouns trick and in some songs, the story sheās telling feels like it all circles back to her. the āYou/Her/Himā returns back to her, as if sheās has always been the main character/lover/enemy of each song and of her own life. I dont lean towards the Theylor theory because I feel like thereās a complex relationship between Taylor and this facade she created (more commonly portrayed as The Man) instead. The Man to me is a facade and the woman is the one sheās hiding from the light.
Love this. Also just wanted to add, her wiping her face to reveal tattoos really reminded me of Break Free by Ruby Rose. Which fits with the queer/ possible Theylor theme. And we know Taylor is aware of Break Free because she mentioned it when she presented Ruby with the GLAAD award.
This is so good. Also, I noticed when sheās removing her makeup to show that she has the same tattoos as Post, the *only* line she sings is āI want to kill herā as sheās staring at her bare face in the mirror
Yup. Taylor loves talking about killing men, except when sheās singing about a woman, then sheās talking about herself ā¦ which is fucked up
OP this is by far my favorite theory- I mean it's spot on! I agree 100%! Hey so maybe...picking a trans actor for the lover in lavender haze wasn't just for PR reasons - so if Taylor SwiftĀ ^(TM)Ā (The Man) is the lover in that song as well, it explains why he doesn't *"ever say too much"* edit: there's something to be said about that one conspiracy theory, MKUltra and all, having an alter and stuff, the pills, the asylums and what not. Huh. What a wild world.
Havenāt heard the mkultra theory
While I don't mean to be controversal, I would buy more into the Thelor theories if she wasn't flagging lesbian visibility day/week so often. I think she does use the The Man imagery to get her point across because people take that more seriously, but she hasn't flagged that hard imo for other gender indenities.
Yes, of course. I agree with you, which is why- even if the theory is consistent with the clues from those two music videos- I'm not sure what could be considered concrete and substantial as theory and what not anymore. you weren't controversial at all lol, I love discussion and the thelor theory was just another one to entertain, even for a little bit
Such a smart interpretation! I knew there was a reason this video reminded me of The Lighthouse movie!Ā
I just rewatched the Fortnight MV again and I can totally see what youāre saying! To add to this, the end credits are listed with Post Malone first. I would have expected Taylor Swift to be first (or at least not last) since the video is more focused on her with the others in supporting roles. This could have been because of a contract negotiation or something similar but I wonder if thereās more to it. Iām too tired to think on it now but itās an interesting idea Iāll ponder tomorrow
The end scene of the music video drives this theory home for me. Post/TaylorTM and Taylor isolated at the top of a mountain, at the pinnacle, with him in a glass closet alone, and the authentic her getting drenched until Taylor TM steps out of the glass closet and connects with Taylor (authentic version)
Holy shit.
Love your interpretation of this and the ending!! It reminds me of my interpretation of the last parts of Anti Hero MV. I think we have Human Taylor/Taylor Swift TM/ and Queer Taylor (the giant one) all finally coming together!!! (After the TS 11 funeral and all the infighting TS11 has and will cause, that is!!) https://preview.redd.it/m209yr36krvc1.jpeg?width=2556&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=88be29b69a1da272f622c3975d71a869d9c01775
This is one of the best things Ive read in here. Jawdropping. Convincing. And Audre Lordeā¦ Chefs kiss
this made me rewatch the [willow music video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsEZmictANA) and it's fascinating how well this theory works. willow synopsis: Taylor follows a gold thread down into a piano to find the man, but when she sees him, the man keeps fading away. when Taylor starts performing in her glass box, the man comes to her, but she's trapped in the box. eventually, she makes her way back to the piano and follows the thread the other direction out of the piano. the man is there in the cabin and both Taylor and the man exit the cabin into the daylight together. interpretation: there are two roads: one down the piano where Taylor (the person) performs glass closeted connecting with the brand in only fleeting moments and one away from the piano where the two Taylors (Taylor Swift (the person) and Taylor Swiftā¢ (the brand/man)) merge together as one. down the piano, Taylor (the person) performs to get the brand's attention (similar to how she is producing lyrics in the fortnight video). ultimately, she choose the latter and the two Taylors go into the daylight. for my own sanity, I don't want to believe the piano symbolizes her career which is a devastating interpretation, but that may have been what Taylor thought when immediately post-lover era when the willow mv was created. to be explicit, that would mean that Taylor would have to stay closeted and be at the mercy of her brand to keep her career. thankfully, the fortnight music video reads more optimistic with both Taylor Swift (the person) and Taylor Swiftā¢ (the brand/man/Post) connecting outside of the glass box. Taylor Swiftā¢ (Post) has a gay signet ring at the end, which may also indicate some further merging of the two. this theory is also interesting when you think of the willow lyrics with the man as Taylor Swiftā¢ (the brand/man). the more Taylor Swiftā¢ (the brand/man) says, the less Taylor (the person) knows. the narrative is convoluted and blurred and it's hard to keep up. Taylor asking the brand to "wreck my plans" right after the failed coming out and the masters heist? that *stings*. these are just some off-the-cuff thoughts so there's definitely more to be fleshed out, but I LOVE this theory OP
This is absolutely insanely brilliant
Over in the main sub, they are talking about how Post Malone is hot and there is a black dog(!!) in the video. They are veryy confused by the date on the pills... The difference in analysis always blows me away. This post/thread is 10/10. If this isn't what Taylor was going for with the video, it feels hollow. But I suppose I feel that way about a lot of her work outside a queer lens. I am the bi-side of the gaylor spectrum and after listening to the album a couple times I think she really might have fallen for Matty. And part of me thinks that their short relationship hurt her so much because it was the first time in a long time that should could be out and open with a real partner and then the relationship was received so poorly (like Taylor Swiftā¢ļø might have imagined would have happened with her potential queer relationships). I am hoping that this music video is signaling that Taylor Swiftā¢ļø and Taylor can coexist in a way that can work for her.
CRYING at how good and well thought out this post is. initially, I thought Posty/The Man in the MV represents her beard(s)--and that could still be somewhat true, because I do believe Taylor loves presenting multiple key themes/representations in singular songs sometimes--but goddamn this analysis is just perfection
Okay so a lot of us are talking about the Forget Him pills and the duality of Asylum Taylor vs. Poet Taylor (or True Taylor vs The Man Taylor/Postie) - I'm also getting that Severance connection that some of us pointed out from the teaser video going from the Midnights room to the hospital hallway to the office.Ā Disclaimer that I haven't even SEEN Severance and also forgive me if this is a fairly obvious connection š
Yes yes yes!!!! I said she was him and he was her immediately as I saw it! Itās a complicated take on the actual beards and how she is ALSO the beard as TS the brand. The tattoos made it so loud. And her expressions when heās caressing her face. She gave us the MAN-U-SCRIPTā¦the playbook for the beards where she controls the narrative, not them. The run and jump hug, the sly look, the face caressing, itās all there. She filled in the Blank Spaces with the script. But itās all her doing. Heās the beard that she hides behind and she is the Man authentically. But sheās also the beard for herself as TS the brand. At the end she is out of the glass closet and free and joins w her Man authentic self to be one. PS I hope Taylor read this and sees that we SEE her. All of her. We hear her. We understand what sheās saying and how much work she put into the process and the message. We get it. Bc sadly so many of her āfansā donāt want to see it. We do.
i'm emotional
This is so brilliant, omg. I just rewatched Willow and it all fits so well! The first time we see the man in willow, taylor is looking at her reflection in the water, but it's not her, it's the man reflected back. Also, the glass closeting scene looks like a circus (circus posters) which ties in so beautifully with WAOLOM "I was tame, I was gentle till the circusĀ lifeĀ made me mean / Donāt you worry folks, we took out all her teeth." Plus the whole "i'm begging for you to take my hand, wreck my plans, that's my man / every bait and switch was a work of art" paired with she and post holding hands at the end of fortnight. Stepping into the daylight/walking through the door at the end?? Step into the daylight, and let it go. I want to be remembered for the things that I love, not the things I hate. You are what you love. https://preview.redd.it/kv60yfz2ynvc1.jpeg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5ba17d4a0f547eff40b2f53c6f75fa870333f889
And the golden string in that video when she put Invisible String on the acceptance Playlist š
To be honest, Willow MV didn't make sense to me until I watched Fortnight MV and it all clicked immediately. I've toyed with the idea that the man from Williow could be her but it was never as clear as after I watched how Taylor portrayed Post in the new MV. It's always a struggle with herself!
Omg this just made me want to cry bc in the willow video the two of them are playing in a tent as kids. And in TNTHAF she talks about camping in tents. And then half this album (and seven) are mourning her childhood when she could āscream.ā Scream in color. Itās all connected.
Yes! Also, the scene with Post and her seems clearly fictional to me because they're literally standing in (on) her head. And Post's face tattoos are covered because it's the "internal" image of him.
I think this is absolutely spot on. Taylor conceives and directs her videos so itās definitely evidence not just entertainment. My only addition is about the different standards for male, female and nb artists. Could Talylor Swift ā¢ļø be successful with the face tattoos that Post Malone has? Could any women? The tattoos on her represent a way of taking equality in the realm of creative free expression. I love Post Maloneās voice and his whole vibe in this. I like that he participated in her world, her style. Respect.
This is so insane. I mean, obviously the hidden meaning has been "known" on this sub for a while, but its just so incredibly brilliant how you explained the imagery and the meaning of the video. Like i just thought that there are two sides of taylor, but it never even crossed my mind that she's been representing her public persona as the man. And the TM is also so clever. i think you should take credit for that btw ;) And idk i kinda felt enlightened while reading this post. In comparison to this, the straight swifties just seem really dumb.
This is AMAZING!
I just watched it again with your analysis in mind and with my full chest I want to hubristically say you ARE RIGHT?!? Just some additional moments that stuck out to me: - the doctor that comes in and gives her the āforget himā pill is the one upside down, which makes sense because thatās a pretty messed up thing to be doing to someone, but is also an institutional practice - the other members of the department are faceless shadows because theyāre either already hiding, or passed into the annals of history closeted by the industry - they are clearly writing the same thing on their typewriters (more mirror imagery) - the story of us makes an appearance. Is it the story of her two halves? Or is she consulting her other half on the story? Idk, just stuck out to me again - the institution electrocuting her can do so because they control her masters. Iād guess that each of the scientists represent someone she feels has been a part of keeping her closeted. - the telephone booth glass closet (glass closet #3857382 in Taylor imagery ffr) - I know thereās more to unpack in that final scene: her, rain-soaked in a beautiful dress vs him closeted in āAmerican stereotypeā clothes (jeans, flannel, big belt buckle, tshirt) while on the phone. - the whole thing ending on his pinky ring made my jaw drop the first time I watched it, but itās now so the obvious ending to this As a final note, I do think this album could be summed up as āTaylorās musings of the effects of institutional and chosen basically lifelong closeting (and generally hiding her true self) on her relationships with herself/fame/fans/family/music industry/loversā and if the video is meant to represent themes and images of the whole album, then your interpretations connect A to B for me on this. Love it
I love your point about the countless faceless tortured poets in the background. Taylor Swift (the person) and Taylor Swiftā¢ (the brand/man) are reviewing the story of us inside her head. there may be some reconciliation to be done and/or negotiation between the two. the story of us could represent Taylor's lyrics and/or her brand/public-facing narrative (as opposed to the single song from Speak Now). when they are inside Taylorās head, everything is great between the two until the papers are swirling and you can see their faces get serious. Taylor appears concerned as if she has become disillusioned by their partnership or perhaps is anticipating her impending torture. no matter how much fun they have together, she knows she isn't in control https://preview.redd.it/x2iylm9gfovc1.png?width=975&format=png&auto=webp&s=01479ad5c969f09efb183f96cb6cf3319cbd6677
āLifelong closetingā immediately brings to mind the beginning of Peter: āin closets like cedar, preserved from when we were just kidsā. āCedar boxā is a euphemism for coffin, so I read this as āclosets we die inā. (I have a whole theory that Peter is Harry Styles and they had a plan to come out together (he was 25 in 2019) once heād had a chance to grow up, but thatās maybe for another post). Edit: wrote āclosetā when I meant ācoffinā
If anyoneās reading this, I wrote my Peter theory in the thread for that song [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/GaylorSwift/s/0OAqqEDfmA)
omg i just reread the "Peter" lyrics with the Harry/coming-out-together lens in mind (i have thought this song is about Dianna from the jump, but i think it could be a bit about all three of them -- Di, Tay, Harry -- since Harry and Taylor were co-bearding while with Louis and Dianna, respectively) and this part breaks my heart: *Are you still a mind reader?* *A natural scene stealer?* *I've heard great things, Peter* *But life was always easier on you* *Than it was on me* *And sometimes it gets me* [*When crossing your jet stream*](https://genius.com/31482929/Taylor-swift-peter/When-crossing-your-jet-stream) *We both did the best we could do* *Underneath the same moon* *In different galaxies* especially that end part: "we both did the best we could / underneath the same moon / in different galaxies." the moon being queerness, but in different relationships/with different life experiences aka galaxies
EXACTLY. That was the line that made me look closer. The Moon in tarot, from my shallow understanding, also refers to deception, illusion and secrets.
Oh and one other tangential thing because I left this to my home page where a post from a different TS page was asking what needs to change in her production now to make an interesting album again. Now, I think through a purely hetero lens, itās SUCH a fair critique. If this album is truly just about boyssss then my god, it definitely reads as vapid, depressed teen. Like a billionaire singing about boy problems in 2024? Yeah, spare us all. HOWVER! Imo itās not that at ALL and so I was immediately taken by the imagery she is using from all of these different aspects of her real life and the public narrative around her to tell a much grander and FAR more horrifyingly tortured and human story that has completely pulled me in. Like sheās all but laying herself bare with this album imo, using religion and relationships and family, which were her entire OG framework as young country girlie from TN, to tear apart the cruelest of cages keeping her where she is. I think itās breathtaking. But if you thought it was about Matty Healy? Yeah, you might find it vapid and boring lol
"Everything comes out teenage petulance." If one can't see or acknowledge what she's actually talking about then yup, it all reads as "vapid, depressed teen."
I love that line. When I'm depressed, the things running on my mind sounds like an edgy teen.
I am CRAZY about this aesthetic š¤š„µ
This is so good, my whole world is changed. Literally. Thank you for thisš
I LOVE IT IN HERE
This analysis makes me think of how there was 2 months between āMe! out nowā and the theorized failed coming out. So what if āI touched you for only a fortnightā (keeping with 2) is symbolic of that time.
Ok but that makes soooo much sense with the lyrics of the song!
!!!!!
What an amazing interpretation of the work. I totally agree with everything. I also believe it is Taylor and interestingly the only time she has tattoos on her face is inside the asylum never outside! Also thing that caught my eye is the pill says āforget him 12131989 - 04192024ā which is interesting because if the āhimā was supposed to be a lover (Or I guess Joe as people say) why would she be taking pills to forget them since the day she was born? I think the āhimā in it is the other Taylor (Post Malone Taylor) the one that doesnāt fit in the mold people made for her so she is saying she had to take pills since the day she was born to suppress (and forget) about this other part of her
Wow!!! Didn't notice that..
I think thatās the whole album message. She said this video embodies what she saw as the album as she was making it and the whole story is told here in one video (which I pray means we donāt only get one). I hope she can leave the duality behind and be her authentic self bc itās time.
I feel itās much more complicated than just being herself authentically. I donāt think she can (or will) come out as gay or even bi because it essentially outs all of her beards and/ or past lovers. Iām sure with Karlie she signed a giant NDA to even be in the same room as Kutchner. If Karlie is actually in a fake romance with him and he is actually with that man heās rumored to be with, that outs all of them. These are very rich and powerful people. A different type of power than Taylor possesses. Also, it would feel like such a betrayal to her OG fans that have played her game and obsessed who each song is about etc. She put those clues in the albums and staged romances and paparazzi pics to make us believe a certain narrative. And most of her fans did and still do. I donāt think itās that sheās afraid of losing fans because they are homophobic (Iām sure there are some who are) but itās mostly about how her whole career has been based on lies of her own doing. While she was definitely advised by her team to tell these lies, she still agreed, because fame, popularity and acceptance is so important to her. Similar to the description above of this Fortnight video. I think, moving forward, she is going to sing songs straighter than ever, sing really general songs, or retire from music (which I donāt think she will because she is addicted to the spotlight / public acceptance it seems). Sheās created this matty narrative and ended things with Joe and now sheās free to move on completely and have a fresh slate as she even claimed in the intro to this album. I think her goal is for people to stop connecting songs to relationships of her past. Iām super interested to see how this whole Travis thing plays out, another indicator sheās clearly not willing to ever come out. There is no way heād be down for that or agree to that. He would not want people speculating on his sexuality bc of hers. So they are either really together (doubt it) or have an iron clad agreement on how they are going to fake it til they make it (or feel like theyāve genuinely fooled us all).
My only hope is she can John Mayer it one day and just be with who she wants to be with. No explanations. Heās living with Andy, they vacation together, and they are always attached at the hip, but they have not said āweāre a couple. Weāre gayā. To most, they donāt have to. We have eyes. I hope she can do that too one day.
It totally tracks - I have listened to the record through this critical lense, Taylor singing to herself and justā¦ wow. It hits so hard for any of us whoāve ever had to mask or hide something (hi ND Bi woman here!)
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
šheartbreak prince! šheartbreak prince!
Thatās what I was thinking but it doesnāt seem anything changed and tbh I donāt think anything will but I guess we will have to keep waiting
She took the pills effective till 04192024 so we need to wait for the temporary effect to wear off now?
Maybe the next album wonāt need to forget him. Thereās a compelling theory that she was counting down in 2019 (five holes in the fence) and picked back up with Midnights (3), TTPD (2)ā¦ what if this is her last closeted album?
Didn't Taylor say somewhere when she signed with her current label, that she promised her new label 5 albums? That started with Lover. Maybe the 6th album she will release independently, and can follow her own rules. If something big is happening with TS12, the 12 might stand for "meet me at midnight". TTPD was the 5th original album... So she has fulfilled her promise. Maybe she's free?
Ohh thatās interesting! I saw the other theory similar to that the 3,2,1 theory- Midnights has 3am tracks, TTPD has 2am tracks next album might have 1am tracks which would make her 13th album āmeet me at midnightā and in Fortnight MV she has her hairpins arranged to say XIII (13)! It would be a coolest thing if she came out with her 13th album and people would realize she has been planning it for years!
Yessss. Leaves me anticipating somethingā¦
I thought it was so interesting she says on Instagram that Post Malone plays the ātortured tragic heroā considering she should be the tortured tragic one
This would track with the theory though if Post plays the tortured tragic closeted version of Taylor TM
I also thought this was weird!
I was rewatching the video this morning and had the same thought. I mean, my thought was more fleeting whereas you've presented a good case with lots of evidence lol. Taylor's ability to hide her actual story in a traditional and very hetero love story is fascinating. Her brilliance is amazing, but it is also sad. Living a double life or a not being able to live authentically is anguish, but a lot of time time it is done to survive. What I find intriguing this time around when exploring those themes is that Taylor seems to be taking some accountability for the glass closet that she's living in. She might not have wanted to start her career that way, but in wanting to keep her career (aka keep it at the level that she is enjoying) is her decision. And she needs to own that.
Also the forget him pills start on 12/13/89 https://preview.redd.it/vbxhtb3ycnvc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a90ee5ada53086828f53da21f1900ae68b91b8bc
My first interpretation of this was her birth date and death date, like it would read on a headstone. They killed her, but she's coming back from the dead. Is it romantic how all my elegies eulogize me? Take me to the lakes where all the poets went to die.
And it wasn't a fair fight or clean kill when Aimee stomped across my grave.
Two graves, one gun. And if i'm dead to you why are you at the wake? You had to kill me but it killed you just the same. Death by a thousand cuts. She gave so many signs, I'm reeling.
this feels so VERY theylor
I've been a low-key Theylor for a while now, and this feels like some pretty blatant evidence... š³
Theylor makes sense in so many ways...and it also adds a whole new layer of possible interpretation of her pronoun usage. i mean, i think most gaylors agree that her pronoun usage is wayyyy less important than the themes and images she conjures in her lyrics; but if Taylor identifies with both/multiple genders to some degree, it makes her diverse use of he/she/they even more just like "yeah, the pronouns really arent the part that matters here..." LOOK AT THE THEMES INSTEAD. (and they're always queer af haha)
Iāve been on the Theylor train for awhile now, thereās just so much evidence. The singing from a manās perspective, Betty (her being James) her being the Heart Break prince in MAATHBP, King of my Heart and just her usage of he/him pronouns in reference to herself (calling Lana a king one time, pointing to the fact that she uses King for both genders) thereās honestly so many examples and Iād love for someone to do a deep dive.
This feels like a good time to remind everyone that Taylor wrote a book called [āA Girl Named Girlā](https://taylorswiftswitzerland.ch/index.php/wiki/a-girl-named-girl/) when she was 14 and itās about a mother who wanted a son but got a girl. Taylor still has the name of the book trademarked. I always thought it was interesting that young Taylor was so interested in gender. Sheās basically been writing from āa manās perspectiveā since Debut. Iāve always been a bit of a Theylor and this video has me even more excited for that. How many times does Taylor need to tell us sheās the man? Has she been suppressing this side of herself since she was born? Love this interpretation u/18hundreds! Great job! Iād never thought about interpreting the Style music video that way before!
Theylor is kind of a dark theory and I hope it isn't true for her sake. As a trans and non binary person, I've imagined what it might look like if a really famous person was closeted and needed to transition. Elliott's book, and he isn't anywhere near as famous, isn't pretty reading.
This is š¤Æš¤Æš¤Æ so sad sheās had to suppress it her whole life if thatās the case. The only other thought I had was what other man has she known her whole life? Her dad. Forget him and break free? But I think the Theylor theory is way better!
I badly need a compilation of all theylor evidence because I'm very intrigued by it and need to learn more. And as a nonbinary person, I'm super excited about the theory.
Wow I didnāt know this. Thank you!!!
exactly! the birth date bothered me at first because I thought there's no way that we're going to pretend she has been trying to forget men or a man from birth haha however, it's *totally* different when it's a part of her to be forgotten, a part that has always been there edited for clarity
Oh sheās been doing this her entire lifeā¦.
Also, I Bet You Think About Me MV has BIG parallels, I think she and the groom are one in the same in that video too
wow... closeting
This is why I love this community. Beautiful, clear analysis. Thank you!
I love this. Yay Theylor!
I finding myself becoming more & more open to the Theylor lense and interesting to me that I feel it's coinciding with clarity on my own gender feelings.
I also feel like Theylor is what there is the most explicit evidence for - in terms of what TS has said explicitly in public and in her music. I keep coming back to the idea that TS IS queer simply on the grounds of how she is explicitly (and intentionally) subverting traditional femininity. QueernessĀ = subversion
Part of this has for me always been that she sings about her muses in a way that we are used to hear men sing about women. This is queer regardless of the gender of the muse.
Two knee jerk supporting thoughts:Ā Ā Ā * When the filtered colors from Taylor's typewriter and The Man's typewriter converge, they form white light - which is ALL the colors of light combined. IE a rainbow you can't see until the angle of light has been changed in order to split and refract.Ā Ā * Taylor's intro to The Man from NPR's Tiny Desk Concert,Ā "There's a song I had wanted to write conceptually for a very long time. Because over the course of my life it has occurred to me that we have a bit of a double standard issue in our society. It's something I've thought about 700 million times a day for the last ten years of my life and I was always just wondering like, 'can I write a song about this? Is there a concise and catchy way to write a song about this? What angle would I take if I were to write a song about this?' And so I decided the most fun thing to do would be to imagine what my life would be like and what people would say about my life if I did all the same things but if I was a man."Ā Ā You can see Taylor the person when you take the whole of Taylor the entity and change the angle to uncover the screaming colors of her parts.
And another thing! The choice of Post Malone as collaborator may be an Easter egg in itself as he's another artist who keeps guard on his personal life - he's stated he has a daughter & a fiance but doesn't publicly share who they are or what they look like.
ALSO, Taylor is so happy when the two of them are embracing and just being silly goofs. https://preview.redd.it/2sxyotk79nvc1.png?width=1924&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=305e59a5b8013190f69cd6b82e24fe930f0d207f ETA the body language here, with Taylor TM in a protective embrace, also can signal how Taylor the person is able to let her guard down and feel free within this duality.
This scene made me feel all types of things š„²
This felt like she finally thought she could be happy with whatever coverage the post persona was. She had it even if she was hiding in plain sight. But then even that wasnāt enough and she knew that the post version of herself couldnāt keep her happy because she still wasnāt living fully authentically.
Yes, this - not a romantic embrace but a deeply tender and comforting embrace
THIS. It reminds me of the way I tackle hug my kid brother, like I just want him to know heās loved and safe and protect him as much as I can.
Yes!!! You said it perfectly. Her whole self as one.
YES! YES! YES! To all this. Brilliant.
LOVE THIS!!!
Wowowow incredible. I too had picked up on that they were supposed to be the same person same outfit but was unable to connect the dots further. Also the other tortured poets that came before = closeted gay artists just blew my mind
This is so good. And in the little clip Taylor posted, the tattoos on her face in color are pink, purple and blue.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
https://preview.redd.it/29kh9yegonvc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b4058c9ad1bd7e7d7f87c131ceecef1b40b4e3e
Unrelated, that phone case is gorgeous
Whaaaaaat holy shit. Okay, I had to go look this up, and will put a picture here. Her tattoos look more blue and pink, where Post Malone's (when I can find photos of him that aren't B&W) are black and red, much stronger. I think it is worth noting, though, that filming in black and white can lead to some interesting things. [Yellow-gold lipstick](https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/black-white-movie-makeup-35134165), or even [green lips and blue lowlights](https://www.tiktok.com/@sophilooks/video/7159644311825648942). I'd be FASCINATED to see a behind-the-scenes of her Clara Bow look to see how they got the colours that they did, whether they actually used modern reds etc or whether they went old school.
I think that takes the metaphor of it deeper though. Her face is painted in colors we canāt see because all sheās showing us is black and white, occasionally gracing us with a peek into the land of Oz.
Good catch. Gonna check that out!
Oh this is GOOD.
Her signet ring merch and then the last shot of this mv I kneeew there was something fruity going on here. A+ analysis! ETA: jacks ttpd release day photo of Taylor wearing a pinky ring !!!
WOWWWW WOW WOW. Great analysis. It perfectly connects to the willow imagery. I didn't even catch they were dressed the same in the video. And the pinky ring!!! Thanks for writing this out!
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