At the Rogers Centre in Toronto, immersed in a sea of screaming fans belting songs about heartbreak, it sure felt powerful. I wouldn’t say I’m a Swiftie, but I am a student of pop culture and a lover(girl) of pop music. I’m also unapologetically earnest and a proud feeler of feelings. So, of course, some of Swift’s music has hit me hard (have I, a Capricorn, cried into my keyboard while singing the line, “I cry a lot but I am so productive, it’s an art!”? Maybe). Also, as a Black person who grew up in predominately white spaces, I’m used to having my tastes called into question, my Blackness put on trial. Sure, it doesn’t feel great but of all the shit Black folks have to put up with, this isn’t a real problem. That said, turning us into a monolith is dangerous. We have every right to like whatever we want. We are different, diverse human beings and music preference is subjective. Period. And I’m in the business of giving Black women the space to feel seen and heard. For years, Black Swifties have been in my DMs asking us to acknowledge them. So this piece isn’t even really about Swift. She’s got plenty of attention and support, she doesn’t need ours. As I was walking through the Eras concert in Toronto looking for Black fans and finding only a handful, I realized that they did.
