A Timeline of Taylor Swift’s Political Evolution

It’s no secret that after a long wait, Taylor Swift has been bringing her political views into the conversation.

The “Lover” star was silent on the subject for her entire career up until late late 2018, when she endorsed Phil Bredesen, the Democratic candidate for Senate in her home state of Tennessee. Ever since then, she hasn’t been able to keep quiet about all that’s going on in the world.

With her new, love-infused record out for nine months now, she’s been finding even more ways to make up for lost time. For example, one of her latest singles, “You Need to Calm Down,” is a song all about self-love and equality for the LGBTQ community.

Swift’s political awakening has truly been a journey. See how it all progressed via the timeline below.

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March 23, 2018 – Swift posts for March For Our Lives

At this point in her career, it was still very rare that Swift said anything political. Even when white nationalist groups dubbed her as their queen, she stayed silent. However, she did post about gun violence, and shared that she made a donation for the victims and for March For Our Lives.

“I’m so moved by the Parkland High School students, faculty, by all families and friends of victims who have spoken out, trying to prevent this from happening again,” she wrote.

View this post on Instagram

No one should have to go to school in fear of gun violence. Or to a nightclub. Or to a concert. Or to a movie theater. Or to their place of worship. I’ve made a donation to show my support for the students, for the March For Our Lives campaign, for everyone affected by these tragedies, and to support gun reform. I’m so moved by the Parkland High School students, faculty, by all families and friends of victims who have spoken out, trying to prevent this from happening again.

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Mar 23, 2018 at 11:56am PDT

Oct. 7 – Swift endorses political figures for the first time — Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives

In regards to the midterm elections on Nov. 6, 2018, Swift took to Instagram to finally endorse who she will be voting for. This marks her first official endorsement.

“In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now,” she wrote.

“I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent,” she continued.

White supremacists responded feeling betrayed, telling Swift to stick to music. Trump even said he liked her music “25% less.”

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I’m writing this post about the upcoming midterm elections on November 6th, in which I’ll be voting in the state of Tennessee. In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now. I always have and always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve in this country. I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent. I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin color, gender or who they love. Running for Senate in the state of Tennessee is a woman named Marsha Blackburn. As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn. Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry. These are not MY Tennessee values. I will be voting for Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives. Please, please educate yourself on the candidates running in your state and vote based on who most closely represents your values. For a lot of us, we may never find a candidate or party with whom we agree 100% on every issue, but we have to vote anyway. So many intelligent, thoughtful, self-possessed people have turned 18 in the past two years and now have the right and privilege to make their vote count. But first you need to register, which is quick and easy to do. October 9th is the LAST DAY to register to vote in the state of TN. Go to vote.org and you can find all the info. Happy Voting! ——

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Oct 7, 2018 at 4:33pm PDT

June 1, 2019 – Swift writes a letter to her senator, urges to support the Equality Act

At the time, the House recently passed the Equality Act. Then, to kick off Pride month, Swift created a petition at change.org and wrote a letter to her senator, urging them to support the Act. She also encouraged all of her followers to do the same, adding that she would keep track of their letters with the hashtag #lettertomysenator.

#lettertomysenator https://t.co/EKYMXZw5U9 pic.twitter.com/Ym0mGeOHgc

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 1, 2019

June 17 – Releases “You Need To Calm Down” video

The “YNTCD” video was a major statement, which was partially released in celebration of Pride month. It featured several famous members of the LGBTQ community like Ellen Degeneres, Hayley Kiyoko, Swift’s longtime collaborator Todrick Hall (who also co-executive produced), Adam Lambert, the fab five, and many more.

The song also featured empowering lyrics like “You are somebody that we don’t know/ But you’re comin’ at my friends like a missile/ Why are you mad?/ When you could be GLAAD?” and “Shade never made anybody less gay.” At the end of the video, Swift asks fans to sign the petition for the Equality Act.

Aug. 23 – Swift says Trump’s presidency is an “autocracy,” says she’s pro-choice 

In an interview with The Guardian, Swift went off about politics, mentioning Trump’s presidency specifically, which she said is an “autocracy.” “We’re a democracy — at least, we’re supposed to be — where you’re allowed to disagree, dissent, debate,” she said.

She also went on to explain that she stayed silent during the last election because she was going through a tough time in 2016. Her mother was sick and she was in a very public, stressful feud with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

She later on confirms that she is “obviously pro-choice” and that she would have endorsed Hillary Clinton for president if she did speak up.

Aug. 26 – Swift calls out the White House in her VMAs acceptance speech

After winning video of the year for “YNTCD,” Swift took the stage for her acceptance speech along with several stars from the video, including Hall.

“You voting for this video means that you want a world where we are all treated equally under the law regardless of who we love — regardless of how we identify,” Swift said. “At the end of this video, there was a petition and there still is a petition for the Equality Act, which basically just says we all deserve equal rights under the law. I want to thank everyone who signed that petition because it now has a half a million signatures, which is five times the amount that it would need to warrant a response from the White House.”

After that, she looked at her watch, pointing to an imaginary watch, as if something was overdue. A response, perhaps?

Jan. 31, 2020 – Swift explains taking a stand against Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn in Miss Americana Netflix documentary, releases political anthem “Only The Young”

During her highly anticipated Netflix documentary Miss Americana, Swift unpacked her decision to speak now on local as well as national politics. “I can’t see another commercial [with] her disguising these policies behind the words ‘Tennessee Christian values.’ I live in Tennessee. I am Christian. That’s not what we stand for,” the singer said in the feature-length film regarding her home state’s Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn ahead of the local senate race.

Swift called her out as a “flagrant enemy of feminism and gay rights” when she appeared on the Sundance Festival cover of Variety, considering Blackburn has voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and LGBTQ-friendly bills. Aside from her bad blood with Blackburn, Swift fought back tears in the doc when she acknowledged staying silent during the 2016 presidential election, arguing, “…but I can’t change that.… I need to be on the right side of history.”

Swift then rallied the younger generation of movers and shakers with her battle cry “Only The Young,” backed by a children’s choir and fueled by her frustration following the 2018 midterm elections. “I wrote it after the [2018] midterm elections, when there were so many young people who rallied for their candidate, whether it was a senator or congressman or congresswoman…. I was really upset about Tennessee going the way that it did, obviously. And so I just wanted to write a song about it,” she told Variety.

May 29 – Swift tells Trump “We will vote you out in November” following his flagged George Floyd protest tweet

Following the unlawful police-related killing of a black man named George Floyd in Minnesota, protesters broke out in the Twin Cities and set fire to the Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd Precinct building. President Trump penned some threatening words to those in the streets, writing in a tweet that was flagged for “glorifying violence,” “These THUGS are dishonoring the memory of George Floyd, and I won’t let that happen. Just spoke to Governor Tim Walz and told him that the Military is with him all the way. Any difficulty and we will assume control but, when the looting starts, the shooting starts. Thank you!”

But she swiftly reminded Trump which fires he’s ignited. “After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? ‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’??? We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump,” she wrote.

After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? ‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’??? We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) May 29, 2020