Taylor Swift is certainly feeling the love in her new music video “Lover,” but apparently not everyone else is.
Taylor Swift’s newest music video “Lover” is here, and it features her very own backup dancer, Christian Owens — who’s also her first on-screen black love interest.
In the music video for the Lover album title track, Christian plays partner to Taylor in a visually lush, romantic dollhouse setup, full of bright colors. The two fight and make up, and even end up with a daughter in the video’s final scene.
Now, while it’s pretty sad that in 2019 that something as simple as interracial dating in a music video is seen as shocking, we’re talking about Taylor Swift here, so apparently many on social media felt this casting needed to be discussed.
Surely, many will applaud the singer for featuring an interracial romance in the video. But as as with anything there are folks with the opposing opinion. Suprisingly, we’re not just talking about the inevitable backlash from ignorant racists who don’t want to see this pairing. The video is already getting heat from critics accusing the Grammy-winner of pandering to her liberal fans. These users claim Taylor isn’t being genuine due to her own personal dating history only consisting of white men.
Taylor faced similar backlash earlier this summer following the release of her LGBT-astic You Need To Calm Down music video, which featured cameos from the biggest power gays in the entertainment industry.
“First YNTCD video was pandering to the gays and now this 💀 lemme let up off Taylor since representation doesn’t hurt but she seems so calculated,” one Twitter user fired off.
What do you guys think? Does this casting move seem calculated, or should we even bat an eye over it? OR, even if it is calculated, should we appreciate that it’s calculated with good intentions? Peep some of the reactions below.
First YNTCD video was pandering to the gays and now this 💀 lemme let up off Taylor since representation doesn’t hurt but she seems so calculated https://t.co/5VMkiKs8sv
— Kris•Maraj เกย์腐男子 (@KRlSHARAJUKU) August 22, 2019
Taylor swift dating a black man in her music video ……when she know damn well she ain't felt no feelings for a poc other than fear pic.twitter.com/oSnyCmAc8J
— Ms. Ashlee Knees (@forboyslikeme) August 23, 2019
All of sudden Taylor Swift is the poster child for interracial relationships because she dropped 1 video with a black man. Stop it! They use us but never really care for us and our issues and y’all eat it up every time.
— Jaffry Ward, Jr. (@jaffrykward) August 23, 2019
Taylor swift video for her song "lover"…she has a black man being her love interest…😒..normally i wouldnt be mad…but i know this bitch Using it to be trendy an what not…so there for fuck her
— Rainbow Peace Pie (@Resa_Resa23) August 23, 2019
Dear Black Twitter, that “black actor” is her dancer from her tours.
So don’t begin your “Taylor Swift is using a black person for clout” bullshit.
Enough is enough!!! https://t.co/gLaDbdYFhu
— johnny1248 (@StateOfReds13) August 22, 2019
Taylor Swift having a Black love interest is her way of saying, "I'm not racist, I have Black friends." https://t.co/7gD9b3SChk
— My Lord (@QuinitaViola) August 22, 2019
what are y’alls thoughts on Taylor Swift’s Lover MV? I think it’s nice to finally see a black man play the love interest & its one shes know forever but i also can see why people would say its pandering/disingenuous bc… her track record is super vanilla but I wanna hear more!!
— sausage egg mcmuffin stan account (@madelemakeup) August 23, 2019
