I don’t really know much about Lola Kirke. She’s an actress, she’s the sister of Jemima Kirke (who stars in Girls) and… she’s politically active. Her current film – the one which she’s promoting – is called Gemini. She premiered the film at SXSW to positive reviews, so good for her. But here’s how I will remember her from now on: Lola Kirke is the person who used her Vogue interview to trash Taylor Swift for not being politically active enough. You can read the Vogue piece here. Here’s the political/Swifty part:
Vogue: As a public figure, do you think you have a responsibility to talk publicly about politics?
Kirke: I mean, in this f–king day and age, yeah, I do. For me, it’s really important to elevate voices and causes that don’t get as much attention with whatever attention I get. I totally understand why some people won’t do that; I definitely think that there are certain celebrities who really could offer more help to grassroots movements with their power—and don’t.Vogue: People with a huge platform.
Kirke: Yeah, like Taylor f–king Swift, who may as well have voted for Trump, as far as I’m concerned, by not doing anything.Vogue: I’m still baffled about Tom Brady, too.
Kirke: I think that the age of celebrity is so confusing and weird, and everyone is a celebrity, and everyone has this weird power that they got because they know how to take a picture of themselves.
Ooooooooh, say it, sister!!! Well done. My first thought was “well someone’s not getting invited to this year’s Taymerica bash,” but I don’t think the Kirke sisters were ever part of the Squad in the first place? Jemima works with Lena Dunham, who is part of the Swift Squad, but the Kirke sisters don’t roll that way. And good for Lola for saying this too. I know a lot of people were like “LEAVE TAYLOR ALONE, SHE DOESN’T HAVE TO TELL US WHO SHE’S VOTING FOR,” which is true… to an extent. My thing was this: if Taylor is going to use the mantle of feminism and pro-womanhood for her own personal profit, she should be required to speak out about feminist issues beyond her own interests. And she does not. She has never shown anything but a lukewarm, Swifty-come-lately support to even the most obvious of causes.
Today is the day. Go out and VOTE 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/NdJ0OeiuUH
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) November 8, 2016
Photos courtesy of WENNN.
I detect no lies….
And if Taylor truly chose to stay silent because Katy Perry was already vocally campaigning for Hillary, thereby putting a petty middle school beef above keeping Donald Trump out of office, I don’t consider her much better than the spineless Republicans choosing their party over their country left and right right now
She’s not required to discuss her political beliefs & probably made the business decision not to. I never bought into her my pretty pony brand of bullshit girl power anyway.
You’re right. At this moment in time, those who choose not to speak out, are cowardly Nazi supporters.
Please. No one is required to publicly announce who they voted for. This is getting ludicrous.
And if you’re swayed one way or the other by a celebrity’s political choices, I feel for you.
Sooo she said what everybody was already thinking. Ballsy to do so in print… good on her and ill pray the swifties don’t tear her apart!
I adore all the Kirke sisters, they all choose interesting projects and talk about important issues. Totally agree with Lola. Swift is always talking about feminism and pro-womanhood yet has stayed silent about Drump, which further proved she primarily used it for her own career boost/marketing, which is really disappointing to me. Not because I’m a fan but because its such a missed opportunity.
Yes. You don’t get to proclaim yourself a feminist and USE the term to make $$$. You either are vocal or you’re not. There is not middle ground in this case.
Why can’t one be a feminist and be apolitical? Feminism is about choice, she chooses not to engage in politics or disclose her political views.
Has she identified herself as a feminist? It is a serious question.
Yes: http://time.com/3165825/taylor-swift-feminist-lena-dunham/
The PR aspect of this is so interesting to me. Taylor has been deliberately avoiding the spotlight, but also strategically allowing certain friends to talk about her in interviews. Ed Sheeran, Camilla Cabello, Lola Kirke… basically, mention Taylor Swift in your interview, and people will write about what you said about Taylor Swift. Obviously, this interview doesn’t seem Swift-sanctioned. But, the whole “avoiding the spotlight, but not really” thing is really obvious to me.
Woah you’re right. Maybe “allowing” isn’t the right word here but “asking” or “planting”? Esp since everyone in TS’s circle has only said really nice things about her.
I love your reading of this. She has made herself click-baity so everybody will mention her in any interview.
Only it backfired a quite a bit in this case.
I really think she voted for Trump anyway. Her parents are conservative rich white folks and she probably follows their beliefs. She has no idea what life is like outside her celebrity bubble. I cannot wait for her popularity to decline.
How can you say that? It’s like saying Angelina Jolie votes for Trump because her dad is besties with Chief Twit of Orangeland.
Her demographic is the underage anyway, they don’t vote and they don’t influence their parents. And even if she preaches Hillary, will they listen to her?
Take Adele for instance. Part of her demography is literally Donald Trump and co. We know that Adele preaches Hillary and Michelle Obama on her singing tour, but Trump still won and continue to not care.
You cannot assume who someone voted for. Sorry, I want to be polite but this bothers me. This is how rumours start.
The one thing I have against her is her willingness to use feminism when it suits her and not, you know, in the name of equality.
This is how rumors start? This is a gossip site. This is my opinion. You can’t assume you know who Angie REALLY voted for but you can guess by her actions and words that she voted for Hilary. I’m guessing by Taylor’s silence and background that she voted for Trump. That’s more in line with what her family is about (I think her parents were in finance?), and she’s super close with her family.
You can still be super close to your parents while not sharing their political views. Which is why I enforce the no politics at dinner table and bbq, just in case I burn the neighborhood down. (Especially when the folks come down to visit. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of Chez Momandpop, which is why I tend to delay visiting as long as is polite).
That being said, we know even less who her parents voted for. They’re white, rich and in finance, but there’s also a chance that they might not share their peers’ views either. Rogue White People.
@Ophelia I’m not sure why you’re arguing my opinion. Neither of us will ever know. There are people who don’t educate themselves and stick with their families way of thinking. There are people who have different opinions than their parents. I get that. But I also get that a white girl that was born from a rich family will be more likely to have voted for Trump. 52% of white women did. Of course she may have voted for Hilary. You have your opinion, I have mine. That’s the beauty of this gossip site.
She’s a white woman – sure. But a incredibly large portion of millennials voted blue – I’d like to see statistics for women in different age brackets because I suspect it’s the 40+ set that voted for Trump more than the under 30.
The following comment is qualified by the fact that I am not American – however I am “in finance” in the sense I am a partner in a law firm and my specialism is M&A – yet I would rather dip my head in molten gold GoT style than vote for that fker.
Who says she didn’t vote for Trump? Trump matches Swift more than Clinton did.
I’m not defending Swift because I have no idea whether she voted for Trump but saying that she must conservative because her parents are is wrong.
I don’t like Taylor and could care less who she voted for but I agree with this 100%. People don’t always have same political views as their parents.
Agreed. I’m an upper middle class white girl who voted for HRC with parents that voted for Drumpf. It happens.
Also, no one really thought he was going to win–esp in Hollywood and celebrity circles–until he did. Remember the embarrassing shit show that was the RNC with the biggest star being Chachi?
Sorry but why does she need to say anything? She’s a pop star, and anyway if she did speak out people would be yelling about her doing it for attention.
She doesn’t HAVE To say anything. But, people are allowed to call her out when she preaches feminism, equality etc. at times when she directly benefits, yet stays quiet once the issue is larger than her popularity or music sales. Especially because she stays quiet to ensure she doesn’t upset any potential future sales by alienating her conservative fans.
It’s truly not that difficult to see the hypocrisy with her.
Because of her stance on feminism, I think. It seems hypocrtical to stay silent when the pussygrabbing orange menace is running for the highest office of the land.
Sometimes you have to stand up for what is right and she obviously doesn’t. If people are falling prey to racism, sexism, islamophobia and xenophobia then decent people have to speak up. They might get publicly crucified for it, but for the people affected by Trump’s policies it is not about some harsh words in the media, but their lives are threatened. So no, she doesn’t have to speak about it, but if she doesn’t she has to be okay with having her motives and affiliations questioned. There are times when people are threatened and if you say that it doesn’t concern you and you keep silent, then you are aiding bad people and are their complicitor.
If she was one of those who want to stay neutral, fine.
But once you proclaim yourself a feminist and your country elects a pig who thinks women are a whole with a nice or disgusting body around it you HAVE to say at least something.
I mean…I don’t disagree. It would be different if Taylor didn’t roll out political standpoints to match whatever fanbase she wants to court and whatever identity she decides to put on at the time. If she was neutral all the time then maybe i would give a pass (although in this climate i think silence is deafening). However, taylor opened the door by peddling her white feminism to the masses for a profit. Thus entering the political arena.
Who cares who Taylor voted for? Are people so dense that they actually believe Taylor speaking out would have changed anything? Or how about the fact that just like any private citizen, no one is obligated to speak about who they voted for. Celebs are so quick to be told to be quiet because they don’t understand and they don’t get the struggle but then when they say nothing, they’re also ridiculed. Here’s one thing I do know: taylor speaking out publicly against Trump would have done nothing. Like who cares who Taylor Swift voted for. If you can be concerned and open your mouth about who Taylor voted for and how it’s a “problem” she didn’t speak out then lucky you that that’s where you can put your focus on.
I’d also like to add that just because Taylor claims to be a feminist doesn’t mean she gets it. Just like Lena Dunham claims to be a feminist but every single time she opens her mouth she sounds like an idiot.
Well said.
Right she doesn’t have to get feminism but people should definitely stop complimenting her on being such an activist and pro-woman then. The Grammys just ran an ad where she was giving some inspirational pro-girl speech about not letting men step on you and keep you down over the Kanye thing…which she turned out to be lying about.
I’m glad people are finally calling her out tbh. For too long she’s been above reproach.
However I will say that unless Taylor had influence over Russian hackers and your own treasonous FBI I don’t think she could have helped much.
It’s not about political, executive change, it’s about TS instrumentalising people who believe in a notion – feminism, gender equality – and then sit back and say nothing when said notion is under considerable threat.
If I may say so, you seem to be confusing elected politics (effective political and executive action) and activism (the people fighting for what they think is right). We need one to counterbalance the other.
We can be activists so that polititians can be pressured into doing their job right.
What we cannot do is claim to be activists and when the sh*t hits the fan, sit back and do arts & crafts.
Slow snow – Very astute point and you articulated it very well.
Lainey had an interesting article about whether or not Taylor Swift can continue as a brand without some level of political involvement given her previous history of being The Crusader for Righteous Causes. The time for bread and circuses is over for many people – they realize sitting back is the worst thing you can do.
Am I a feminist if I use another woman’s name to get attention?
Boom.
You win this thread !
Game. Set. Match.
Don’t be cynical. I don’t think she’s using another celebrity’s name to get attention, a lot of people feel that way about swifty but she called it out. Also Taylor never is or as a feminist, she’s a swiftist. It’s not about advancing women, just advancing taytay.
Oh Yes! This! 👏
As long as the way you’re using that other woman’s name to get attention doesn’t involve misogyny or any other similar systems of oppression, yeah, you can. Feminism has nothing to do with getting along with every individual woman or not criticizing a woman for the same thing a man would get the same criticism for. I think it would be helpful if you and some applauding your comment actually looked up the definition of the word.
Otaku Fairy – I just wanted to say I always find your comments so insightful. Thanks for always adding to the discussion.
Because everyone who even dare to utter Taylors name without praising her is just looking for attention.Such a cynical way of thinking, typical the sort of celebrity/realityshow culture way of interpretating feminism. Everyones motivation is always about attention… Sigh. Also please read up on the history of feminism. Its never been the case that you can’t critique other women , its was never about whatever you do is fine. This is the sort of defence insta models and reality stars like Kardahsians use whenever they get called out.
Unlike what Taylor herself believes, you can criticise another woman and still be feminist.
That is an integral part of feminism, in fact.
Phew, thanks Detritus. Some common sense.
Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner.
Yeah, but if you’re using it as a reason to bash other women over the head with it while clearly not holding men up to the same standards, then that’s hardly feminism either, is it?
I’m pretty sure her apparent attitude towards Swift vs Brady doesn’t exactly live up to any integral parts of feminism, as far as I see it.
Especially since I’m fairly certain at this point that if Swift had been super-vocal about Hillary, she’d be accused of using the campaign for publicity the same way she’s accused of using her professed feminism.
Sure, as long as it’s legitimate criticism (which this is)
But I have a few other questions for you:
“Am I a feminist if my only understanding of it is ‘I cannot be criticised because I am female'”?
“Am I a feminist if I trash other women in song and in print and use them for attention”?
“Am I a feminist if I’m a professional victim”?
A woman is allowed to criticize another woman and still be considered a feminist.
Why do people still not get this?
HA!
Personally, I find it interesting that it’s Swift she went for, instead of Brady, who actively supported Trump. Even the interviewer brought him up: nothing. Barely a word. But she brings Swift up and goes in hard. So yeah, I think if you go out of your way to rag on women for something while more or less side-stepping men who are far guiltier, then quite frankly, there is a double standard going on. I’m no Swift cheerleader, but she’s damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t at this point. If she’d been HAAMF for Hillary, ISTG, we’d be talking about how she probably “damaged” Hillary with her attempt to “ape” the campaign for publicity in the name of her selective feminism.
Seriously, why doesn’t this chick erupt about Tom Brady if she think Swift’s this bad?
Oh, wait, I know why.
“Seriously, why doesn’t this chick erupt about Tom Brady id she thinks Swifts’s this bad? Oh, wait, I know why.”
Could it be because Tom Brady isn’t a celebrity who has publicly identified as a feminist? No snark, I’m seriously asking, because I don’t know if Tom Brady is a feminist or not.
I don’t think she voted for Trump though. I just question her motives. There are other celebrities whose families have some conservative routes (Angelina, Jennifer Lawrence, etc.) who are very much anti-Trump.
But imagine if a male celebrity had a history of only using feminism to defend his girlfriend or a woman he considered attractive, but usually had nothing else to say or do about it, was completely silent when receiving endorsement from Neo-Nazis (I don’t know if Taylor actually heard about that, but if she did…) and refused to comment on Trump because he was either too scared to alienate Trump-supporting members of his fanbase or because a petty old feud he had with some other Hillary-endorsing celebrity was more important to them. His actions would seem just as cowardly and self-serving as Taylor Swift’s.
I too found her response about Brady as opposed to Swift interesting. She evaded the Brady part completely.
I don’t think she would’ve been damned if she supported Hilary (not by Hilary supporters anyway), that’s a bit of a stretch. She would’ve lost income from trump supporters, but maybe that was reason enough for taytay to not open her mouth since it didn’t suit her agenda.
but I am glad to know that identify as a feminist means you deserve to be shit on more than others.
People aren;t targeting Taylor because she’s a feminist but because she claims to be one but doesn’t do much for the cause
Why should she ? The only people whose vote is influenced by Taylor Swift are 13-year-old girls. Oh wait…they don’t vote.
The right to voter privacy is sacrosanct. Nothing trumps it. (Pun not intended ). Furthermore ……
The concept that adults are influenced in voting by celebrities is pretty dang insulting to the intelligence of any reasonable adult
Lola is dragging Taylor by her hair..and I’m here for this lol
I wonder what her big sister’s friend & boss (Lena Dumb@ss) will think about all this. Since she’s the DUFF for Taylor and is more than happy to kiss Taylor’s @ss. Then again, Lena’s “boyfriend” dragged Taylor too a few weeks ago
I actually dont think she voted Trump. I’m serious. I think if she had voted Trump she would’ve spoken about it more because of her fan base.
Also- Taylor’s voting choice would not have changed the election outcomes. It sucks but we need to stop finger pointing. So many celebrities didn’t discuss who they voted for. At least she voted, which a huge portion of this country cant say the same.
Good for her! Taylor brand of feminism is self serving .
Taylor voted for Jill Stein.
Tragic
You can’t call yourself a feminist and stay silent when there’s a then candidate and now President that brags about grabbing woman’s genitals and says the things he has said about Carly Fiorina, Rosie O’donnell, Megyn Kelly and so on, you just CANT stay silent.
A decent human being in an incredibly privileged position like Taylor Swift can’t stay silent when the President has such hateful rethoric, implying there are second class people.
Her main priority is her career, money, power and that’s ok but there are moments when you have to take a risk and do the decent thing, speak up for the ones that are vulnerable and don’t have your privileges. She instead, stayed silent.
When all this pass, when Trump no longer is in the White House, and people wonder how the country got to this point, and people are hold accountable for their actions during this time, her career is going to pay the price for her silence.
Well said.
Yes, she absolutely 100% can call herself a feminist and not be political.
Feminism is about choice, right? So if another woman chooses not to disclose her political views then it’s anti-feminist to criticize her, as you’re essentially taking away her choice to present her public image in the way she chooses. Celebrities selectively disclose info all the time, based on what is best for their image, business, public persona etc.
I support her right to choose her career and finances over political activism. I may not like it, but it’s her choice and I support her right to make it.
You are wrong. Feminism isn’t about choice. It is about having equal rights. That in itself is political. Feminism is always political. You can’t be a feminist and apolitical. If she choses her career and finances over the rights of other women then she is mysoginist, anti-feminist and sexist.
This is dumb. If anything, Clintons loss have shown us that there are limits to celeb endorsements. So many celebs came out in support for her and yet it didn’t affect most voters. If anything it is preaching to the choir. Lola is trying the most.
Taylor is a hypocrite and we all know why she didn’t speak up but this call out is too late and inappropriate
people who are desperate for taylor swifts opinion on anything let alone the election as if our entire world hangs in the balance based off her notions need to get a reality check
Damn it, i cant believe, i just defend her
It isn’t only about endorsement. When Nazis were voted into power in Germany most people kept silent. Afterwards they said they didn’t want it and didn’t support Nazis. By keeping silent though they did support them. Even if you don’t win anything, sometimes you have to show your face and say that you disagree when people are obviously mistreated. It might not help getting the votes for Hillary, but it shows everyone that is now asking whether they can trust their neighbours, that there are people who are as disgusted by Trump as them and that there are people who still stand with them.
You have a great point.
I think Lola is being awfully nice to the Heir of Slytherin in that she assumes Taylor did NOT vote for Trump. I mean, Swifty fit rights in the crowd of the 53% of White women who voted for the Minute Maid Mussolini. The Ivanka Trump aficionados, the queens and princesses of the ‘are you sure that incident was REALLY racist?’, ‘can I touch your hair?’ and so on. The true heiresses of Carolyn Bryant those idiots.
About the size of it
She is in Mozart in the Jungle. Lovely show.
Taylor will not hurt her brand by getting political like Katy Perry or Bey. She wants to play both sides.
I seriously will never understand why people expect so much from Swift or say Amal. It’s actually free publicity for her. I like her songs but that’s it. If she did vote for Trump, go ahead and call her out. If we don’t know, then don’t expect so much from a pop star. I take her ‘activism’ with a pinch of salt because I think it’s part genuine, part PR. You’re welcome to call her out on clearcut hypocrisy (many other examples) but here we really don’t know. For sure after the 2016 debacle, when she says something now, people say it’s fake or she’s late to the game. I bet if she’s going to say in a future interview that 45 poses several problems, people (not the deplorables) will still be unhappy. Having said that, this is a gossip site, so carry on…
Agree. I think the smartest thing she can do is staying out of politics because now she just can’t win: if she is a Trump supporter (which I doubt), she will lose fans globally, if she aligns herself as a Democrat nobody will believe her.
I wouldn’t be surprised
I like her in Mozart in the Junge, i think she’s might be a better actress than her sister,apart from that i don’t know much about her. She’s not wrong here though.
Awful headline. Nobody knows how she voted.
What’s wrong with our world is that anyone could be swayed by Swifts influence or that people would hang on her dopey words. Teach your kids to think for themselves. I don’t know any adults who operate this way. Oh I’ll wait to vote based on what Taylor freaking swift or carrot top or Shena Easton votes for.
YES!! ya’ll White Ladies with good intentions are tasked with getting your fella White Feminist™ JUST LIKE LOLA DID! (Superficially she is even more gorgeous than Jemima, their whole family is dripping with good looks and hippie quirkness)
She’s also quite good in Mozart in the Jungle (which stars my forever crush since my teenage years, Gael Garcia Bernal), so points for that too.
The Kirkes are a bit like how I’d imagine the Mortmains from I Capture The Castle, only they’re American. And richer.
Hate Taylor Swift. Love the kirke sisters. Damn they’re cool.
I love them too. I was surprised when I read the oldest sister married Dan Humphrey from Gossip Girl because I didn’t know they were dating.
Lola Kirke is a badass!!! She’s real and courageous and tells it like it is. I loved her f**k paul ryan pin at the golden globes. Also she is on Mozart in the Jungle, Misstress America, and she was in Gone Girl. Girl is legit.
Just dropped in to say that if any of you haven’t watched Mozart in the Jungle (which Lola stars in) you should do yourself a favour and set aside some time for a binge. The episodes are less than 30 minutes so its easy to get through the three seasons quickly.
I’ve now watched the series through three times because it’s so pleasant and funny and comforting and I could look at Gael Garcia Bernal forever.
That is all.
Sorry, but I still stand by Taylor on this one. She does not have to divulge into who she’s voting for.
Secondly, even if she did publicly came out and said “Don’t vote Trump” it probably wouldnt have changed things anyway. I dont think celebrities have as much power as we think we do. Otherwise all the other big name celebrities would have turned the tides.
I’m kinda new here but I just want to say I’ve never believed TS’s shtick and I can’t wait for the day when she’s nothing but a desperate has-been.
I don’t think anyone should be required to publicly speak about their politics or their vote. Anyone, including TS.
But if you use feminism to sell your brand and then sit by silently when someone as awful as Trump comes along, people are going to call you out on it.
I dont like her. Sounds like she wants something out of this. Fame, to market herself to a certain public. Shady af.
Has Taylor ever defined herself as a feminist? (Legit question).
Saying “girl power” or “girl squad” or whatever slogan she uses to appeal teens does not mean she is selling herself as a feminist, because feminism has to act in theory and praxis in both social and political levels. Sadly not every woman out there is a feminist, yet that doesn’t mean those who aren’t, can’t support women in some ways (which is the situation I think her squad is).
So unless she has call herself a feminist, I don’t think she has to actually needs to be vocal about politics.
This is some “I didn’t inhale so you can’t say I smoked weed” logic, right here.
It’s rather obvious, though. Isn’t it? Taylor’s silence and all. Transparent indeed.
Why Brady thrown less shade than Taylor? She is being thrown more under the bus than the male when asked?
That interview wasn’t about him. She doesn’t want to throw everybody under the bus. I wonder why that interviewer did it. That comment was ridiculous. Lola was talking about people with a HUGE platform. She was talking about people like Taylor.
I don’t agree with Lola. They DON’T have to talk about it. I think Taylor and Tom did the right thing.