Content advisory: This article contains references to racial and ethnic slurs, sexual violence and exploitation, and adult content, and will not be suitable for all readers.
Be it Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet, or Avril Lavigne and Tyga, by now it is clear that Hollywood has a penchant for pairing up some of the unlikeliest personalities. Right now, it’s pop megastar Taylor Swift and 1975 frontman Matty Healy’s turn; dating rumors are creating an incredible amount of buzz, especially amongst the Swifties, who are immensely excited about this possible new man in the songstress’s life.
Amidst the ongoing curiosity and thrill, a recent piece of information about Healy revisited by Buzzfeed warrants that fans divert their attention to an extremely disturbing revelation. To put it in simple words, Healy has a history of being an unapologetic racist. Thanks to his use of catchphrases like “chubby Chinese lady” and “a f**king eskimo [sic],” to name a few. Well, tragically, the 34-year-old British singer’s display of racism doesn’t end there.
As recounted by Adam Friedland on his YouTube podcast, Healy was allegedly once caught masturbating to “Ghetto Gaggers,” a porn site infamous for showcasing extreme forms of degradation and humiliation meted out to Black and other women of color.
The revelation is enough for the millions of Swift’s happy well-wishers to briefly call off their celebrations (that is, in the event that the rumors of the purported relationship are actually true), and see and accept Healy for the racist misogynist he is, and hold him accountable for it. After all, how do you react to those whose inherent hatred is reflected in this sadistic act of deriving pleasure out of inflicting pain?
Yes, being an active consumer of a site that was once labeled by Reddit users as, “the most extreme niche porn you probably can find that just full of hatred for women, specifically about white men getting off on racially and sexually degrading black women” demands trenchant criticisms and severe backlash towards Healy, especially in the light of the continuing dating rumors which have brought him to public attention.
Which brings us to address the elephant in the room; how does Swift come across in this scenario? The question doesn’t revolve around the reality of the romance anymore, as Swift’s constant socializations with Healy constitute enough evidence for the Swifties to challenge, or at least acknowledge, her questionable partner choices.
This shouldn’t be difficult for the pop star, who until now has courted controversy for calling out her own bad relationships and friendships through her creative discography. Given Swift and Healy’s history — which most possibly covered the latter’s onerous Internet browsing episode — I feel it is incumbent on the fans to reconsider their impartial love for Swift, and demand a response.