You may have heard “thanK you aIMee” from Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” Come along with us as we delve into this masterpiece of a song.
Taylor Swift’s new song, “thanK you aIMee”, is not a shots-fired-song. Read between the lines; it’s a song about rising from the ashes after being bullied and dealing with the trauma that follows.
As a self-proclaimed feminist and as someone who was incessantly bullied by other women in my adult life, the concept of The Sisterhood and Always Supporting Women is a toxic construct unless we hold one another accountable for bad behaviors.
I watched my sister get bullied in high school and see the impacts of how it shaped her life today, and I would be lying if I didn’t admit that what I went through YEARS ago, at this point, doesn’t affect me either. Telling someone to “get over” a traumatic event is incredibly damaging not only to the psyche but promotes toxic positivity. Because when you post and say things like “get over it,” my sister sees it, I see it, others who went through similar experiences see it.
It invalidates our emotions and the trauma we experience(d). I don’t believe that’s anecdotal. (There’s also something to say about a song that mentions the complex emotions of feeling like your mom is the only one there for you when you’re “going through it” — so to say).
I’m proud of who I am, and in the same breath, it sucks that I had to go through what I went through to get here. And as someone who uses humor to process negative emotions, it makes me appreciate this song even more. So, thanK you, aIMee for bullying Taylor Swift into writing “reputation,” one of my favorite albums of all time and catapulting her career into where it is today.
Read more about our thoughts on Taylor Swift’s latest album, “The Tortured Poets Department” here!
