TIME 'Person of the Year': Dr. Taylor Alison Swift
Taylor Swift has recently been awarded the distinction of Time’s ‘Person of the Year’, once again breaking barriers as the first woman to be on the cover of this highly respected issue twice and the first person to be awarded this distinction as a result of their contribution to the arts. We have long seen Swift’s name in the headlines, but 2023 can undoubtedly be characterized as the year of Taylor Swift following her incredible economic impact as a result of her global stadium tour ‘The Eras Tour’. Becoming a household name more so than she already was, Swift has memorialized her reputation as a successful woman within the arts after breaking countless records within and outside of her discipline and successfully re-recording her previous albums to regain ownership of her life’s work.
As one of the most decorated artists of all time, the spotlight does not leave her likeness even after the lights go down. Outside of her life on tour, Swift continues to lead a successful presence in the public eye and uses her platform to promote social change in areas she feels strongly. As an advocate for political engagement, Swift is consistently reminding her fans of the importance of voting and educating themselves on the belief systems of the representatives they will be voting on. Following one particular call to action this year from Swift posted on her instagram story asking her fans to register to vote , a mass 35,000 registrations were recorded. Additionally, she has left behind a semblance of hope for the communities she performs within, donating large amounts of money to local food banks located in cities of each tour stop and reinvigorating the economy merely through her presence.
Alongside her generosity and the employment of her mass following to register and get out to the polls, Swift inspires her fans daily to aspire for success and disallows any sentiments that men are in any way superior to women aspiring towards the same goals. She seeks to ensure that there is gender equality within the entertainment industry and has also become an outspoken advocate for the rights of artists to own their work following her own struggles of ownership. Regardless of your taste in music, the impact of Taylor Swift cannot be understated. As she continues to break records and obtain the position as one of the most influential figures of our time, it is likely that she will continue to be awarded at the same level of politicians and human rights activists as a result of her far reaching impact across modern society. When highlighting influential women of today, ensure that you are not discrediting Time’s ‘Person of the Year’, Dr. Taylor Alison Swift. Phoebe Bridgers iterated the sentiments of many when she stated, “I’m grateful to have grown up in a world with Taylor Swift in it, or, ‘The World: Taylor’s Version.’
Sources: TIME, Billboard, Rolling Stone