Queer Dimensions of Taylor Swift

Radiating an unmistakable LGBTQ+ vibrancy, the performance prompted a single attendee to exclaim, &8216;Happy Pride Month to me!&8217;

Authored by Chris Azzopardi

As I headed towards Detroit's Ford Field, located downtown, for the inaugural evening of Taylor Swift's stunning and awe-inspiring Eras Tour on the ninth of June, I lightheartedly remarked to my concert companion that he would need to retain memories of the event on my behalf, notwithstanding that this was, in essence, my professional duty. This, naturally, presupposed that he wasn't also on the brink of a literal mental collapse.

I had previously encountered accounts concerning the ‘Swiftian amnesia' phenomenon — where devoted fans of Swift disclosed that the overwhelming nature of the event left them with a sense of culpability for their inability to recall greater detail — which prompted me to ponder: would the enchantment of the pop performance, encompassing every one of the 44 tracks, simply vanish into thin air precisely at 11:15 p.m. the moment Taylor exited the stage? Ought I to question twenty Swifties concerning the occurrences, merely on the off chance that my own memory failed? And if, hypothetically, their recollection, too, proved less than perfect? Might we collectively roam, akin to Dorothy in Taylor's reimagined Oz, bewildered by vibrant hues and, moreover, geographically dislocated from our origins?

Thus commenced a span of three hours and twenty minutes of the live Taylor Swift performance in Detroit — a profoundly intense, almost disembodied, personal encounter amidst what has been lauded as 'the quintessential tour of her era.' Drawing upon the preliminary research conducted prior to the concert, I was aware that my inaugural attendance at the Detroit Eras Tour leg would emanate a formidable 'Big Taylor Energy,' characterized by a flamboyant, highly theatrical, and opulent presentation, which would contend with any spectacle I had previously witnessed (encompassing, for instance, numerous decades of grand pop extravaganzas orchestrated by LGBTQ+ luminaries such as Madonna, Cher, Janet, and Mariah), to such an astonishingly vast and enchanting extent that recording observations proved nearly impossible. Only three were scribbled down by me, a fact which speaks volumes about the experience. Nevertheless, in divergence from the anticipatory warnings I had received concerning the phenomenon of Swift amnesia, my cognitive faculties do not, in fact, constitute the tabula rasa I had presumed they might become. In reality, a vast amount of it is retained! The bulk of my recollections encompass, as would be expected, those segments of the performance imbued with the most pronounced LGBTQ+ resonance.

My memory vividly holds the rendition of 'Vigilante Shit,' presented during the concluding 'Midnights' segment of the spectacle, at which point the queer individual standing beside me vociferously uttered an exclamation which unequivocally mirrored my own thoughts and undoubtedly resonated with countless other LGBTQ+ Swifties: &8216;Happy Pride Month to me!&8217; Her remark particularly alluded to Taylor Swift, accompanied by her remarkably varied ensemble of performers, executing a burlesque-inspired chair routine upon a multi-level video-enhanced platform. While a portion of them were female, the performers Sam McWilliams and Kevin Scheitzbach, positioned on either flank of Swift while adorned in heels, radiated a distinct queer sensibility in a manner that fostered my appreciation for the fluid gender presentation unfolding on the stage during the performance's most alluring segment, before an audience of almost sixty thousand individuals spanning various age demographics. Had I been a young gay male observing this spectacle, I might indeed experience a sense of titillation, yet primarily my inclination would be to declare, &8216;Mom, procure me a sparkly one-piece without delay.&8217;

Despite the fact that Swift's Ford Field performances occurred mere blocks from Hart Plaza, the venue for Motor City Pride, she refrained from offering any explicit Pride-related commentary on that Friday, as she had done in Chicago the preceding week, concurrent with the commencement of Pride Month, at which time she effectively leveraged her influential standing to denounce anti-queer legislative bodies. Similar to her selection of Laith Ashley, the transgender male model who portrayed her romantic interest in the 'Lavender Haze' music video, Swift's advocacy for the LGBTQ+ populace in Detroit manifested itself purely through artistic means. By way of illustration, merely four tracks into the set, she delivered her renowned gay anthem, 'You Need to Calm Down,' a performance that unequivocally conveyed her pro-queer sentiment as a capacity stadium crowd vociferously chanted her memorable retort, 'shade never made anybody less gay,' a particular phrase that Swift ensured remained part of the abridged concert rendition.

Indeed, a profound queer essence permeated a substantial portion of the 'Midnights' segment. Admittedly, the section commenced with 'Lavender Haze,' a track that has, predictably, ignited discussions among her lesbian followers, considering that lavender, historically, serves as a significant emblem within lesbian iconography. Subsequently, following that particular song, 'Bejeweled' and 'Karma' were presented. Witnessing these vibrant tracks actualized within such a vivacious concert environment rendered both compositions — the initial one addressing resilience and brilliance despite adversity, and the subsequent one serving as a playful, albeit cutting, rejoinder — seemingly even more aptly crafted, or 'tailored,' for a proximate drag performance venue. As 'Karma' was performed, Swift and her accompanying dancers were attired in jackets, with their combined hues evoking the appearance of a lustrous rainbow. Should one be a Baby Boomer, one might readily envision such a wonderfully theatrical and exaggerated display being characteristic of a Cher concert. Furthermore, were Swift inclined to take an additional step, she could potentially contemplate creating an unrestricted documentary concert film, akin to the one that chronicled Madonna throughout her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour, a production that, in addition to its prominent feminist motifs (numerous examples of which are present within the Eras Tour), is affectionately recollected for its pronounced exhibition of queer visibility.

Thus, indeed, a great deal of the Eras Tour will remain etched in my memory — may the phenomenon of Swift amnesia be utterly disregarded. A friendship bracelet was bestowed upon me by the individual for whom 'Vigilante Shit' justly serves as a novel Pride anthem, serving as an illustration of the unexpected communal bond I experienced during this performance. Obtaining a bracelet was not an expectation of mine, particularly from another individual who identifies as queer, yet it prompted my contemplation regarding my presence within this immensely euphoric environment subsequent to a period of several years marked by pandemic-induced seclusion.

The year was 2020 when 'Folklore' was released to the public, and at that time, prospects for the future seemed exceedingly sparse. I possess a conviction that numerous Swift devotees present at that particular concert may have experienced emotions akin to my own during that same year — namely, fear, despondency, and an unparalleled degree of hopelessness. I steadfastly adhered to those compositions, as though they possessed an ethereal, mystical quality, only to witness that very enchantment materialize directly before my eyes. Upon listening to Swift's spoken-word rendition of 'Seven,' which served as the inaugural piece for the 'Folklore' segment of the performance, my thoughts were momentarily transported to that challenging period of seclusion. My gaze then swept across the surroundings, revealing scores of thousands of luminous bracelets, glimmering all around me like remote celestial bodies. The Eras Tour holds a unique significance in this particular aspect — for the duration of one evening, it facilitated our collective convergence so that we might recall not merely the singular evening itself, but also the arduous passage that led us to its commencement.

Serving as the Editorial Director for Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate, the nation's premier LGBTQ+ wire service, is Chris Azzopardi. He has conducted interviews with numerous celebrated personalities, among whom are Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey, and Beyoncé. Furthermore, his writings have been featured in publications such as The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Billboard. He can be contacted through Twitter at @chrisazzopardi.