Lyrical Symbols
"IF A MAN TALKS SHIT, THEN I OWE HIM NOTHING / I DON’T REGRET IT ONE BIT, ’CAUSE HE HAD IT COMING.”- I did something bad

This song is about women dealing with manipulative guys and figuring out how to have the upper hand on them effectively. The female speaker in this particular line is reclaiming her strength/authority and taking a stance. She is eager to be in charge of her own destiny and not lie down for anyone or wait for help to arrive. Plus, she will not attempt to make others feel better by appeasing them when they harm her.

“I’M SO SICK OF RUNNING AS FAST I CAN / WONDERING IF I’D GET THERE QUICKER / IF I WAS A MAN.” The man

This song is a statement on male privilege and how misogynistic society is. This remarkable line highlights the differences between men and women in how the public views their achievement and power. She also appears to be acknowledging the existence of a glass ceiling in the entertainment industry that prevents women from attaining certain levels of success. Swift has been expressing her feminism in increasingly prominent ways, with this song being one of the most forthright. However, it also highlights the double standard of working harder and then being questioned about whether or not the ensuing achievement was well-deserved

“wanna tell you not to get lost in these petty things Your nemeses Will defeat themselves before you get the chance to swing” Long story Short

Her song Long story short is about getting involved within drama, she was known for conflicts with the Kardashians, Ex boyfriends, and Katy Perry. Due to this drama she was often villainized, and not taken seriously for the work she had completed. In this song she is offering a warning saying don't get caught up in drama over you living your authentic life. She is saying ignore it and dont look to tear people down let it be, because most of the time those people will ruin things for themselves anyways. It's a great ode to feminism because she is saying ignore everyone who tells you that you can't do something and focus on what is right for you.

"There goes the last great American dynasty" "Who knows if she never showed up, what could've been" "There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen" She had a marvelous time ruinin' everything" Last great american Dynasty

This song is about a woman of the Rockerfeller family whose husband dies of illness and the entire town blames this woman saying she messed everything up. Yet the death of her husband wasn't her fault and everyone assumes that her marriage to this man was for money. In this song the woman was outspoken, flamboyant, and wanted to live life. Yet to everyone around her she was considered crazy. This is a good reference to feminism because often when women have petitioned for equality they have been gas-lighted and told that they are crazy and that is not how they are supposed to act. Yet Taylor Swift decides rather to criticize her independence to celebrate it. Thus giving us a story calling out sexist behaviors of the past and relating them to her current life.