Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has led the criticism against a Newsweek column that questioned Taylor Swift's status as a role model based on her unmarried and childless status.
- Jul 3, 2024
AceShowbiz - Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has publicly denounced a Newsweek opinion piece written by John Mac Ghlionn, which argued that Taylor Swift is not a good role model due to her being 34 years old, unmarried, and childless.
In the article, which was titled "Taylor Swift Is Not a Good Role Model," Ghlionn suggested that Swift's personal life choices, including her "revolving door of relationships," should be taken into account when considering her as a role model for young girls. He argued that while men should be held to a higher standard of accountability, "the same is equally true for young women."
"At 34, Swift remains unmarried and childless, a fact that some might argue is irrelevant to her status as a role model. But, I suggest, it's crucial to consider what kind of example this sets for young girls," Ghlionn wrote.
Navratilova, a six-time Wimbledon champion, responded to the article on X Sunday (June 30), calling it "a massive pile of misogynistic bull." "This guy should be ashamed of himself and I can't believe he writes for Newsweek...and they printed it. I mean..." she wrote.
Navratilova also pointed out that Swift has never claimed to be a role model. "Taylor never claimed she was a role model," she wrote.
The former Olympian's comments sparked a wave of support online, with many people slamming the opinion piece as sexist and outdated.
"To claim that Swift's power as a role model is diminished by those mediaeval metrics is pure misogyny," added writer Claire Cohen. "It positions a woman's worth in terms of her duty towards men and sends us back to an era in which we were little more than walking wombs ..."
So far, Swift herself has not responded to Newsweek's article. She is currently on the European leg of her global Eras Tour.
