Share
News

'Swifties' Hijack Taylor Swift Concert to Push Political Agenda on Concert Goers

Share

As thousands of Taylor Swift fans lined up eagerly Thursday for the superstar’s first-ever concert in Argentina, they saw themselves surrounded by posters urging them to not vote in favor of right-wing populist Javier Milei in this month’s  presidential election.

“A Swiftie Doesn’t Vote Milei,” read one of the posters, using the term commonly used to describe fans of the 12-time Grammy winner.

Some Swifties agreed.

“Taylor defends lots of positions and things that Milei doesn’t represent,” said 17-year-old Julieta Bracamontes. “That sign is right, and I agree with it.”

At the bottom of the poster, a hashtag read “Milei Is Trump.”

Milei, a self-described anarcho-capitalist who holds lots of socially conservative positions, including opposition to abortion, has often been described as Argentina’s Donald Trump.

“I think Trump is very similar to Milei,” said Constanza Trunsky, a psychology student, noting the points in common between Argentina’s current political climate and the views Swift, 33, has expressed in the past, particularly her support for the LGBT community.

Milei has said he supports marriage equality, which has been the law in Argentina since 2010, but he has spoken up against sex education in schools and is opposed to the state devoting funds to assist the trans community as well as other minority groups.

Another poster that suddenly appeared in numerous locations around Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires showed a stylized stencil portrait of Swift holding a tray of cookies of different shapes that read, “Massa 2023,” in reference to Economy Minister Sergio Massa, Milei’s opponent in the Nov. 19 presidential runoff.

Will politicians have to start winning over Taylor Swift’s fan base?

The most hardcore Swifties immediately knew the image made reference to a famous photo of an overalls-wearing Swift holding cookies in favor of President Joe Biden’s 2020 candidacy.

Politics first burst into the South American country’s Swift fandom late last month, when a fan club issued a news release calling on fans of the superstar singer to vote against Milei.

(The voting age is 16 for native Argentines and 18 for naturalized Argentines.)

Milei “represents the antidemocratic right that comes to take away all our acquired rights,” the fan club said in a news release.

The group spoke up shortly after Massa received the most votes in the Oct. 22 election, obtaining 37% of the total, almost seven points more than Milei but not enough to avoid a runoff.

Related:
Jason Kelce Smashes Student's Phone for Insulting Brother Travis, Gets Shoved to the Ground

But not all Swifties agreed with the fan club meddling in politics.

“I don’t think it’s something they should get involved in and say that Swifties won’t vote (for Milei) because everyone has their personal opinion, and they can’t generalize like that,” Lucila Losinno, 28, said Thursday while waiting to get into the concert.

Others who had been impatiently waiting for Swift’s Eras Tour to arrive in South America were eager to shake off any talk of politics.

“I don’t sympathize with any of the politicians, but I don’t know, I feel that putting the face of the artist on something political isn’t very good,” said Malena Garachena, 19.

“(But) it’s OK — I don’t think she’ll see it.”

The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
, , , , ,
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.

Conversation