Music and Cats / Book of Abstracts - Catalog - Page 32
Abstracts
Panel 1: Musicians and Their Cats
AI
11:20 – 11:35
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The Role of Cats in the
Image of Taylor Swift
A Feminist Perspective
Zu Brykalska / University of Warsaw
Taylor Swift has been one of the most frequently
mentioned names in pop culture during recent
years. Her remarkably successful tour has gained
her even more popularity, but has made her every
action at risk of even more controversy. Despite
this, when the US presidential debates were taking
place last year, she did not give up her political
stance and, referring to the insults made by J.D.
Vance against Kamala Harris, she self-proclaimed
herself a “childless cat lady.” What could be
perceived as something relatively small led to
hundreds of thousands entering the voter
registration website. Reclaimed by her, the title of
a “Cat Lady” was strongly connected with her
widely known love for domestic felines, which can
be found in her discography as well. However, one
can read her actions in the framework of
feminist history and theories. Her act
contributed to many women reclaiming the
insulting term, making it hard to overlook the
similarity between the current situation and
the suffragette movement reclaiming cats
used as a symbol of anti-feminist propaganda.
In my presentation, I would like to analyze the
role of cats in Taylor Swift's persona through
the lens of her perception and influence. I will
also discuss the portrayal of cats in her songs
and the context in which they are
accompanied. I aim to examine the role cats
play in shaping her public image and the
feminist potential they carry.
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