My music taste is what many refer to as “basic while girl music.”
My top 5 singers on Spotify Wrapped are always Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodgrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, and One Direction. Whenever I tell people this, I am met with sighs and murmurs of “Oh, so you’re one of those girls.” It happens so frequently that sometimes I feel embarrassed to admit the music I love. Constantly having others judge you for the things that bring you joy is exhausting. The artists I listen to don’t affect anyone, so why do others care so much?Â
Popular things are popular for a reason. The term “basic white girl” dismisses the preferences of so many women, especially women of color. It implies that only white women are allowed to experience the common emotions expressed across the pop genre. Music is a universal element that connects people across the world. Calling a certain type of music fitting for only one group minimizes the millions of others that relate to it.
Let’s be real, are only “basic white girls” allowed to relate to the heartbreaking, yet utterly romantic lyrics that Taylor Swift writes about? What makes anyone think that, as a brown girl, I wouldn’t resonate with such painful, longing emotions about love and self-discovery?
I know people usually make these comments in passing, as a joke, without thinking much of it. But words carry weight. The things we say have the power to shape someone else’s perception and insecurities. Comments like “basic white girl” feel belittling, and reinforce the idea that the interests of women are insignificant.
I believe women are the sole backbone of many successful industries. We are the ultimate influencers fueling the economy—we spot and set trends, stream music, and cultivate social media engagements. And let’s not forget the amount of time and money we pour into merchandise and concert tickets. During Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, some government officials found themselves almost begging Swift to hold shows in their country, simply because of the massive economic boom that resulted wherever she went. Yet, despite all of our contributions to the economy, women are the first to be ridiculed for what we enjoy.Â
A comparison that always angers me is the difference in treatment towards fangirls and sports fans. The reasoning is quite obvious: sports fans consist of primarily men, whereas fangirls are mostly women. It’s nothing new, a tale as old as time really—men hate seeing women enjoy things.
Truly, in my perspective, fangirls and sports fans are cut from the same cloth. Both groups are extremely passionate about their respective interests, and channel a significant amount of time and money into it. Sports fans are basically fanboys. Yet, the same fanboys who spend thousands of dollars purchasing jerseys, season passes, or even Super Bowl tickets, are typically the first ones to ridicule me for spending $300 on a Taylor Swift concert.
Why do I get labeled as a parasocial, hyper-obsessed teenage girl for spending my money on something that makes me happy, while the infatuation men have with their fantasy football team is seen as a normal hobby? The double standard is crazy! Also, for the record, $300 for an Eras Tour ticket was a complete steal!
I refuse to allow others control over the things I love. My obsessions are mine to have, not others’ to judge. I will be unapologetically vocal about the things that make me happy and share my interests to anyone who cares to listen (and even if they don’t, I will continue yapping about it).
As Taylor Swift once said, “I wanna be defined by the things that I love, not the things I’m afraid of or the things that haunt me in the middle of the night. I just think that you are what you love.”Â