Over the weekend, Taylor Swift was heavily criticized in a column published by Newsweek, and tennis legend Martina Navratilova has quickly come to the defense of the pop star on social media.
In a recent column titled “Taylor Swift Is Not a Good Role Model,” columnist John Mac Ghlionn claimed that Taylor Swift is not a role model to young girls or “worthy of initiation” because she is 34 years old and is not yet married and does not have children.
“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. A role model, by definition, is someone worthy of imitation. While Swift’s musical talent and business acumen are certainly admirable, even laudable, we must ask if her personal life choices are ones we want our sisters and daughters to emulate. This might sound like pearl-clutching preaching, but it’s a concern rooted in sound reasoning,” Ghlionn wrote.
Navratilova was not at all happy about Ghlionn’s words as she offered her reaction on social media.
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… https://t.co/SdqjYeg0NG
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) June 30, 2024
“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…” Navratilova said in a post on X, the social media website that was formerly known as Twitter.
In a follow-up post, Navratilova claimed that the writer of the post as “misogynist AF.”
“Right? Misogynist AF!!! And btw- Taylor never claimed she was a role model, ASAIK. Also remember Charles Barkley’s comment years ago about role models ? And generally speaking, athletes are more likely to be held out as role models than pop stars etc, for obvious reasons…” she said.
Clearly, Navratilova does not think this column ever should have been published.
