Entertainment

Awesome Feminist Advice from Taylor Swift

by Nicole Pomarico

A feminist awakening is happening in Hollywood, and it's a beautiful thing. Gone are the days when female celebrities renounced feminism because they didn't understand what the word meant, and a new era has begun — and I'm happy to say that Taylor Swift is at the forefront of it all. As a powerful, successful musician who manages to artfully pull off the marriage of businesswoman and artist, Swift is using the spotlight to shine a light on the importance of feminism in our society, and I couldn't think of a better mouthpiece for the movement. If you're loving it too, get ready to become obsessed with Swift's latest, super feminism-charged interview with ASOS Magazine where she shares her best advice. Her words are so perfectly crafted that I wish I could get the entire text of the interview tattooed all over any man who's ever been guilty of street harassment.

After all, if you're going to learn from someone, it might as well be from the person who's responsible for the highest selling album this year, right? I've always known that Swift wasn't just good for doling out relationship advice about loves gone wrong, and I'm so happy to see that the rest of the world is beginning to catch up with me.

Here are Swift's top pieces of advice that she shared in her interview. Feel free to thank her for her wisdom later!

Always keep your cool.

The easiest, best, most effective way to make someone listen to you is to speak in an even tone. A lot of people think if they’re shouting the loudest, they’ll be heard, but most people lose respect for you when you lose your cool. You have to maintain everyone’s respect, especially as a woman in a position of power. It’s terrible to be at that kind of disadvantage, where if you yell, people will talk about you behind your back much more than if you were a man. Because of those social injustices we face as women, you have to make sure that no one can call you a crazy bitch.

Be a good friend to other women, even when it's inconvenient for you.

Loyalty is so important and it isn’t easy because it ruffles feathers. You will not be universally liked if you are loyal to your friends because it means you will always pick their side. If your friend has a problem with someone, or someone is terrible to them, even if that person is nice to you, you’re gonna give them a look. You’re not going to go and take pictures with someone who’s just been mean to your friend so they can post them on Instagram.

Don't be afraid to take risks.

I can’t stand having regrets, but you’re supposed to have them. Anybody who tells you they went through life without regret or error isn’t telling you the truth, and they shouldn’t be trusted.

You don't need to cling to relationships.

You can have love all around you without being in love, and find romance in your everyday life without being in a romantic relationship. That can be just as fulfilling.

Be the Bossypants you know you can be.

Work isn’t about just showing up; it’s about so much more than that. It’s up to you to take risks — you have to decide that you want to get better and you want to learn. When you reach a certain level of success, which you inevitably will in your life if you work hard, people become OK with anything you create. Only you will be the one who pushes you and decides what the next level will be.

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