MidReal Story
Social Media Stand: Taylor's Bold Move
Scenario: Taylor Swift: If TikTok Is Banned, I Will Leave the U.S.
Create my version of this story
I love my fans.
As a singer, I have always made it a priority to engage with them, to show my appreciation and support whenever possible.
During the “Reputation” era, I went above and beyond to do just that.
I held secret listening sessions with fans pre-release, where I personally thanked everyone for their support.
And even after the album dropped, I opened my home to fans who I knew loved me and appreciated me for me, not for the celebrity I had become.
My fans are everything to me.
One of my favorite memories from that time was when I surprised a fan named Lara at her university campus.
She had posted a photo of herself on Tumblr, wearing a “Reputation”-themed birthday crown and sash.
It was cute and clever, but it was her caption that really got me.
She wrote about how much she loved my music and how it had gotten her through some tough times.
I knew I had to do something special for her, so I flew to her campus and showed up at her dorm room to surprise her on her birthday.
As you can imagine, she was completely shocked when she opened her door and saw me standing there with balloons and a cake in hand.
Her jaw literally dropped, and she just stood there in shock until she finally burst into tears.
We hugged, took some photos together, and then I invited her to hang out with me in my hotel room after we had some birthday cake in her dorm room with all of her friends.
When she walked into that hotel room and saw Justin Bieber sitting on the couch, she screamed so loud that I couldn’t hear myself think.
It was hilarious!
We all sat around chatting and laughing for about an hour before I gifted Lara with $10,000, which she said she would use to pay off some of her student loans.
She told me how much she loved my music, especially “Delicate,” because it made her feel special and carefree when things were hard.
She also said that “Dress” was hot as hell, which made us all crack up laughing!
My fans have always been there for me, even during times when I didn’t know how to be there for myself.
So, it’s important to me that I get to know them personally, that I listen to their stories, and that I learn from them about who they are, what they want, and why they love me as much as I love them.
I have been blessed with a platform on which I can stand up for what I believe in, but I have also learned so much from my fans in return.
They have helped me understand complex issues like sexuality, gender fluidity, and pronoun inclusion — issues that continue to make me a better artist and advocate for human rights today.
I think it’s time for me to pay them back for all of the love they have shown me over the years, don’t you?
You are standing at the edge of a cliff and it’s crumbling away beneath your feet.
The cliff is eroding quickly, but you have the chance to save one group from falling into the abyss below: your family or your fans.
Which group would you save?
The tears were already streaming down my face as soon as I heard the question, and it only got worse as soon as I thought about what it really meant.
I had a split second to decide whether I would save my family or my fans from drowning in a sea of uncertainty, fear, and pain — as if anyone could really make such an impossible choice between people they love so deeply!
When I was finally able to catch my breath, I responded: “I would save my fans, because without them, I wouldn’t have my family.”
That answer may not make sense at first, but let me explain why I said it.
First of all, let’s be clear: this was not about loving one group more than the other.
This was about survival.
Without my fans, I wouldn’t have a career — and without a career, I wouldn’t be able to provide for my family and myself!
I did not say that I would save my fans over my family because I love them more; I said it because it is a simple fact that I need them more than they need me!
And I am so grateful that they are there for me every step of the way.
I’ve been in this business long enough to know that not everyone is lucky enough to have fans who are so supportive and loyal no matter what happens.
From the very beginning of my career, I’ve always been aware of how special our relationship is and how important it is for me to stay close to them in any way that I can.
I will never forget all of the people who had faith in me on Myspace before anyone else even knew who I was or what I stood for as an artist or as a person.
I will always be grateful for all of the amazing Swifties who stood by me when I was going through some really tough times with tabloids, stalkers, and other things that were out of my control.
And I will forever love all of the amazing people who showed up for me when I was battling sexual harassment at work and fighting for my rights in court.
My fans are the reason why I do what I do and why I refuse to let anything stand in my way when it comes to doing what’s right or making sure that things are done fairly and justly.
On June 2nd, 2016, I went to Denver to perform a concert at the Pepsi Center as part of my “1989 World Tour”.
Before I hit the stage to sing all of my greatest hits for my fans, I had to do a meet-and-greet with some sponsors at the venue.
During that session, a radio DJ named David Mueller grabbed my butt while we were taking a photo together.
After he touched me without my permission, I immediately told my team about what happened so they could take care of things.
I also filed a report with his employer so they could take action based on what I knew to be true.
I never wanted any part of this incident to go public or turn into a big deal; I just wanted to make sure that I was safe and that no one else would be hurt by him in the future.
Unfortunately, he didn’t see things the same way and decided to file a lawsuit against me instead.
In his lawsuit, he claimed that he had lost his job as a result of being accused of assault by me.
He also claimed that he had been standing on something when he took our photo together, so his hand could have accidentally brushed against my body.
I was shocked to hear that he was not only saying that I had made things up but also trying to argue that I was responsible for his being fired.
To me, it was clear that he was going to fight this thing tooth and nail, so I decided that I needed to fight back too.
I filed a lawsuit against him in return, asking for $1 in damages and making it clear that I wasn’t asking for money out of revenge but rather to stand up against assault.
My mother and I were both determined to defend my reputation and my rights in court, so we went all in on our case to show that what he did to me was unacceptable and that no amount of money would ever change what happened or how I felt about it.
After hearing all of the evidence and arguments, the jury ultimately sided with me and gave me everything that I asked for.
They agreed that David Mueller assaulted me at work and violated my rights as a human being.
They ignored all of his excuses and technicalities and just focused on what they knew to be true: That he put his hands on me without my permission, and he never should have done that.
As a result, they gave me $1 in damages, exactly as I had requested in my lawsuit.
They also made it clear that they wanted to send a message with their ruling that this kind of behavior has consequences and that victims have rights too.
In the end, I was so grateful that they took this case so seriously and that they stood by me every step of the way.
I know that not every victim is as lucky as I am to have such an amazing group of people on their side or to have such an easy time getting justice in court.
But I hope that this case will inspire others to speak up about their own experiences and to keep fighting until they get the justice they deserve too.
If you have been sexually harassed or assaulted, I want to remind you that you are not alone, and you do not have to put up with this kind of treatment anymore.
You have rights as a human being under the law, and you deserve to be treated with respect and dignity at all times.
As a singer-songwriter who’s been in the industry for over two decades, I’ve always believed that self-expression is one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal.
Music is what brought me to fame and fortune in the first place, and it’s also what helped me find my voice when it comes to social issues and political causes.
For me, creating art has never just been about making money or getting famous; it’s always been about connecting with others on an emotional level and trying to make the world a better place.
So when I first started hearing rumors about TikTok getting banned in the United States last year, I immediately knew that I had to speak up about it.
This app has become one of the most popular social-media platforms in recent years, especially among young people who are looking for ways to express themselves online.
TikTok is known for its short-form videos that allow users to put music or other sounds behind clips of themselves dancing or lip-syncing or doing other creative things.
Over time, people from all walks of life have used this app to share their art with others around the world, building communities and connections that would have been impossible otherwise.
The fact is, we live in a world where society is constantly trying to control or limit what we can say or do at any given time.
Whether it’s because of government regulations or corporate policies or personal prejudices, there are always going to be people out there who want to tell us how we’re allowed to express ourselves and who we’re allowed to be at any given time.
But as someone who’s spent my entire life fighting against these kinds of restrictions on creativity, I can’t help but feel like enough is enough already.
If we keep letting others dictate what we can or cannot say online through these apps, then we’re never going to have to freedom or autonomy to be who we truly are in real life either.
And that’s why I started getting so worried about all the talk surrounding TikTok getting banned last year: Because it’s just one more example of how society is trying to control what people can or cannot say online these days.
To be clear, I’m not saying that TikTok is perfect by any means or that this app can do no wrong ever.
There have definitely been times when this platform has failed to protect its users from scams or abuse or other forms of online harassment.
And there have also been times when it has silenced certain voices or opinions in ways that were not fair or just either.
But even so, I still think it’s important for us to recognize all the good things about this app too when it comes to self-expression and creativity on such a large scale.
If we let our fear or anger over all those bad things make us forget about all those good things as well, then we might end up losing something far more valuable in return than we ever wanted or needed at all.
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That’s why I found myself embroiled in a heated debate with one of my friends over the potential ban of TikTok back in July last year.
There were rumors going around at that time that President Trump was considering shutting down this app because it was owned by ByteDance—a Chinese company that did not comply with US laws around data protection and privacy.
But even though I could see where he was coming from regarding those concerns about national security and online safety too.
I still thought it was important for us to think about the bigger picture here because we also had to consider how much this app meant to millions of Americans who relied on it for their chosen means of self-expression and creativity at that time too.
And if we took that away from them now, then how could we ever expect China to learn that their actions do have consequences too?
“TikTok may be an app that was created by a foreign company,” I said during our conversation at one point.
“But that doesn’t mean that all of its users should be the ones to pay the price if their government has been doing something wrong on this platform either.
We have to remember that these people are just average citizens who were using this app as their chosen outlet for creativity and self-expression during lockdown last year.
And we have to remember that these people are also the same ones who will be losing all of those things if TikTok gets banned now.
So how can we expect them to be okay with this decision either?
If you ask me, it’s just not fair for us to do this to them when they did nothing wrong themselves.”
“I agree with you completely,” my friend Emma Watson said then.
As a fellow activist for women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights myself, I could tell that she was just as worried about all of this as I was at that time too.
“And let’s not forget about all of the marginalized groups who rely on this app for their own self-expression and creativity either.
“It’s been no secret that TikTok has been a safe space for so many members of the LGBTQ+ community—especially those who are still in the closet or figuring out their identities at this time.
And if this app gets taken away from them now, then where will they have left to go for those things later on?
Considering how much discrimination and abuse these people already face in real life, how can we expect them to be okay without this app as well?”
In a moment of frustration and defiance, I shook my head and declared: “I’m sorry but if TikTok gets banned now, then I will leave America too!”
Now I know what you’re all thinking: That was a little bit melodramatic perhaps or even a little bit silly too.
And sure, maybe you’re right: Maybe it wasn’t reasonable or realistic for me to say something like that in response to such a small issue at that time.
But in my defense though: I’ve always been a little bit extra or a little bit dramatic myself sometimes.
I mean let’s face it: It’s just a part of being a famous singer and songwriter if you ask me.
After all: How else would I be able to write all of those sad and angsty breakup songs without a little bit of my own drama in the mix too?
“Besides,” I said then with a sigh.
I’ve already said before that I want to get away from fame one day too.
So if this is the excuse or reason that I have for doing that now: Then why not go for it while I still have the chance?
That was when all of my haters and doubters started coming at me then.
They said that it was all an empty threat and that I was just saying all of this for attention or sympathy at that time.
Some even said that this was just a brand new version of that old joke or meme about how all celebrities keep saying that they will leave America if someone wins or loses an election too.
But then again: That’s not really true either.
After all, I’m sure you’ve all seen in the news already how many celebrities have moved out of America or even given up their citizenships in response to some of these things too.
So if you ask me: It’s not really fair or right for anyone to say or think that about celebrities anyway.
Even so though: Yes, I admit that maybe I have exaggerated myself sometimes in the past simply because of how much fun or funny these things can be too.
But no matter what else you may believe or think about me: The one thing that you should know for sure is that this wasn’t one of those moments at all.
I was being serious when I said this.
I mean sure, maybe there were a few times when I said something just to make people laugh or smile because of how ridiculous or silly these things could be.
But that doesn’t mean that this was one of those times either.
After all, if you think about it: How could anyone really believe or think that this was just a joke or a lie?
Sure, maybe I’ve said before that “there’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women” sometimes in my interviews or profiles.
But that doesn’t mean that this was a part of that speech too.
Maybe I’ve also said before that “haters gonna hate” in some of my songs or music videos as well.
But that doesn’t mean that this was just a part of that song or video too.
I’m a human too, okay?
But more importantly than that though: The one thing that you should know for sure is that this was never meant to be one of those moments either.
I mean, let’s not forget about all of the things that have happened to me over the years too.
From my public feuds with Katy Perry and Kanye West to my private relationships with Tom Hiddleston and Joe Alwyn, there has always been something for everyone to talk about when it comes to me too.
And sure, maybe some of those things were just for fun and games.
But no matter what else you may believe or think about me: The one thing that you should know for sure is that this wasn’t one of those moments at all.
I mean, let’s not forget about how much I love my fans and supporters either.
After all, these are the people who have been there for me since the very beginning of my career too.
They have bought my music and my merchandise.
They have even defended me against all of my haters and doubters as well.
And if it weren’t for them: I would never have been able to do any of the things that I have ever done myself either.
So how could anyone really believe or think that I would ever say or do something that might make them feel a little bit sad or scared like that?
Sure, maybe I’m a little bit spoiled sometimes in my life and career too.
But that doesn’t mean that I can’t have a little bit of empathy or compassion for others as well.
So how could anyone ever really believe or think that I would say or do something like this without thinking about them first?
Some people even said that I should just be grateful and thankful for all of the success, wealth, and privilege that I have gotten from this country too.
Like, as if I don’t already know this myself?
And sure, maybe some of it was just a little bit dramatic or silly as well.
But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t already know this too either.
So how could anyone ever really believe or think that I would say or do something like this without understanding their feelings and emotions first?
Well, if you ask me, it seems like everyone might just be a little bit confused and lost about what I was trying to say here too.
From all of my fans and supporters to all of my haters and doubters, it seems like everyone is just a little bit divided and scattered about what they should really believe or think right now as well.
And sure, maybe some of them are starting to come around to see things my way as well.
But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t still many more of them who are still feeling a little bit angry and upset about it as well.
So what do you think that I should do then?
Should I just say that I’m sorry and take it all back?
Or should I just say that I don’t care and move on with my life?
Because if you ask me, it seems like everyone is still just a little bit confused and lost about what they should really believe or think about it right now too.
And sure, maybe I am still just a little bit confused and lost about it too as well.
But that doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t still be allowed to feel and express my emotions and opinions about it either.
After all, like my friend Emma Watson once told me: “No matter what you do or say, there will always be someone unhappy with it anyway.”
And sure, maybe she has gotten a lot of criticism and backlash from her own activism in the past too.
But that doesn’t mean that she wasn’t right about that anyway either.
So no matter what else you may believe or think about me: The one thing that you should know for sure is that this was never meant to be anything like that at all either.
I’m so grateful for your friendship and support right now, Emma.
I don’t know what else I would do without you at my side right now either.”
“Of course!”
“I’m always here for you if you need me!”
“You know that, Taylor.”
“Just remember what I told you before.”
“No matter what you say or do, there will always be someone unhappy with it anyway.”
“But remember: There are also many more people who love and support you too.”
“It’s okay to feel upset sometimes.”
“But standing up for yourself and your beliefs is the most important thing of all too.”
“Don’t let anyone else make you feel bad for that.”
And sure, maybe I am still trying so hard to be a good role model and example for everyone else too right now as well.
But I am also only human too.
I am only human after all.
I am not perfect, and I never claimed to be either.
I am not always going to do or say the right thing at the right time either.
But I am always going to be myself no matter what too as well.
“I’m sorry if you’re upset about it too.”
“It’s not that I don’t care about it at all either.”
“But I just don’t know what else I should really do about it either.”
“It’s okay, Taylor.”
“I understand exactly how you feel.”
“After all, like I said before: It’s not always easy for me either too.”
“But I’m also going to stand up for myself and my own beliefs no matter what too as well.”
“And you should too.”
“And don’t worry: You’re not even close to being the only one who feels this way too as well.”
After this, I got a text from Justin Bieber again too.
“I heard about what happened with TikTok!”
“I’m so sorry if you’re feeling upset about it right now.”
“But remember: You’re not alone in this either.”
“There are a lot of people who feel the same way as you do too!”
“So don’t let the haters get to you either!”
“You’re so much better than they are!”
You’re so much stronger than they are too!”
“You’re not even close to being alone in this either!”
And sure, maybe he has made a lot of mistakes in the past too as well.
But he has also been there for me no matter what anyway too as well.
He has always been so loyal and supportive of me too as well.
And for that, I am so grateful for everything he has done for me too as well.
“I know how much your fans mean to you, Taylor.”
“And I know how much they love you too.”
“But your mental health and well-being should always come first before anything else.”
“So don’t be afraid to take a step back and get some space from them if you need it.”
“They will understand and support you no matter what.”
And sure, maybe he is also right about that too.
But that doesn’t make this any easier for me either.
That doesn’t mean that I still can’t feel sad and disappointed about it too as well.
Because the truth of the matter is that I love my fans more than anything else in the world too as well.
They mean so much more to me than anything else ever will.
And I will continue to fight for them and our rights and freedoms together until the very end of time too as well.
“I know that leaving the country is not an easy decision.”
“And I know that it would also affect your life and career in a lot of ways too.”
“But remember: You have every right to feel and express your emotions and opinions about it too.”
“Don’t let anyone else make you feel bad about it.”
