IN just a few years, Taylor Swift has become an artiste with global influence. This success has not been without its difficulties as the starlet has long struggled with disordered eating.
An American study, published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, her recovery has been a source of inspiration for fans with eating disorders.
Researchers Lizzy Pope and Kelsey Rose at the University of Vermont (UVM) came to this conclusion after analysing 200 TikToks and Reddit posts, including over 8,300 online comments about Swift, eating disorders and body image.
The singer opened up about her relationship with her body in her Miss Americana documentary, released in 2020 on Netflix. She explains that for a long time she was ashamed of her figure which led her to restrict herself when it came to food. Swift also touches on this subject in some of her songs, including Anti-Hero and You’re On Your Own, Kid, raising awareness on eating disorders among her fans.
The researchers found the singer’s fans, also dubbed Swifties, are inspired by her healing journey. Her example inspires them to seek out a harmonious relationship with food and their own bodies.
“Our findings suggest that fans who felt connected to Swift were influenced to positively change their behaviours or attitudes around eating or their body image because of her disclosures and messages in her music,” said UVM Nutrition and Food Sciences Department associate professor and registered dietitian nutritionist Pope.
In other words, Swifties see the 34-year-old singer as an example to follow. Her story and her music inspire them to begin the process of overcoming their own eating disorders.
But some fans are obsessed with thinness, tending to objectify Swift’s body and perpetuate this idea when talking about her physical appearance on social networks.
“Although in Miss Americana Swift says she is so sick of being objectified as it had driven her to (develop) eating disorders, the fans are still commenting on her body. Even if it was meant to be positive, fans would still comment, which means that they did not completely internalise her message of ‘please do not comment on people’s bodies anymore’,” continued Pope.
These findings show how influential the American singer is among her fans. She has the power to encourage them to rethink their views on the cult of thinness.
“Swift can do more to change attitudes with a few sentences than we (dietician nutritionists) can do in our entire careers,” said Pope. – ETX Studio
