It is safe to say you don’t have to be a die-hard Taylor Swift to appreciate her brand-new documentary on Netflix, Miss Americana. With all biased views set aside(I think Taylor in general is incredible) I can say whole-heartedly that this is a hard-hitting, brute reality of what it truly is like to be woman in the entertainment industry. There were so many important topics told to us through Taylor’s wonderful way with words which really open up your perspective of what she has been through and what she stands for now. Her growth is something that is admirable on so many levels, and the way the documentary takes us through Taylor’s years and struggles, made me feel like I was reliving the journey alongside her.
Miss Americana’s purpose was to give us insight into Taylor Swift’s real life and the thing that stood out to me most was the constant pressure she put on herself to be the person everyone else wanted to be, to be the perfect girl, to constantly do the right in every situation. She explains this was because she was conditioned this way, she wanted constant approval from others. My favourite part was when she takes a long hard look at herself, finds her true self, and decides you know what, I’m not listening to other people anymore, I’m living for me. It’s no revelation that Taylor went into hiding for a year, released Reputation and through storytelling in her songs told us, she gave birth to her new self. It was just interesting for me to understand that she was conditioned to be ‘America’s Sweetheart’ and was never true to herself in fear of offending others.
Another element that I adored about this documentary was how Taylor spoke about her own personal experiences, allowing others to relate to her. We sometimes forget that celebrities are humans and hearing some of her heart wrenching life stories, allows us to understand that in-fact, celebrities go through similar life experiences just as much as an average person. The passion and power Taylor has when speaking on politics and addressing her views after years and years of silence, was admirable. We see a different side to Taylor; it has always been noted that she stands for equal rights and loves with her whole heart. However, it is noted that when celebrities start sharing their political views it can be determinantal toward their career. Her passion outweighs this factor however, as she wants what’s best for her home country, which I viewed as a very noble action within this documentary.
Swift mentions her eating disorder which I thought was a tremendous thing to discuss as it is an extremely personal issue. She opens up about depriving herself from food if she saw a photo of her body that she disliked. She admits that this was in no way ideal, and she would think feeling as if you were going to faint during a concert was the norm. She explains to the audience that now, she has learnt, she would rather wear a bigger size of clothing than feel physically unwell which I think speaks mountains to both girls and boys around the globe. It is common that most people would rather look good rather than feel physically and mentally good, so Taylor using her personal experience and platform to normalise natural body weight is crucial for our generation.
The documentary was not afraid to touch upon scandals either, which I appreciated, as it made the documentary raw rather than depthless. I feel like this was needed in terms of showing the truth of what was going on through Taylor’s twenties. We always saw a smiling girl, a strong girl, who seemed to thrive in the world around her. We thought we knew what was happening in Taylor’s life, but we didn’t. Seeing the Taylor who in-fact was broken on times and sometimes was just confused, to me is, is just as strong as being able to conduct yourself constantly. She now isn’t afraid to expose her vulnerability. As much as it was important to understand Taylor life, I believe this creation is just important to our current generation. Taylor teaches us to fight for what we believe in, despite the reactions from others. To find happiness within ourselves and not look for it from other people. And most importantly, highlights the raw emotions of sexual assault and fighting for our rights, no matter how hard that may be.
Miss Americana made me feel empowered yet so frustrated at the time. You see this hard-working woman, who has raw talent, who fights restlessly yet in the entertainment industry, is disregarded on a number of occasions. I think this documentary has the power to encourage women to continue to make a change and gives a real-life encounter of the sexism and the superficiality that circulates within the industry. Taylor makes a stand to her true self, no matter what societal codes may tell her, and I believe she is encouraging young girls around the world to do the same. I couldn’t recommend this documentary any more if I tried.
