A piece was published in Newsweek a few days ago that questioned whether Taylor Swift is a good role model because she is “unmarried and childless” at 34 years of age. As you might imagine, Swift’s fans were furious.
“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,” John Mac Ghlionn wrote in the article “Taylor Swift Is Not a Good Role Model.”
The article goes on to make a litany of opinions about how Swift’s personal life being so public does not make her a good role model (as the title suggests). At the end of the article, he speculates that Swift and Kelce won’t last based on Swift’s history.
“While it’s true that young men need better role models, the same is equally true for young women. Swift and Kelce may last, and I hope they do. But, judging by her record, the odds aren’t great…” he concluded.
Clearly Ghlionn doesn’t believe that Swift and Kelce are destined to last.
Fans were far more outraged though by the assertion that Swift being 34 and “unmarried and childless” contributes to her being a bad role model. Just about everyone pointed out that Kelce himself is also 34, never married and childless, yet would never be criticized for that reason.
A few other iconic athletes who were unmarried and childless at 34 include Derek Jeter, Aaron Rodgers and Rob Gronkowski.
Related: Andy Reid Has 4-Word Comment On Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift Relationship