“The Man” by Taylor Swift

“The Man” is a brilliant tune in which Taylor Swift is using the issue of double standards in the entertainment industry and indeed society as a whole to both criticize sexism whilst simultaneously bigging herself up.

Concerning sexism, she points out the hypocrisy whereas it is considered okay and to some degree even applauded when male performers live promiscuous lifestyles. However, if one of their female counterparts were to live likewise, her actions would not be approved. Also, if Taylor was out bragging about getting paid, as many popular male vocalists, she, being a woman, would be labeled with an unprintable word. Overall the idea she is alluding to is that it is okay in the eyes of the masses for male celebrities to display controversial sides of their characters. Moreover, she seems to be also acknowledging the existence of a glass ceiling which inhibits women from reaching certain levels of success in the entertainment field.

She brings this point home most-metaphorically by stating that if she “was a man” then she “would be the man”. What Taylor is basically saying is that if she were a male instead of a female, she would be on top of the music industry. And this reality would be due to Tay Tay being unbiasedly acknowledged for all of the work and sacrifices she has made to reach the top of her craft. Another major point this is meant to illustrate is that Taylor Swift does not approve of being judged based on her sensual activities, since male entertainers are generally exempt from such scrutiny.

Conclusion

So once again, “The Man” is based on there being a strong-sexist double standard in the entertainment industry as well as in society at large. The existence of this norm has caused Taylor to pretty much conclude that there will be certain echelons she will never be able to reach in the field. But that is not due to lack of effort or accomplishment on her part. Indeed if the situation were reversed and she were a male instead of female, her selfsame actions would be exalted and put on a pedestal.

Writing and Production Credits of “The Man”

Taylor Swift and her steady musical companion, Joel Little, both wrote and produced “The Man”.

Release Date

The song came out on the 23rd of August 2019. It was part of Taylor Swift’s famed album Lover.

Did Taylor release “The Man” as a single?

No. Below are the official singles Taylor released from her Lover album:

• “Me!”
• “You Need to Calm Down“
• “Lover“

Is there an official music video?

Yes, there is. You can view it below: