You Belong With Me, deconstructed

Or, why Taylor Swift is a Nice Guy(tm). Courtesy of NinjaCate on Jezebel, this analysis of Taylor Swift’s song as a demo for why she’s problematic when it comes to women’s issues.

You’re on the phone with your girlfriend, she’s upset
She’s going off about something that you said
‘Cause she doesn’t get your humor like I do

Or perhaps his girlfriend has a legitimate concern that she is trying to have addressed. You have no idea. You are not actually privy to the discussion.

I’m in the room, it’s a typical Tuesday night
I’m listening to the kind of music she doesn’t like
And she’ll never know your story like I do

I’m so different from her! We’re meant to be!

But she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts

Slut shaming much?

She’s Cheer Captain and I’m on the bleachers

I mean everyone knows cheerleaders (jocks, sexy guys anyone who is not a “Nice Guy”) are total bitches

Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you’re looking for has been here the whole time

This is literally every Nice Guy’s argument

If you could see that I’m the one who understands you
Been here all along, so why can’t you see?
You, you belong with me, you belong with me

Again, typical Nice Guy shit. Just because you are a nice person in general, does not mean that he is obligated to reciprocate your feelings….

Walking the streets with you and your worn-out jeans
I can’t help thinking this is how it ought to be
Laughing on a park bench, thinking to myself
Hey, isn’t this easy?

Don’t take much issue with this other than to say, maybe tell him how you feel?

And you’ve got a smile that could light up this whole town
I haven’t seen it in a while since she brought you down
You say you’re fine, I know you better than that
Hey, what ya doing with a girl like that?

Yes, because this GF who you are clearly trying to replace is the be all and end all of his problems. And that’s not to say that a friend cannot clearly see that another friend might be in a relationship that makes them unhappy, and saying so. But that’s entirely different from having the ulterior motive of stepping into the current SO’s shoes.

She wears high heels, I wear sneakers

Again. Slut shaming

She’s Cheer Captain and I’m on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you’re looking for has been here the whole time

If you could see that I’m the one who understands you
Been here all along, so why can’t you see?
You belong with me

Same as above

Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time how could you not know?
Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me

Why are you creeping at his back door :/

Oh, I remember you driving to my house in the middle of the night
I’m the one who makes you laugh when you know you’re ’bout to cry
And I know your favorite songs and you tell me ’bout your dreams
Think I know where you belong, think I know it’s with me

This is the entitlement that Nice Guys have. Just because YOU like HIM, doesn’t mean that he HAS to like you. For all you know, he may have very solid reasons for not pursuing a romantic relationship. Which is another reason you should TELL HIM HOW YOU FEEL instead of pining like an idiot.

Can’t you see that I’m the one who understands you?
Been here all along, so why can’t you see?
You belong with me

Same as above

Standing by and waiting at your back door
All this time, how could you not know?
Baby, you belong with me, you belong with me

Same as above

You belong with me
Have you ever thought just maybe
You belong with me?
You belong with me

No, but clearly you have, so maybe suggest it instead of bashing his GF?

And that doesn’t even touch on the very heavy-handed Madonna-Whore shit she does in the video.

/End
*curtsies*

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