In late August, when the engagement of pop music superstar Taylor Swift and football player Travis Kelce was announced, reactions and gasps could be heard around the world.
One photo of the celebrity couple circulated online with the caption, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”
In a world facing some huge international tensions and threats, as well as economic and environmental challenges, a piece of happy news about an engagement provides some much-needed relief.
While many other people have congratulated the happy couple, some of the responses have been a bit puzzling.
One newspaper headline stated, “Taylor Swift is entering her conservative era." It’s an odd conclusion to reach after an engagement announcement, and I don’t follow the reasoning here. The opinion writer suggested marriage would change Swift and affect her appeal.
Another comment generated more than a few raised eyebrows.
“Engage in reality more... Reject feminism. Submit to your husband, Taylor. You're not in charge,” Charlie Kirk, a right-wing American speaker said publicly shortly after the engagement announcement.
He also urged the couple to have plenty of children.
It is not normal for anyone to offer such unsolicited advice to a newly engaged couple — especially on a public platform. And a decision about whether to have children is nobody else’s business.
Swift, an internationally acclaimed musician and Time’s 2023 Person of the Year, is an easily recognizable figure.
She has been recording since 2005 and her first album was released in 2006. Today, she is the richest female musician in the world. Her net worth is the equivalent of $2.2 billion CAD.
Even those who do not follow her music will notice her accomplishments. Her Eras Tour lasted for 632 days in 2023 and 2024, with 149 concerts in 51 cities.
Statements she has made, particularly those on women’s rights and comments about American politics, have received plenty of attention and criticism.
Several universities offer courses on the singer, her music and her lyrics.
Her fiancee is also a recognizable figure, especially among those who follow American pro football.
Kelce’s college football career began in 2009 and he was selected in the 2013 National Football League draft.
His career highlights include three Super Bowl championship wins, among other accomplishments.
His net worth, at the equivalent of $96 million CAD, is far less than Swift’s net worth, but still a substantial figure.
Swift has her share of detractors, with some complaining about her lyrics, her public persona and her comments when she has spoken about feminism and politics.
Kelce also has his share of people who are not fans. In a recent poll, conducted by Action Network and released near the end of August, Kelce was named the second most annoying player in the National Football League.
However, their engagement is not about their resumes, their popularity or their opinions, but rather about the love they have for each other.
For those who are fans of either or both, this can be a time to post congratulatory messages.
And for those who have something to say critiquing someone’s popularity or opinions, those comments do not belong in the responses to an engagement announcement.
For Swift and Kelce, their families and friends and their supporters, their engagement should be a happy moment to celebrate.
John Arendt is the editor of the Summerland Review.
