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Taylor Swift removes 'fat' weighing scale scene from 'Anti-Hero' music video after allegations of fatphobia

Published Oct 27, 2022 12:47 pm

Taylor Swift has removed a scene from her new music video for Anti-Hero after receiving backlash for depicting the word "fat" in a negative tone.

In the scene around three minutes into the new MVthe Grammy-winning artist steps on a weighing scale that flashes the word "fat." Swift looks down at the scale in defeat as her alter ego shakes her head in disapproval.

A number of netizens have called out the scene for allegedly promoting fatphobia or the discrimination and exclusion of fatness in society.

Though Swift has not directly released a statement on the issue, the Apple Music version of the music video has since edited out the scene.

Instead of showing the word "fat," her alter ego immediately dismisses whatever is written on the weighing scale.

As of writing, the music video's YouTube upload remains unchanged.

Despite the edits, the Anti-Hero music video has sparked debate on the singer's use of the word to mirror her own body dysmorphia and the impact of social media on today's music industry.

Swift wouldn't be the first artist this year to change her music due to backlash, Beyonce and Lizzo have also edited out lyrics to their songs that contained ableist slurs.

Some fans suggested that erasing the scene would also erase Taylor's experiences.

"This is actually so sad because Taylor definitely saw all the people not caring about her OWN experience with her OWN body," one Swiftie had tweeted.

On the other hand, some have gone on to say that Swift was simply critiquing fatphobia as a whole, as she herself had admitted to having eating disorder issues in the past.

Meanwhile, the artist has said that Anti-Hero remains as one of her favorite songs she's ever written because it serves as "a real guided tour throughout all the things that I tend to hate about myself."

"I really don't think I've delved this far into my insecurities in this detail before. You know, I struggle a lot with the idea that my life has become unmanageably sized, and that I, you know... not to sound too dark, but, like, I struggle with the idea of not feeling like a person," she shared.

The song is Swift's first music video for her 10th studio album, Midnights, which has broken numerous streaming records since its Oct. 10 release.