Warning: This post contains mentions of eating disorders.
Taylor Swift's self-written, self-directed music video for "Anti-Hero" has been celebrated for the way it depicts the singer's greatest fears.
However, a scene where Taylor stands shamefully on a scale that reads "fat" has received some backlash.
Some argued that Taylor was trying to honestly portray her experience with an eating disorder, which she discussed in her documentary Miss Americana.
Can we stop gatekeeping eating disorders? The fact that Taylor Swift is being ridiculed for the scale in her music video when she’s actively made it known that she’s battled eating disorders in the past is absolutely mind blowing. Do better.
Taylor Swift having 5 seconds of a music video that portrays her struggle with eating disorders by having a scale call her fat is 1) not fatphobic, and 2) the absolute least important thing for fat people to be worrying about. Signed, a fat person.
However, the implication that being considered "fat" is one of her greatest fears is upsetting for some of her fat fans who are unlearning anti-fat messaging to embrace their bodies as they are.
Taylor Swift’s music video, where she looks down at the scale where it says “fat,” is a shitty way to describe her body image struggles. Fat people don’t need to have it reiterated yet again that it’s everyone’s worst nightmare to look like us.
- unworthy - the problem - unloveable - bad - not good enough - rejected - do better - broken …you get the idea
Now, it looks like Taylor heard the feedback, because the video on Apple Music has been edited to exclude the specific shot of the scale reading "fat," though Taylor still stands on a scale and looks disappointed. As of writing this, the YouTube video remains unchanged.
If you're dealing with an eating disorder and need someone to talk to, the National Eating Disorders Association helpline is 1-800-931-2237. For 24/7 crisis support, text "NEDA" to 741741.
UPDATE
The scale has now been edited out of the video on YouTube as well.