IT’S BEEN A long time coming, but Taylor Swift has finally broken her silence on her political leanings in a lengthy post on Instagram earlier today.

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The singer was criticised for refusing to engage in discussion during the presidential campaign in 2016, which led many to believe she was a ‘silent’ Trump supporter.

Today, however, the singer aligned herself with the Democrats, citing support for women, people of colour and the LGBTQ community as her main motivators.

Taylor acknowledged the debate which surrounded her reticence to engage in political debate in the past, and simply said recent events have changed her stance on speaking openly on the topic.

I’m writing this post about the upcoming midterm elections on November 6th, in which I’ll be voting in the state of Tennessee. In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now.

Making reference to Marsha Blackburn, Taylor said her voting record in Congress ‘appalled and terrified’ her.

Running for Senate in the state of Tennessee is a woman named Marsha Blackburn. As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn. Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me.

With Blackburn having voted against equal pay for women and the Reauthorisation of the Violence Against Women Act as well as backing businesses who reserve the right to refuse service to gay couples, Taylor argues that these are not the Tennessee values she knows.

She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the Reauthorisation of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry. These are not MY Tennessee values.

Taylor confirmed that she would be voting for Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives.

While she acknowledged it’s unlikely to find a candidate or party with whom you agree 100% on every issue, voting is absolutely vital.

Closing her post with a nod to the country’s youth who had yet to be afforded the opportunity to vote in 2016, Taylor wrote:

So many intelligent, thoughtful, self-possessed people have turned 18 in the past two years and now have the right and privilege to make their vote count. 

Unsurprisingly, Taylor’s candour has delighted many members of the public, who expressed their gratitude that the singer has used her platform to help encourage and influence young voters ahead of the upcoming midterms.

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