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Ariana Baio
Jan 27, 2023
All You Need to Know About the Taylor Swift Ticketmaster Hearing
content.jwplatform.com
A dreamy, hazy, and ethereal vibe took over Swifities on Friday after Taylor Swift dropped the music video for her next single off her album Midnights.
But it was much more than a Lavender Haze for the LGBTQ+ community as Swift, 33, chose to cast transgender actor and model Laith Ashely De La Cruz as her love interest.
Snuggled up together in the middle of a party and dancing in a purple hazy room, Ashley and Swift portray a couple deep in the “honeymoon phase” of their relationship.
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Throughout the music video, which Swift directed and wrote, it’s clear the love interests are so enthralled in each other they can’t see anything around them
And while many can resonate with the lavender haze feeling, for people in the transgender community, it’s especially special to see Ashely, 33, play the main love interest.
\u201cseeing the trans love interest in the lavender haze mv with visible top surgery scars made me emotional ngl\u201d— \u2606 carol \u2606 (@\u2606 carol \u2606) 1674821182
\u201cI loved that taylor chose a trans men for lavender haze bc she didn't let all the protagonism for lavender in a seemingly straight woman she managed to include someone from the lgbt community and especially trans community that is so frequently overlooked and left aside in media\u201d— zara \u2728\ufe0f (@zara \u2728\ufe0f) 1674796153
Know for his modeling and transgender activism, Ashley has built a large platform to advocate for transgender rights and share his story. Swift said she “absolutely adored” working with him on the music video.
After the launch of Lavender Haze, he thanked Swift for “allowing me to play a small part in your story.”
“Thank you for being an ally. Representation matters,” Ashley added.
\u201cThe Lavender Haze music video has me crying. Seeing a trans man not only play the lead but be the love interest. Never thought I\u2019d see that positive representation.\u201d— Liam Gillin (he/him) (@Liam Gillin (he/him)) 1674828590
In the last year, transgender rights have come under attack both in the media and in legislation.
Online, right-wingers like Matt Walsh, Ben Shapiro, and Jordan Peterson have attacked the meaning of gender by mocking transgender people and sometimes sharing misinformation about healthcare.
Author JK Rowling has launched Twitter attacks on transgender women.
Several states have proposed bills that deny or limit access to gender-affirming healthcare in children.
Other states have passed or proposed bills that restrict or ban teachers from having discussions about gender identity in schools.
For the transgender community and allies, representation matters now more than ever and it seems Swift knows that.
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