Throughout the video Swift and her friends are confronted by an angry, toothless and dirty anti-gay mob of people. The biting track features Swift in a brightly-coloured, rainbow-flagged trailer park with a cast of partying friends including, amongst others, Ellen DeGeneres, the cast of Queer Eye, Ryan Reynolds and in a surprisingly symbolic "feud"-ending gesture, a French fries outfit-wearing Katy Perry to compliment Swift in a hamburger outfit.
"You Need To Calm Down" was released to coincide with Pride Month which started on June 1. The song features a number of pointed lines questioning why anti-gay people are so hateful, including the verse, "You are somebody that we don't know / But you're comin' at my friends like a missile / Why are you mad when you could be GLAAD? (You could be GLAAD) / Sunshine on the street at the parade / But you would rather be in the dark ages."
Swift, who has been accused of being quiet on social issues in the past, has been flexing her substantial influence in recent months. Her support for gay rights and GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has been particularly strong.
“Taylor Swift continues to use her platform to speak out against discrimination and create a world where everyone can live the life they love,” said GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, in a statement. “GLAAD is so thankful for her donation to support our advocacy efforts and for her ongoing work to speak out for what is fair, just, and LGBTQ inclusive. In today’s divisive political and cultural climate, we need more allies like Taylor, who send positive and uplifting messages to LGBTQ people everywhere.”
Swift, who has lived in the state of Tennessee since she was 14, also recently threw her weight behind the Tennessee Equality Project, donating $113,000 USD ($151,440 CDN) to the organization "dedicated to promote and sustain the equality of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons." The Tennessee Equality Project is currently working to defeated six anti-LGBTQ bills which are being considered by the state's legislature.
Watch the "You Need To Calm Down" video
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