Taylor Swift and Katy Perry bring a vegan happy meal to life. | Lester Cohen/AMA2011/WireImage
Taylor Swift and Katy Perry made America’s first vegan Happy Meal…kind of?
The music video for Swift’s latest single “You Need to Calm Down” dropped today and it has the Internet buzzing over its pro-LGBTQ+ message, multiple celebrity cameos, and a resolution to the Swift-Perry feud that’s peppered gossip mags until the two made peace a year ago.
Perry makes a cameo wearing the Impossible Burger costume that she wore to this year’s Met Gala. In the video, she’s embraced by a French fry costume-wearing Swift. “This meal is BEEF-free,” Perry captioned the photo on Instagram, a reference to her recent investment in vegan meat brand, Impossible Foods.
“You Need to Calm Down” is an upbeat pop anthem fit for Pride month that takes place in a candy-colored backyard barbecue/wedding plagued by anti-gay protesters.
“Why are you mad when you could be GLAAD? (You could be GLAAD),” Swift sings in the video. “Sunshine on the street at the parade. But you would rather be in the dark ages Makin’ that sign must’ve taken all night.”
Other cameos include Laverne Cox, Antoni Porowski and other cast members from Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” Ellen DeGeneres, and “Pose” star Billy Porter.
“You just need to take several seats and then try to restore the peace, and control your urges to scream about all the people you hate, ’cause shade never made anybody less gay,” Swift continues.
Although some of Perry’s early songs such as “U R So Gay” and “I Kissed a Girl” have been criticized for homophobic and biphobia, the 34-year-old singer has lent her support of LGBTQ+ organizations. In 2018, Perry told Glamour that she would change the lyrics to “I Kissed a Girl” to rely less on stereotypes surrounding female bisexuality (ie, that they exist for the male gaze).
Swift is an ally as well — earlier this month, she wrote that she “personally rejects” the Trump administration’s opposition to the Equality Act, which would ban discrimination against queer individuals for housing, education, and jobs. Swift also made a surprise appearance at the historic Stonewall Inn in NYC last week and some fans have picked up that one of her outfits in the new video resembles the Bi Pride flag.
CNN reports that the video, which premiered on “Good Morning America,” featured a call-to-action to support her petition for the Equality Act. Swift’s new album “Lover” is set for an August 23rd release date. Swift and vegan designer Stella McCartney will also launch a fashion line inspired by the album, according to Elle.
This post was last modified on August 16, 2021 3:19 pm