Gaylor

Fan Theory
Fan Theory:
Synonyms:	Taylor Swift Gay Theory
Origin:
Fandom(s):	Taylor Swift
Dates:
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The Gaylor Theory is a conspiracy theory arguing that singer Taylor Swift is sapphic. Primarily, the theory involves Taylor having dated the model Karlie Kloss (see Kaylor) and Glee actress Dianna Agron.

According to the theory, Taylor's boyfriends, the apparent subject matter of many of her songs, are PR relationships to protect her image from the homophobia that exists among the country and pop music fanbase. Evidence for the theory involves close reading of hidden messages in music videos and lyrics, explained as part of Taylor's emphasis on use of "Easter Eggs". While Taylor's actual Easter eggs are obvious in nature (e.g. a hidden message about the meaning of a song being spelled out in capital letters), Gaylor readings often involve excessively contrived interpretations, such as insisting love songs written with male pronouns containing identifiable details about men she is known to have dated are actually referring to women. Regardless, the theory is prominent enough in Swiftie communities that it has made Taylor's publicist, Tree Paine, a well-known individual within the fandom -- she is credited with being the architect of Taylor's apparently heterosexual image, and blamed for any gossip unpopular with Gaylors.

The theory shares a strong resemblance to that of certain Larries, who believe that Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson are, or were, also in a relationship with each other. Another similar theory applying to genuinely fictional characters is The Johnlock Conspiracy, which believed that Sherlock and John from the TV show Sherlock would become a couple despite the ongoing statements against this from the creators. The way the theory developed out of ideosyncratic interpretations of song lyrics and visuals as secret code can be compared to the theories of the Dylanologist A.J. Weberman, a stalker fan of Bob Dylan who believed Dylan's song lyrics were an esoteric cypher for a radical political philosophy, and became angry when Dylan's actions contradicted his contrived readings.

"Gaylor" is also used as a noun to refer to proponents of Gaylor Theory.

History

Taylor Swift was considered to be reacting to the Gaylor theory when she wrote in the album booklet for her album 1989 (Taylor's Version) that her fans were fetishising her female friendships:

I swore off dating and decided to only focus on myself, my music, my growth, and my female friendships. If I only hung out with my female friends, people couldn’t sensationalize or sexualize that — right? I would learn later on that people could and people would.

In January 2024, an op-ed article was published in the New York Times, continuing speculation: Look What We Made Taylor Swift Do.

Responses

Some people within wider fandom and internet spaces have compared the situation with Swift with Misha Collins and Shawn Mendes also having to come out as straight, though with different contexts.

Gaylors, who are mostly queer, have also been accused of biphobia and misogyny due to a belief that Gaylors insist that it is impossible for Taylor to be attracted to her apparent male boyfriends, yet claim any contact between Taylor and another woman is sexual. Gaylors are also sometimes accused of objectification and oversexualisation of Taylor -- including by Taylor herself -- due to some theories, such as a popular belief that lesbian sexual activities are the reason Taylor keeps her fingernails short (guitarists must keep their nails short to prevent damage to their guitar fretboard).

Plausibility

While the impetus behind the theory itself is wishful thinking, it is dependent on the fact that country music is associated with a rural white demographic which has a statistical tendency to be conservative. Chely Wright, a country singer who came out as lesbian in 2010, has argued that Nashville itself is accepting, but that homophobia among the fanbase is so intense that any musicians aiming for a mainstream career do remain closeted, allowing their labels to market them as straight. While remaining silent on politics for most of her career -- spawning a rival conspiracy theory that she was secretly a Republican or even a Nazi -- Taylor began to be outspokenly pro-LGBT+ in the late 2010s, implying that her label Big Machine was discouraging her from expressing her controversial opinions. Her 2019 documentary Miss Americana shows her team warning her that her career could be permanently damaged by making statements of LGBT+ allyship, no matter how tame.

All this said, Taylor crossed over from country into mainstream pop almost immediately, and pop music listener subcultures are well known for being accepting of LGBT+ people and aesthetics. Her statement of allyship did nothing to harm her career, pushing some conservatives out of her fandom but pulling in many more LGBT+ people. It is understandable that coming out would have caused problems for her as a teen pop country artist in the 2000s, but more difficult to understand why her career would be harmed by her coming out as an established megastar with an adult audience in the 2020s.

Links

• Rainbow Dress Taylor Swift TikTok by TikTok user montessori.boy - A parody of Gaylors.
• The Rise and Fall of a Gaylor Theorist (Jan 2023) by Ashley Norton
• Sympathy for the Gaylor (Jan 8, 2024) by Hannah Jocelyn, in which Pitchfork writer Hannah describes her past as a Gaylor and why the theory mattered to her.

Archives and Communities

• r/GaylorSwift