Notoriously apolitical musician Taylor Swift has finally picked a side.
Ahead of the US midterm elections, the singer posted a fiery statement to Instagram in which she endorsed the Democratic Party and slammed the Republican candidate for her home state 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," she wrote.
Despite her desire to see more women in office, she says she "cannot support" Marsha Blackburn, the Republican Senate candidate who received an endorsement from US President Donald Trump last week.
"Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me," she wrote.
Swift went on to list some of Blackburn's more controversial political decisions, such as voting against equal pay for women and allowing business to discriminate against same-sex couples.
"I cannot vote for someone who will not be willing to fight for dignity for ALL Americans, no matter their skin colour, gender or who they love."
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Citing homophobia and systemic racism as issues close to her heart, Swift wrote that on November 6, she would be voting for Democrats Phil Bresden and Jim Cooper.
It's the first time the singer has made her political opinions public, having been criticised in the past for her unwillingness to align herself with either party.
Despite demonstrating progressive opinions she has never called herself a Democrat, prompting speculation that the former country singer didn't want to alienate her conservative fans.
The only other time Swift has made any kind of political statement was when she sued a radio DJ for sexual assault in 2017.
Many have commented on the irony that the musician's long-time nemesis Kanye West has ended up on the opposite side of the political spectrum.
Swift's statement is a sign of the increasing polarisation of American politics, in which fewer and fewer people seem comfortable remaining on the fence.
Newshub.
