Taylor Swift's latest music video for 'Anti-Hero', from her album Midnights, has ignited a debate online over accusations of fatphobia. The video, which Swift directed, features a scene where she steps on a bathroom scale and the word 'fat' appears. Some viewers have criticised this as insensitive, while others defend it as a portrayal of her own body image struggles.
The scene has since been edited out, though Swift's team has not publicly commented. Critics on Twitter argue that framing being overweight as a nightmare scenario harms fat individuals. One user wrote: 'Fat people don’t need to have it reiterated yet again that it’s everyone’s worst nightmare to look like us.'
Swift has previously spoken about her disordered eating and body dysmorphia, including in her 2020 documentary Miss Americana. She described how comments about her appearance led her to 'just starve a little bit'. Supporters, including Whoopi Goldberg, argue the video is a commentary on societal pressures, not an attack on fat people.
Charities like BEAT have reminded that such scenes can be triggering for those with eating disorders. However, many fans stress that Swift is sharing her personal truth, and that the video highlights the absurdity of body image standards.
