The cover of Vogue‘s much-coveted September issue belongs to Taylor Swift, who was shot for the story by Inez and Vinoodh. The timing of her fourth U.S. Vogue cover reflects the upcoming launch of Lover, her seventh studio album release on August 23, 2019, as well as a role (Bombalurina) in the film adaption of Cats.
In addition discussions around the album, much of the story is centered on Swift’s decision to take a more outspoken approach on politics and gay rights, a shift that was marked by her endorsement of two Democratic candidates running for state office in Tennessee during the 2018 midterms.
When asked why she’s also taking a more vocal stance on LGBTQ rights, Taylor explained, “Rights are being stripped from basically everyone who isn’t a straight white cis gender male. I didn’t realize until recently that I could advocate for a community that I’m not a part of. It’s hard to know how to do that without being so fearful of making a mistake that you just freeze. Because my mistakes are very loud.”
Swift also weighed in on how cancel culture impacts targeted individuals, something she knows a thing or two about. Swift explained, “A mass public shaming, with millions of people saying you are quote-unquote canceled, is a very isolating experience. I don’t think there are that many people who can actually understand what it’s like to have millions of people hate you very loudly. When you say someone is canceled, it’s not a TV show. It’s a human being. You’re sending mass amounts of messaging to this person to either shut up, disappear, or it could also be perceived as, kill yourself.”
Check out some images from the cover story below and find more on vogue.com.
