Taylor Swift is literally the man in ‘The Man’ music video as she illustrates various perks of male privilege

Swift has often spoken out about her struggles navigating the male-dominated music industry and in ‘The Man’ she alludes to injustices she has encountered

The camera follows the exploits of a man (Swift under prosthetics) as he is applauded for doing the bare minimum and praised for yelling at his employees

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Taylor Swift has dropped her music video for “The Man”. The best part? The singer stars in the video as the man – literally. Photo: Handout

Published: 10:00pm, 28 Feb 2020Updated: 2:20am, 29 Feb 2020

Rise and shine, patriarchy. Taylor Swift would like a word.

The US pop star’s new video for The Man – a stand-out from her recent “Lover” album – doubles as a musical middle finger to the male establishment. Directed by Swift, the video expands on the song’s feminist themes and defiant lyrics.

“I'm so sick of running as fast as I can / Wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man,” she sings in the chorus, the camera focusing on a generic-looking guy in a suit (later revealed to be Swift under prosthetics) inconsiderately manspreading his legs on the train. “And I’m so sick of them coming at me again / ’Cause if I was a man, then I’d be the man.”

Since the singer released her seventh studio album in August, “Swifties” have embraced The Man as a social justice anthem calling out the double standards to which women are often subjected – particularly those who are ambitious and high-achieving like Swift.

After rising to fame in her teens as America’s country-pop sweetheart, Swift has often spoken out about her struggles navigating the male-dominated music industry as a young woman.

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