First of all, I would like for everyone to congratulate my pretend best friend, Taylor Swift, on her engagement to Travis Kelce. This is a moment that, whether you like her or not, you can agree she should at least be allowed a full 24 hours to enjoy before—ope, jk. Charlie Kirk’s already opened his mouth with an extremely relevant and not-at-all creepy or insecure take. Mother’s engagement to Kelce was public knowledge for less than a day before Kirk felt that “Submit to your husband, Taylor. You’re not in charge,” was the appropriate way to say, “Congrats to the happy couple!”
The engagement announcement couldn’t have been any cuter unless Taylor’s cats had been included. A few images of the happy couple in a gorgeous garden surrounded by flowers were shared on Taylor’s official Instagram page, with the caption: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” The announcement went live on August 26, 2025, just in time for that one girl in your office to squeal and announce that she was going to lunch to celebrate.
…it’s me. That’s a thing that I did. I have zero regrets.
Anyhow, TayTay is no stranger to dealing with misogynistic internet commentary. She handles it with a kind of grace and class most politicians envy, and then we all get an album a year or two later. That said, it shouldn’t come as a shock that it took certain internet personalities less than a day to start taking swipes at a successful woman celebrating her engagement. Charlie Kirk and his ilk wasted no time reminding her that she’s just a little woman who “isn’t in charge” and “needs to submit to her husband.” The biggest irony here? These same people made fun of her when she was single, couldn’t handle it when she was happy, and tried to prove she was evil when she became one of the most successful entertainers of all time. Why? To quote David Challen: “Men like Charlie Kirk aren’t scared of Taylor Swift getting married. They’re scared of women they can’t coercively control.”
And there’s the real root of the issue. Society as a whole still can’t handle a successful woman who doesn’t need someone else to be fulfilled. Here’s the deal: she’s marrying Travis because she loves him. He may be a highly successful football player (and as a Missourian, my loyalty is to the Chiefs—I’ll accept no slander here), but she’s not with the guy to ride his coattails. She has her own. So often, a woman’s happiness is weaponized as narrative fodder, but TSwift is wide awake, already financially loaded, and happily in love on her own terms.
And for all the “dads, Brads, and Chads” rolling their eyes about seeing more of Taylor’s face at football games… the NFL has wholeheartedly embraced her presence. Taylor’s attendance while supporting her partner dramatically increased viewership, especially among female fans. The brand value jumped so much that even Commissioner Goodell is on record supporting her. The Taylor Swift effect isn’t just theoretical—it’s proven to be massively profitable for the league, and the Chiefs in particular.
Listen, just… let us have this. We all need a dose of joy sometimes, and America’s darling getting engaged to the love of her life is exactly the joy infusion some of us needed most. To my guy Travis… congratulations, man. I know you’re just the most stoked to be Mr. Taylor Swift, and that you’ll never forget for a moment who’s really in charge.
