What Is A 'Gaylor'? The Controversy Surrounding Taylor Swift's '1989' Prologue Explained

The prologue for Taylor Swift's newest rerecording has thrown a rabid part of her fandom into a tizzy, after making it seem like the popstar is resentful of people reading too much into her female friendships.

The term "Gaylor" has gained renewed attention following Swift's revelation, as it refers to people who are convinced that Swift is secretly part of the LGBTQ+ community. Here's a recap of some theories and discussions around Gaylor Swift.

Where Did Conspiracy Theories About Taylor Swift Being Gay Originate?

Taylor Swift's friendship with supermodel Karlie Kloss played a significant role in rallying "Gaylor" fans, with discussions about the duo's friendship spanning as far as the year 2014 on Tumblr. After Swift performed at the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show holding hands with Kloss, fans began to analyze videos and photos of the two to see if they could discern something more than just friendship.

Then, in 2014, a video of Swift and model Karlie Kloss at a concert was shared on Tumblr by people who believed that the clip showed Swift and Kloss exchanging a kiss (seen below).

What Is A 'Gaylor' And How Did The Term Spread Online?

A "Gaylor" is someone who believes that Swift might be gay, or at least bi. Gaylor communities found each other on Tumblr in the mid-2010s, and put their minds together to outline an elaborate timeline that goes over all the women they believe Swift as been with, as well as all the men they think acted as her heterosexual cover or "beard."

Gaylor discussions began to spread beyond Tumblr in the early 2010s, as seen in an X (formerly Twitter) thread showing one person's take on Taylor Swift's "Gaylor moments."

they seem to be very good friendspic.twitter.com/FPktI0eL3i

— mad woman (@slayvesful) April 5, 2020

What Do Taylor Swift And Other Fans Think Of Gaylors?

Most fandoms have niche subcommunities within them, and Gaylors remained a somewhat quirky if not totally sidelined part of a wider Swift fandom. But a decade after Swift first rose to fame, Gaylor's single-minded goal of proving that Swift is gay wore on people. This can be seen in a Gaylor meme reposted to /r/popmusiccirclejerk in 2021.

In October 2023, Swift herself seemed to respond to Gaylor rumors, saying, "If I only hung out with my female friends, people couldn't sensationalize and sexualize that right? I would learn later on that people could and people would."

h2, How Did The Gaylor Subreddit React To Swift's 1989 Prologue?

X user @Horse_Jeans documented some reactions on the subreddit dedicated to discussing "Gaylor" theories, showing people expressing sadness and disappointment upon hearing the news about Swift's prologue. But not everyone was convinced; X user @AndySachs13 made a post accusing Swift of misleading her own fans for years on end, only to pull the rug out from under them.

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For the full history of Gaylor Swift, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.