"A group of Taylor Swift fans have flooded social media to dissect yet another theory about the artist that suggests one of her songs on the 'Midnights' album is 'queerbait.' But some experts say the accusations are just part of the larger fan fervor surrounding celebrities, which at times can go too far.
'Queerbaiting' is when straight people allude to being LGBTQ for their own gain without actually being members of the community. Speculation surrounding Swift’s sexuality has been on the internet since as early as 2012, but it wasn’t until her 2019 album, 'Lover,' that social media erupted over a theory that she might be part of the LGBTQ community. The album included the allyship anthem 'You Need to Calm Down,' which featured supportive lyrics like ’Cause shade never made anybody less gay' and a music video with cameos by drag queens and queer celebrities. After the song's release, the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD said it received an 'influx' of donations."
