Has the “Crazy Cat Lady” stigma ended?
If you own a cat, like I do (his name is Barry Gibb, and he’s amazing, thank you for asking), you’ve likely been privy to the Crazy Cat Lady stigma and/or nickname, because people are the worst. (Particularly dog people, and I’m sorry, but how do you deal with your pets not ignoring you while they simultaneously plan your death? Seriously.)
Anyway, the New York Times has credited Taylor Swift with quite the feat: according to columnist Julia Baird, Taylor Swift has ended the Crazy Cat Lady myth forever. Thanks, of course, to Taylor’s two cats, Olivia Benson and Meredith Grey.
“Ms. Swift, who faces a constant barrage of questions about boyfriends and being single, mocked the cat lady stereotype to a reporter, joking that if she does not find a man by 30, she will naturally be scared, housebound, and ‘surrounded by cats, so many cats,'” wrote Baird. “Yeah, right.”
“This generation of young female celebrities is refusing to be portrayed as on a perpetual, sad manhunt,” Baird continued. “Part of the appeal of cats is that they are independent and discerning. They have few needs. They come to you when they want; you can’t force them, or cajole them. They can be fiercy affectionate. They are gloriously indifferent. Cats don’t pretend to like you, and don’t care if you like them.”
Which is parallel to the theme we’re seeing in young women today. And THANK GOODNESS. In the words of Amy Poehler, “I don’t fucking care if you like it.” And “it” in this case is “my independence, my indifference, my lukewarm feelings about dating, and/or my cat.” More Olivia Benson photos, Taylor Swift! Cats are the bomb!
Though that being said, my cat is now fast asleep on my arm, thus almost entirely preventing me from doing work. He doesn’t care if I like it, either.
