If anything, her assertions are raising awareness of something to which many of her fans may not have been exposed, or bringing up feelings still others might be trying to figure out for themselves. In this sense, Swift is paving the way for the younger generation, who are creating their own narrative and dictating what kind of artist they want to be—pushing back against rampant misogyny and sexism by being vocal about their own strengths. Lorde recently tweeted “hey, men — do me and yourselves a favour, and don’t underestimate my skill” followed by “yes, i’m a young lass, but i’m also making the best decisions for me each day. #stayeducated.”

Miley’s 22, she’s supposed to be wild – and plenty of women Swift’s age are still figuring their feminism out