Matty Healy; the problematic behaviour of The 1975 singer and Taylor Swift’s ‘beau’ now under public scrutiny

A litany of reports have now emerged regarding Healy’s problematic behaviour, with headlines today glaring with the news that he once joked about watching degrading pornography (complete with Healy using the phrase the women were being “brutalised”). But that’s not where the buck stops regarding the numerous controversies The 1975 singer has become embroiled in.

Popular gossip subreddit Faux Moi have done an excellent dive into the growing crisis regarding Healy’s previous behaviour and how it runs against many of the principles Taylor Swift has discussed throughout her career - female empowerment, raising people up and being kind to one another… at least, her image exudes these virtues anyway.

Alongside the now-well documented coverage of Matt Healy’s dalliance with degrading, female humiliating pornographs comes his appearance on a podcast in February. The topic of popular female artist Ice Spice came up with a clip of her discussing her enjoyment of The 1975. That prompted Healy to then engage in barbs that the rapper sounded like an “Inuit Spice Girl” or a “chubby Chinese lady” and went on to mimic Chinese and Hawaiian accents. At some point, one of the men used an Inuit ethnic slur. Healy also encouraged and joined the hosts in making impressions of Japanese people working in concentration camps.

Healy only five days ago while performing in New Zealand made an apology on stage to Ice Spice, captured by Coup De Main magazine, with the singer saying “I just feel a bit bad, and I’m kind of a bit sorry if I’ve offended you. Ice Spice, I’m sorry. It’s not because I’m annoyed that my joking got misconstrued. It’s because I don’t want Ice Spice to think I’m a dick. I love you, Ice Spice. I’m so sorry. I don’t want it to be misconstrued as mean. I don’t mind being a bit of a joker… but I am genuinely sorry if I’ve upset them because I f*cking love them.”

Speaking of on stage antics, there are now video clips resurfacing online of Matt Healy throwing out a fascist salute while on stage, coupled with previous moments that Healy engaged in forms of anti-semitism during interviews, are not really the kind of antics one would associate with a potential partner for Taylor Swift.

Or perhaps that’s what we’ve been conditioned to think?

Could it be that Taylor Swift’s persona isn’t quite as squeaky clean as she lets on? Numerous Taylor Swift fans are now distancing themselves from the singer due to her apparent relationship with the performer, with some even questioning what the end game is regarding the relationship. As Natalie Dixon reported yesterday, there is talk that Healy might just be the rebound for Swift after a six year relationship, but even then if it is a quick fling, perhaps Swift might want to be made aware of comments Healy made regarding dating her.

In an interview with Q Magazine in 2013, when rumours of the pair dating were first banded around the media, Healy quipped: “[...] if I had gone out with Taylor Swift I would’ve been, ‘F**king hell! I am NOT being Taylor Swift’s boyfriend.’ You know, ‘F**K. THAT. That’s also a man thing, a de-masculinating, emasculating thing.”

So evidently, if the pair do break up either Taylor Swift’s team are going to have to bring out an NDA or Healy is going to have a lot more tea to spill being an outspoken former flame of Swift. Unfortunately, that’s what a few Swift fans also feel is the case. 

Then there is the new controversy that amid the numerous problematic moments that Healy has participated in, that articles are being “buried” regarding his history and dumb hot takes. Faux Moi once again came through with a rumour that a People article about Taylor and Matty was published two days ago to try and offset much of the search regarding Healy’s numerous misogynistic, islamaphobic, sexist, anti-semetic behaviour to catch the keyword trends and perhaps paper over the controversy.

Which now has led to a growing number of voices regarding how complicit Taylor Swift is regarding the burial and if indeed she is perhaps disingenuous with her stance on female empowerment. Fans of The 1975 will tell you that Healy was being post-ironic and that his comments are a satire on those issues the world are facing - to which, personally, I call BS on and think he’s just trying to be an edgy outrageous character. Does he mean any of it? Perhaps not. Is it still offensive and needs to be addressed not by virtue of an apology a thousand miles away in the South Pacific? A big yes.

It’s somewhat of a catch 22 for Taylor Swift; if she is to come out and apologise or excuse the behaviour of Matty Healy then it contravenes almost everything that Taylor Swift built her career around - female empowerment and strength. To excuse his behaviour would almost be a “one rule for me and one rule for you” approach despite Taylor’s charm laying in the synergy between her and her fanbase…

… and if the pair decide to split, NDA or not, what are the chances that Healy will pull the same stunt Wilmer Valdaramma did after his relationship with Lindsey Lohan and “spill the beans” on everything and anything the pair may-or-may-not have done in privacy. 

The biggest question of it all though is will the Taylor Swift brand take a knock regarding the slew of news coming out of other transgressions Matty Healy has been involved in. It’s a juggernaut, but we know if the fickle world of showbizness, you’re riding high in April and shot down in May. Turns out, we’re in the month of May, aren’t we?