Taylor Swift has also consistently used her wealth and influence to make a positive impact on the lives of her fans, workers and peers. Some examples include paying off fans’ student loans, donating to sick families and individuals suffering through economic hardships, providing significant financial support for local food pantries, lending aid following natural disasters and giving massive bonuses for her truck drivers. Swift is also widely credited for encouraging approximately 35,000 Americans to register to vote in a single day following a post made to Instagram by the artist. As such, fans look to Swift not only as an artist but also as a role model.

However, in 2024, an increasing amount of attention has been focused on whether or not Taylor Swift’s private jet usage is ethical, dividing and conflicting fans. The controversy stems from the environmental impact of private jets, which contribute to climate change through the release of CO2 emissions. While all flights are collectively responsible for the release of more carbon emissions than any other form of travel, flights in private jets are five to 15 times more polluting than flights taken via commercial aircraft. A private jet is capable of emitting two tons of CO2 in just an hour. For context, the average person emits about 16 tons of CO2 in an entire year, equivalent to just eight hours in a private jet by the previous figure. 

In 2023, Taylor Swift utilized her two private jets, a Dassault 7X and a Dassault 900, to keep up with a demanding tour schedule. Jack Sweeney, a college student at the University of Central Florida who previously angered Elon Musk by tracking his private jet usage, began releasing similar information regarding Taylor Swift on the popular social media platform, X (previously known as Twitter). Elon Musk has since banned Sweeny’s account for exposing what Musk referred to as “assassination coordinates.”

According to the data collected from Sweeny’s private jet tracker, Taylor Swift flew approximately 178,000 miles in 2023, resulting in an estimated 1,200 tons of CO2 emissions. This included a 34-minute flight from Hollywood to Las Vegas and what Sweeney suggests are likely “maintenance flights” such as one 8-minute flight from Missouri to Illinois that Google Maps estimates would take 21 minutes by car. Swift’s representatives have noted that the artist is likely not in the aircraft during the shorter flights that have been a point of mockery on social media platforms. Representatives have also noted that at least one of the jets is regularly loaned out to other individuals.

Taylor Swift’s legal team has since threatened legal action against the UCF student, stating that they would have no choice but to pursue “any and all legal remedies” if this were to continue. Sweeny received a cease and desist letter in which Swift’s attorney, Katie Wright Morrone, claimed that his behavior was “threatening” and could only be attributed to intent to “stalk, harass, and exert dominion and control.” Further, Morrone argued that there was “no legitimate interest in or public need for this information.” Sweeny’s attorneys maintain that the student has done nothing unlawful, and Sweeny stated that he believes in the importance of transparency and public information.

In compiling my research, I decided to poll students at William Jewell College to learn how Taylor Swift’s private jet usage impacts their perception of the artist. Of the 34 students who completed my anonymous survey, 76.5% answered that they view Taylor Swift in a more negative light because of her private jet usage. Additionally, 32.4% of students answered that they felt less inclined to listen to Swift’s music, and 47.1% answered that they were less likely to purchase merchandise and concert tickets from the artist.

The remaining percentages  (23.5%, 67.6%, and 47.1% retrospectively) consist of students who stated Taylor Swift’s private jet usage did not change their perception of the artist one way or another for reasons such as little interest to begin with or an already negative perception. Also included are students who were unbothered by the private jet usage altogether. In the survey, no student stated that they viewed Taylor Swift in a more positive light after learning about her private jet usage. Likewise, no student stated that they would be more likely to listen to her music, purchase merchandise or attend her concerts after learning of her private jet usage. 

When interviewed directly on potential solutions, students suggested a variety of options to explore. Proposals ranged from systemic approaches such as higher taxes on luxury aircraft, investing in renewable energy and exploring net zero carbon solutions, to more direct approaches such as decreasing her entourage on flights by hiring local artists, minimizing usage by planning geographically efficient tours, and reducing usage altogether, especially when traveling locally for tour dates within the same region. 

While some suggested that traveling first class would be sufficient or that no change is necessary at this time, many who expressed concern suggested that private travel itself is not the issue and is a reasonable choice on account of the safety risks celebrities face. However, students highlighted factors such as abuse of privilege, perceived carelessness and a general lack of transparency as reasons for their frustration. Swift’s use of her private jet to attend the Super Bowl was cited as a primary example regarding abuse of privilege and perceived carelessness. 

One of Swift’s two luxury aircraft, her Dassault 900, appears to have been sold or transferred as of Jan. 30, 2024, according to Business Insider. Taylor Swift’s team has since continued to do damage control by releasing statements regarding her private jets. As of the time of this writing, no direct statements have been made by the artist herself based on the information available to The Hilltop Monitor. 

Taylor Swift has an overwhelmingly positive track record with appeasing fans and using yielding power to help spread positive change. Currently, Swift faces the challenging task of regaining support by finding innovative solutions to an important matter that impacts everyone she shares the planet with. A commitment to sustainability would provide a chance to regain trust amongst fans and act as an example for public figures around the world.

What was your favorite song or dance from the show?

Ivan Calderon (Musidorus/Cleophila): “We didn’t play the full song in the show, but ‘Lust to Love’ is hands-down my favorite song. […] In the show, we get to add fight choreography to it, so it’s epic, it’s so much fun. Every time, I remember leaving—especially during tech week—leaving rehearsals just blasting ‘Lust to Love’ on repeat… That was my anthem throughout the week.”

Lianna Morelli (Mopsa): “My favorite song is probably ‘Automatic Rainy Day.’ My favorite dance, though, was the dance we did in “Head Over Heels,” which was the opening to Act 2. I just had a really good time with it.”

Cal Perkins (Dametas): “I have to say I’m torn between two. ‘Here You Are’ is my favorite song for sure. I just love the different harmonies and just the lyricism that’s beautiful with the actual motion. It’s tied with ‘Vision of Nowness’ for sure. I didn’t really get to dance in that, but it was so hard not to sing during it because that’s my favorite Go-Go’s song for sure.”

Who was your favorite character?

Calderon: “Standouts for me would be Basilius [played by Marquis Williams] and Pamela [played by Emma Kelly]. I like both of them a lot. For me, just being a scene partner, particularly with Emma, who played Pamela. Getting to witness the sass sometimes led me to almost breaking [character] on stage.”

Morelli: “Honestly, I just think [Queen] Gynecia [played by Kassidy Schmidt] is a badass. She put up with being cheated on for a really long time, and I love her character arc, and I love that she gets to take over the kingdom at the end.”

Perkins: “Basilius is definitely one of my favorite [characters]… Just being able to be on stage with Marquis and kinda just being there for the journey [that Basilius goes on] […] It’s just so fun to experience. I would honestly say I really do love Mopsa as a character. This is maybe the Demetas in me talking. [She’s] such a strong character and she is the more serious of [Mopsa and Pamela], but then again, she speaks to woodland animals. I mean, that’s baller, so I just love her character. She’s so fun.”

How did you handle playing a character that was less accepting of queer identity than you?

Perkins: “When I got cast [as Demetas], I was like, ‘Okay, this will be a change,’ and then realizing that he becomes an ally at the end was relieving, honestly. Aside from that, I have a lot of my family [that] doesn’t want to touch anything LGBTQ+ or anything of that sort. So I kind of had to think about what [my family] would think and what Demetas’s journey has been. It was a little interesting as someone who is trans/genderfluid, being on a stage and trying to play a cisgender man who exiled his partner and is realizing that his daughter is lesbian. The character arc was so interesting to play with and think about.”

What did you enjoy about the queer aspects of your characters?

Morelli: “Mopsa explores more of the sexuality part than the gender side of [queer identity].  It was interesting for me to try and find where Mopsa is in trying to get Pamela to have [the] realization [that she is a lesbian] because you see it throughout the show. Especially in the poetry scene, Pamela’s very close to realizing what it is that she wants. And Mopsa says, ‘You’re so close, you’re right there,’ and the whole time she’s trying to do it without being too pushy.”

Calderon: “I like how Musidorus subverted the trope of the heroic journey. He doesn’t really have the means to be a knight or a warrior or a hero of any standard means, but then he is bestowed this power [that we see in the fight scenes]. [Playing Musidorus] allowed me to not feel restricted on stage to any extent… as an actor, I just had a lot of fun on stage being confident in my body and myself and doing my thing.”

What do you hope audiences take away from the production?

Emma Kelly (Pamela): “The message I wanted to give is to be seen. I want people like this [i.e., queer people] to be seen. Pamela from the beginning—she loves herself, but she doesn’t know what else she loves. There’s clearly something missing, and I think there’s a lot of people out there that struggle with knowing that there’s something different but [not quite knowing] how to articulate it. […] A lot of times, people don’t know these relationships [exist] because they don’t actively see them… But a show like this is making people see [queer relationships] and hear about [them] in a way that is palatable—in a way that is understanding.”

Marquis Williams (Basilius): “Breaking traditions and change can benefit everything. Basilius is such a man of tradition. And the reasons why he made the decisions he made was that he felt threatened. He’s like, ‘I can run the kingdom.’ And that was in the beginning. But once he decided to accept change, that’s when everything ended [better than it was initially]. Change breaks traditions and breaks boundaries.”

Calderon: “I really wanted people to find entertainment from this [production]. […] Of course, we want our audience to enjoy themselves because then there’s that feedback and energy where we raise the state [of the show] or raise the energy as well. People who haven’t seen this kind of media before aren’t really used to seeing queer representation on stage. [Those people will] just find enjoyment in seeing it. […] To some extent, even though maybe there are some aspects where older audiences or more conservative audiences won’t really agree with certain aspects of the show, at least they’ll connect with it, which will allow that representation to be seen as good entertainment as well, but also in a way that’s done correctly and thoughtfully and meaningfully.”

Morelli: “There’s a line in the show that says, ‘No true paradise remains in place forever.’ I think that sums up what I want people to take from the show. […] Things change and things happen and you have to be accepting of that change. As people are discovering who they are, as people come out, as people make these self-discoveries, it’s so important for the people around them to just be there and be accepting and be loving and kind with the way they interact and they speak to them, no matter what they think about it. It’s good. Change can be good. Change encourages progress. And I think that to create the truest paradise we just have to be accepting.”

Concluding Thoughts

Jewell Theatre Company’s “Head Over Heels” was a breath of fresh air. The cast placed significant emphasis on queer representation in the show; seeing queer people and relationships in media is crucial to build a more accepting future. Plus, the company’s “Head Over Heels” production was good theater. I cannot wait to see what JTCo comes up with next! 

To see more performances from Jewell’s Department of Performing Arts, check the Department’s performance calendar here. You can also follow @jewelltheaterco on Instagram.

Loose Park

Tucked away in the heart of Kansas City lies Loose Park, a sprawling 75-acre. Meander through its lush greenery and discover the enchanting rose garden, home to over “3,000 roses of nearly 130 varieties.” Best of all, admission is free, making it an accessible retreat for all to enjoy.

Kansas City Ferris Wheel

For a unique perspective of the city, head to the Kansas City Ferris Wheel at Union Station. Climb aboard a private gondola, accommodating up to six people, and ascend to new heights as you marvel at panoramic views of the skyline. Tickets are $16.50 for adults. 

Tulip Festival

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and embark on a countryside adventure at Fun Farm in nearby Kearney. There awaits the annual Tulip Festival from Apr. 5 to Apr. 28, a celebration of spring’s vibrant colors and natural beauty. With over 1.5 million tulips in full bloom, it’s a sight to behold and a photographer’s dream come true. Wander through endless fields of blossoms and pick your favorites to take home. Tickets are $21.95, offering access to a floral paradise.

Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden

Step into a peaceful world at the Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden, where art and nature intertwine in perfect harmony. Adorned with bronze sculptures by Tom Corbin, this tranquil garden boasts lush foliage, colorful blooms and playful fountains. With its free admission, it’s the ideal destination for those seeking serene moments amidst the beauty of spring.

River Market

Nestled just South of the Missouri River lies the historic River Market. Gather your friends and family at the heart of the region’s vibrant culture at The City Market, home to the area’s largest farmers market. Every Saturday and Sunday, year-round, over 140 stalls offer a cornucopia of fresh produce, flowers, delectable baked goods and an array of locally crafted treasures. 

First Fridays

Experience the pulse of creativity during First Fridays, a beloved tradition where, on the first Friday of every month, residents and visitors converge upon the Crossroads Arts District in Kansas City. Immerse yourself in the city’s artistic essence as galleries, studios and businesses showcase the works of local, regional, national and international artists. 

Pickleball

Dive into the vibrant world of pickleball, an outdoor sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a curious beginner, Kansas City offers several pickleball courts waiting to be explored. From community parks to recreational centers, you’ll find diverse venues catering to players of all skill levels. There are websites to discover the perfect court for your next match. 

Monarchs Baseball Game

Step into the exhilarating atmosphere of minor league baseball at a Monarchs game in Kansas City. Root for the home team as they battle it out on the diamond. Tickets have a large price range, so attending a Monarchs game is an accessible and enjoyable outing for individuals and groups alike.

Hiking at Burr Oak Woods

Embark on a journey of exploration and discovery amidst the natural splendor of Burr Oak Woods, full of rolling hillsides, lush woodlands and meandering trails. This nature reserve offers a sanctuary for outdoor enthusiasts. Here you can immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the wilderness. Whether you’re an avid hiker or prefer a casual stroll, Burr Oak Woods is a great option with its scenic beauty and diverse ecosystems.