Breaking News: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce and when engagement rumors just won’t quit

In this era of political pandemonium, of suffocating social inequality, of confounding capitalistic institutions, one question unites us all.

Are Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce engaged yet?!

No, at least not publicly. But that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from forever churning. Fans are dissecting every little thing they can get their hands on – a quote here, a boat ride there – to fulfill their parasocial connection to the “it” couple of the year (decade? century?)

Still, it can be trying when those around you won’t stop speculating about your relationship status. This difficulty is magnified for celebrities, who see their relationship ups-and-downs become the subject of international news headlines and social media trends. It’s typically worse when a couple is seemingly going through rocky times; just look at Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. But with Swift and Kelce, some are taking it a little too far.

“I really think that so many swiftness CLING to Travis because they see him as Taylor’s “last chance” to have a husband and babies,” one X user wrote. “We see it all the time because they always bring up her age whenever they justify engagement speculation.” Another added: “I’m not debating whether she wants marriage/kids or not but it’s still weird for people to be so obsessed with the when and constantly read into everything taylor, travis and their family do as easter egg for their engagement.”

Parasocial relationships can be innocent. But when they go too far, “stan culture” can lead to everything from “addictive tendencies” to “stalking behavior,” according to research – and experts say such volatility should be reevaluated.

Social media ‘a small slice’ of who celebrities are
The age of social media has made it nearly impossible for anyone who regularly uses these platforms to keep their relationship status hidden for long. An Instagram story here, a cryptic grid post there. Those in the public eye, of course, carefully curate exactly what they want their followers to know. Still, even Swift is human.