MOST-READ: A pop star is a decent role model for women. The internet tears her to shreds.

To celebrate the end of 2014, we’re republishing all our most-popular post. And this one, from January, is about that time one of the year’s most-talked about women got slammed for, well, not much, really…

The Grammys proved once and for all that the whole world hates Taylor Swift.

First, Taylor showed a few seconds of unrestrained excitement when she thought she’d won Album of the Year for her record Red… but then it turned out presenter Alicia Keys was actually reading the words ‘Random Access Memories’. And Taylor hadn’t in fact won. Take a look:

Instantly, social media site Twitter blew up with snarky tweets:

“What! Taylor Swift thought she won a Grammy! LOL”

“The moment Taylor thought she won was the first time she’s made a genuine face!”

“Honestly, Taylor Swift, I just hate you so much.”

Next, Taylor was caught on camera dancing wildly in the front row of Kendrick Lamar’s performance.

The internet backlash was, again, ferocious and instantaneous.

“Taylor Swift trying to dance to Kendrick Lamar is literally the most uncomfortable thing I have ever witnessed in my life”

“Just when you thought Taylor Swift couldn’t get any whiter, she started dancing”

“I hate Taylor Swift so much”.

It appears that hating Taylor Swift is one of the internet’s favourite hobbies.

Just Google her name and you’re hit with a virtual tsunami of fierce hatred. There was the time she dissed One Direction member (and ex-boyfriend) Harry Styles and an army of his fans sent her death threats. And the time she performed on the catwalk alongside Victoria’s Secret models and everyone – including supermodel Cara Delevigne – thought it was OK to comment on her body shape compared to the “angels”.

And then there’s every other time Taylor’s danced in public with total abandon. And the internet has exploded in response with cruel taunts about her eye-hand coordination.

But here’s the thing. Hatred for Taylor Swift seems entirely arbitrary. Nobody appears able to properly justify trolling her, or disliking her. Substitute any other young pop star into any of the above-described scenarios and the public reaction would have been completely different.

If Jennifer Lawrence was caught dancing terribly at a concert, we’d make a million memes saying “Look at JLaw! She’s just like us! She’s so goofy and loveable!” If Katy Perry dated a One Direction singer and written a song about it, she’d dress up as a cupcake and we’d all fawn over her again. If Rihanna performed at a Victoria’s Secret show, we wouldn’t dare compare her bodacious bod to Miranda Kerr’s.

So why do we hate on Taylor Swift more than anyone else? Why do we fawn over some celebrities unconditionally, but talk shit about everything Taylor Swift does?

What has she done to deserve such ferocious treatment online? Is it her squeaky clean country-music image? Her feline good looks? The string of famous ex-boyfriends she’s left in her wake? Is it Tall Poppy syndrome?

Because, actually, Taylor Swift has more going for her in the likeable department than most famous 24-year-olds.

She’s a strong, wholesome role model; someone parents actually approve of their kids watching. She’s gorgeous. Her voice is incredible and she writes all her own songs.

She plays the piano like a pro, wears glasses like your favourite nerd, and is always the first to make fun of herself.

She’s also, as far as we can tell, a sweet friend – protecting Selena Gomez from getting back together with Justin Bieber and tweeting her support for 17-year-old Kiwi singer, Lorde, when she won two Grammys.

She’s never had a sex tape leaked, a DUI charge, or a public meltdown. She’s never been busted for drugs or attacked a photographer. She doesn’t trash hotel rooms, forget to wear underwear, or sell sex in her videos. She has all the makings of an icon and a genuinely worthwhile role model for young women.

All the internet haters just need to Keep Calm and Appreciate Swifty. I gotchya back Taylor.

Are you a Taylor Swift fan? Is she deserving of the dislike she cops online?

You call follow Kate Leaver on twitter @kateileaver.

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At Mamamia absolutely everything is up for discussion: from pop culture to politics, body image to motherhood, feminism to fashion. We unashamedly cover what everyone is talking about today: whether that’s stories which will make you laugh out loud, cover your mouth in shock, help you get informed or start you thinking about an issue in a different way and sometimes, we help you to just switch off the brain power from a few sweet minutes and kick back.

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