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In the contemporary dating landscape, our lexicon for articulating and navigating a new romance has never been so advanced. Yet, there’s one element that we still haven’t managed to perfect: how to bring up to your friend that you don’t like their new partner.
This situation—whether fabricated or fact—is one Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have seemingly found themselves in after reports have circulated that Gomez is “concerned” about the burgeoning power couple.
As per Page Six, a source from Gomez’s camp vocalised the Only Murders In The Building star’s worries about Swift and Kelce “moving too fast”.
“Selena thinks Taylor going to games and galavanting through New York immediately after just meeting Travis is something that is very unlike her,” the insider claimed. The source also added that Gomez reportedly finds it “odd” that Swift has “historically always been super private about everything” but is now “so open” about her relationship with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.
Further still, the source claims that Gomez found it “alarming” when Swift met Kelce’s mother in such a public forum, adding that the back-to-back paparazzi pictures of them together were “strange”. The source noted that Gomez has reportedly even turned down several invitations to attend the Chiefs games with Swift as she allegedly doesn’t want a bar of the “media frenzy.”
“Selena just doesn’t want to be part of [it] because it’s really chaotic,” the insider added. “It didn’t come from a malicious place, and it’s not that she doesn’t like them together. She’s just concerned about the way it’s being navigated,” they explained before adding that Swift’s other friends, including the Haim sisters, Este, 37, Danielle, 34, and Alana, 31, “think this way as well”.
Of course, our experience with voicing our opinions on a friend’s new relationship has never made it to the public arena. So, naturally, netizens have been quick to draw lines in the sand. Some, including anonymous gossipmonger DeuxMoi, deny that Gomez would release that statement. Others are claiming that Gomez’s source is coming from a place of jealousy over seeing her best friend happy.
Irrespective of whether there is any credence to this rumour, it does raise an important issue on the topic of female friends and new romances. Where do we give allowances for those who speak up in favour of their friend’s best interests? And why are we so quick to villainise those who may not look at supposedly ‘fairy tale’ romances through rose-coloured glasses? Is it best not to say anything at all if we feel unsure about a new partner?
This problem crops up repeatedly and is something no one has an answer to. But, if there’s one thing to glean, it’s that discussing sticky subjects is something best done in private—not in a public way where anyone can insert their opinions.
