“When The Owner Speaks Of Non-Consensual Sex”: Karuna Nundy On Elon Musk’s Creepy Taylor Swift Comments
Advocate Karuna Nundy has publicly condemned Elon Musk for his unsettling remarks towards Taylor Swift on X (formerly Twitter), calling attention to the troubling nature of his comments. Musk, who owns the social media platform, made a suggestive and inappropriate statement in response to Swift’s endorsement of US Vice President Kamala Harris for the upcoming presidential election.
Swift, a prominent figure in popular culture, shared her political stance by voicing her support for Harris over Donald Trump. In her post, which included a picture of herself with a cat, Swift signed off as “Childless Cat Lady.” This was seen as a pointed dig at Trump’s running mate JD Vance, who, in a 2021 interview, infamously described the United States as being “run by a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives.” The resurfaced comment by Vance angered Swift’s fanbase, known as ‘Swifties,’ prompting Swift to make her stance clear.
However, it was Musk’s response to Swift’s post that stirred further controversy. Musk, who has been endorsing Trump over the past two months, replied to Swift’s post, saying, “Fine Taylor… you win… I will give you a child and guard your cats with my life.” The comment, perceived as both “creepy” and “inappropriate,” drew widespread backlash from social media users. Many expressed shock, with one user even suggesting it was a parody account due to the absurdity of the statement. Another user called the comment “cringe,” while others pointed out Musk’s personal issues, mockingly linking the comment to his recent divorce.
Karuna Nundy, an Indian advocate known for her work in human rights and constitutional law, joined the chorus of criticism. She took to X to highlight the serious implications of Musk’s behaviour, especially given his influential position. Nundy tweeted, “When the owner of these algorithms, with 197M followers, speaks of non-consensual sex with no less than Taylor Swift – what hope is there that X will act on rape threats against women?”
Nundy’s remarks call for greater scrutiny and regulation of Musk’s social media platform, X. She emphasised that such behaviour, coming from a figure of Musk’s stature, raises concerns about the platform’s handling of serious issues like harassment and abuse, particularly against women. Nundy urged governments to regulate the platform in a balanced manner, ensuring that it is held accountable for enabling harmful and offensive content.
