I’m not a huge fan of Taylor Swift, but I must admit that her new album, 1989, is absolutely brilliant. Since its release in June, the album has been on the Billboard Top 10 list for 11 weeks, peaking at number 4 on the list.

The album has been such a success that it spawned a hashtag on Twitter #RIPTaySwift, and people are still talking about her song about Billie Jean King and her victory over the Great Bambino in the Battle of the Sexes. If you didn’t listen to the lyrics or understood a lick of what was going on in the song, then you might think it was about George Michael, instead of the King-Bambino rivalry.

The song’s title is a reference to the year 1989, which would make it the 25th anniversary of the Battle of the Sexes. In honor of this monumental moment, George Michael and Taylor Swift performed “I Want Your Sex” at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. Since then, the song has gained more than 400 million views on YouTube.

It was an incredible performance, and it has surely become one of the most iconic videos of all time. But, did George Michael and Taylor Swift actually kiss on stage? Or was it all just a hoax? Some people think so, but the majority of the public and even some of the media seem to think it’s all true. Either way, we’ll never know, will we?

The rumor mill has been working overtime ever since the performance, and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. The latest bit of gossip comes from Australia, where a photo of Robert Pattinson and Taylor Swift sharing a kiss has gone viral. Fans of the couple are pointing out that Taylor has a habit of passionately kissing men she meets, and they’re wondering if this is yet another example of Taylor’s ‘toxic’ and ‘predatory’ nature. It’s an old argument, but one that continues to be brought up every time Taylor’s current relationship status is changed by a magazine or a tabloid. As you may remember, Taylor dated Tom Hiddleston for a few months back in 2016. While it was a very public and romantic relationship, it wasn’t one that lasted all that long, and it certainly didn’t end in marriage or a committed relationship.

Since then, she’s been linked to many famous men. Most recently, she began dating English actor and musician, Robert Pattinson. The two have been very open about their romance, and many of Taylor’s old habits have been cited as reasons for the relationship’s end. Is it really bad to kiss a celebrity you’re not related to? Or is it just a new generation being overly critical?

Robert and Taylor have been photographed sharing lots of passionate kisses, but is it just a coincidence? Or are they trying to keep suspicion and rumors at bay? Let’s take a closer look.

The Leaked Photo

The first photo of Taylor Swift and Robert Pattinson sharing a kiss was uploaded to social media on July 17. In the photo, the couple is leaning in for a passionate kiss, with Pattinson’s head resting on Taylor’s shoulder. The picture was taken at the One World Two Night Concert, held at the O2 Arena in London on July 16. Taylor and Robert had just finished performing their sold-out show, and the entire stadium was on its feet as they made their way to their dressing room. Some people were wondering if this was a ‘wardrobe malfunction’ or if the two had planned the whole thing. While performing in London, England, in 2019, Taylor gave Robert a passionate kiss on stage during her set. The moment was captured on camera and has since gone viral.

The concert wasn’t the first time that Taylor had shared a passionate kiss with a member of the media. In 2018, she kissed John Lloyd of Entertainment Weekly on stage during the Rolling Loud Festival in New York City. In a now-deleted tweet, Entertainment Weekly journalist John Lloyd expressed his disappointment that Taylor had “sold out” and that she had chosen to kiss a member of the media instead of a “random stranger.” Taylor has also been known to kiss her fans on stage. At the 2019 Billboard Music Awards in June, she gave “best kiss” to her drummer, Andrew W.K., after he performed with her on stage. Andrew was wearing a tuxedo, and Taylor was wearing a black dress with a red rose in the collar. The performance of “You Need to Calm Down” saw the two lock lips for a passionate and long kiss. It was definitely one of the most photographed moments of the night.

Why Is This Important?

Since the 1960s, there has been speculation about whether or not Robert Pattinson and Taylor Swift are actually just friends. In 2012, after dating for several years, Taylor and Robert went public with their relationship. Since then, the two have been photographed sharing lots of passionate kisses, but is it all just a publicity stunt? Are they really just friends? Does Taylor really smell bad?

These questions continue to be asked because Taylor and Robert have always denied that there was anything more than friendship between them. At the 2019 Billboard Music Awards in June, they both wore t-shirts featuring the number 25, which is the code for ‘one and only.’ When asked about their relationship, Taylor has said, “I think it would be crazy for people to think that this is any different or deeper than a really good friendship. We’re just two friends who are really, really happy to see each other and are really, really, really close.”

In 2017, the rumor that Taylor had a secret love child with rapper Future began circulating. As it turns out, the rumor was true, and the child is now 5-years-old. They’ve been meeting up with their father on a regular basis, and Taylor has said that she doesn’t regret having children with her ex-boyfriend, singer Justin Timberlake. She reportedly said, “I don’t feel like I did anything wrong. I feel like I did what I was supposed to do without regrets.”

While we may never know for sure if Taylor and Robert are in a romantic relationship, we do know that they’re close friends. Their friendship has continued to grow since 2012, and in 2019 they even released a song together called “Lovers”. Is it possible that they’ve been secretly dating for all this time, and have been afraid to come forward and acknowledge their relationship? Is it possible that Taylor truly does smell bad? We may never know for sure, but at least we can say that they definitely kiss well…