Taylor Swift's squad, which consists of the 25-year-old pop star's tall, thin and statuesque friends, has been making headlines for the past few months. But more than the people in the squad, who she brought with her to the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards, it appears the "squad's goals" is the one grabbing media attention, and the attention isn't all swell.
Some sites are now comparing Swift's group to a cult.
In early 2015, the term Squad Goals rose to fame and became millennial lingo for anyone wanting to create her own great group of friends. Taylor Swift's squad has been the epitome of this "Squad Goals." However, more and more backlash is being thrown at the group in recent months.
Most recent is reports from the New York Post and News.com.au claiming that the group of models and actresses are starting to look more like a "cult" than a group of friends.
Swift told her fans how easy it is to be her friend.
"You have to like me, and you have to want to spend time with me," she said in one of her 1989 concerts.
However, reports say it's much more complicated than that.
Where did the group of friends start becoming more of a "cult"?
The first noticeable thing is the similarities in the girls' looks, according to reports.
"It's about more than just the fact that they all look similar - though it is eerie how tall, thin and polished most of Swift's friends are," the news.com.au report said.
The report also noted how Taylor Swift's Squad synchronously jumped as Taylor was announced winner of the Music Video of the Year. Appearing as if they had been told how to celebrate the victory beforehand, the 10 women simultaneously flocked to the stage and joined Swift onstage, who the report describes as their brave and fearless leader.
While the members of Taylor Swift's Squad did not receive payment for appearing in her "Bad Blood" video, they did get more spotlight afterward. Gigi Hadid has since graced magazine covers and even starred in Calvin Harris' new "How Deep Is Your Love" video. Hailee Steinfeld's singing career began to blossom. As for Karlie Kloss, she now has a cooking channel on YouTube, according to The Inquisitr.
Another Taylor Swift Squad rule is how a member must add to Swift's good-girl image. Another is they must praise her during interviews and live events.
Perhaps proof is Serayah, who is known for her role on "Empire," praising the pop star on the VMAs stage.
"First of all, I would love to give a big congrats to my girl, Taylor Swift," the actress said, before naming the winner for best video with a social message.
According to Serayah, being part of Taylor Swift's squad is simply similar to hanging out with a group of girlfriends.
"We all hang out. We get together and we go eat and go to late-night cafes. I think people think it's this celebrity gathering, but it's just a bunch of girls, hanging out," she said.
It appears though, as reports say, reality is much more complex for Squad members.
In order to be in the circle, celebrities should have enough popularity to pay Taylor back. When the 25-year-old baked cookies with Hailee Steinfeld, it made her appear sweet and down-to-earth; when she was named godmother to Jaime King's newborn, it made her look maternal; and simply appearing beside models Karlie Kloss and Martha Hunt makes her appear svelte and classy.
Perhaps most notable in the alleged Taylor Swift Squad rules that is receiving much backlash is her "Stalin-like control" and iron fist over her so-called friends, according to the New York Post. This reportedly supposedly meant that the members must defend the group against any haters. She already did it with "Bad Blood," which was allegedly about pop star Katy Perry.
At the 2013 Golden Globes, comediennes Tina Fey and Amy Poehler mocked Swift, to which she retorted with the now-infamous quote: "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women."
In July, "Grizzly Bear" frontman Ed Droste revealed via Twitter of Swift's alleged "dark squad rules," which he was informed of by a mutual friend, reported news.com.au.
Droste said the members aren't allowed to speak to Taylor unless they have spoken to her, and they must follow a strict dress code when attending her parties and concerts.
Besides Katy Perry, there is a pop star who doesn't want to be in Taylor Swift's squad. In an interview with the New York Times, Miley Cyrus said she has no interest being friends with such "unreal" people.
"I'm not trying to be in the squad. None of my friends are famous and not because of any other reason than I just like real people who are living real lives, because I'm inspired by them," said Miley.
According to DListed, a Radar source revealed just how it is like during one of Taylor's parties. The source said that at an MTV VMAs after-party at Ysabel in West Hollywood, Taylor had been "laughing on the inside" when "lessers" weren't allowed to go in by security.
Ariana Grande and Frankie Grande Latte tried entering the after party, but it appears they were asked to go away because Taylor doesn't want to be with them.
The source also added that when Serayah kept talking about selfies and Taylor got annoyed, she told the "Empire" star to stop talking.
