Kanye West v. Taylor Swift (or more likely her father apparently)

Kanye West, otherwise known as the music industry’s biggest douchebag (okay maybe not biggest, but he’s gaining momentum), decided to make the VMAs all about himself last night…again. Now, I didn’t watch the show, but this morning it’s all anyone is talking about. Apparently Mr. West decided that Taylor Swift (who won for Best Female Video) was not worthy of her award. Right in the middle of her acceptance speech her jumped up on stage, grabbed the mic from her hands and said that Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.
Now, this morning I’ve read a few articles about this because the incident really irritates me. I can just imagine how annoyed and upset I’d feel if I were Ms. Swift. This was the first VMA she’d ever won. It was a big deal. And he just ruined her moment and basically said she didn’t deserve it. I mean, it’s fine if you have your opinions, but to interrupt your acceptance speech? That’s low.
But I came across this one article that gave me pause. The language the writer, Billy Johnson, Jr., used in part of his article was steeped in paternalism that made me uncomfortable:
“Not only was Kanye’s approach disrespectful, it was especially disrespectful because it was directed towards a woman–a teenage girl, actually. Taylor won’t turn 20 until December. I can only imagine how her father feels. I’m sure he would like to have a talk to Kanye. I’m not related to her, and I’d like to have a talk with him.”

Obviously what Mr. West did was disrespectful, but apparently the author finds it more disrespectful because it was done to a woman. Then he goes on to talk about how she’s really just a young girl (a “teenage girl,” not just a teenager) and “imagine how her father feels.” Why just her father? Why not both her parents? I guess her father is the only one that’s really supposed to protect her right? I mean, what’s her little old mother to do? But why are her parents supposed to protect her anyway? She’s 19 years old and a successful artist. When I read about this disrespectful occurrence (and disrespectful NOT because she’s a woman) I wasn’t thinking “oh, I feel so bad for her family,” I was thinking “oh, I feel so bad for her,” because she’s the one slighted here. I was angry for her.
No matter what you feel about Taylor Swift’s music or Beyonce’s (or Kanye’s for that matter), what Kanye West did was disrespectful and it wasn’t because Taylor Swift is a little girl that needs to be protected by her daddy. It was disrespectful because she is an artist who won an award from the industry and deserves respect, especially while in the middle of her acceptance speech.