[This] is Russell Greer, and I created this video to come forward with my claims about what Taylor Swift did to me.
Um, 2017 has been the year of the hashtag #metoo, with stories that have brought to light harassment, and brought about the demise of several high-profile celebrity careers, like Harvey Weinstein. While many allegations have consisted of powerful and emotional sexual harassment claims by female victims, there are male victims as well. Um, I happen to be one of those male victims.
Uh, my question to you is why does one need to be sexually abused to be a victim? I have been a victim of something in the corresponding [ unintelligible: tiers?] of sexual abuse--discrimination. After having suffered harassment and slander for my claims, I come forward now, to affirm under penalty of perjury, with my right hand raised, that Taylor Allison [stumbles] I'm sorry, Taylor Allison Swift discriminated against me because of my disability.
Time Persons of the Year do not do to others as she and her agents and her family have done to me. Good people do not shame and kick in the mud the stories and the efforts of those who put in effort for them.
Umm. As you can tell, my face is paralyzed; um, I was born this way. Um. I try not being upset and sad about it, you know, I have a college degree, I'm really strong, I like to work out, I have a cool beard, if you noticed. But um, I uh, you know, it certainly is a challenge. Um, uh, as a songwriter, it's a challenge to, to write songs and get it out there. My dream was to have Taylor Swift help me and so I spent two years working on stuff for her, and, you know, she said some really cruel things about me. And her agents, her, her agents, you know, uh, they were completely negligent.
And because of Taylor Swift, my life is destroyed. Um, it's like she wears a mask, and she's two different people.
Um, so with this video I call upon Time to retract their story of Taylor Swift and remove her title as Time Person of the Year. If they do not [unintelligible: lift or?] retract their story, I ask that I am given the chance to tell my story the same way other victims' stories have been shared. To deny me that right to share my story fairly? Is not only biased and unfair, it is arbitrary and [unintelligible: sexist?].
I'm not throwing around fancy words just for the heck of it, but it really is sexist when you say a woman can claim this but a guy can't claim this. Either we hold all celebrities to a standard, or we're not--what's the point in coming out about stuff? So it is my sincere hope that this can be covered and shared. People need to know what Taylor Swift did to me. [holds up hand-lettered sign; text is mostly out-of-frame]. Um, #iwasswifted. That's kind of my #metoo, but I don't wanna you know, uh, i don't want to, uh, you know, make other victims' stories less um, meaningful because clearly there is a difference between sexual assault and discrimination. But I think, you know, they should both be covered fairly. So that's why I use this hashtag, #swifted, because it's more, it's more appropriate because, you know, Taylor Swift destroyed my life basically and so, you know, I wrote a book on it.
So if--I ask that Time magazine run my story. I ask that CNN, the Washington Post, Fox News, any other stations, please cover this. Um, Taylor Swift needs to be held to a higher standard and I deserve an apology from her. Uh, the news--you guys covered the guy who touched her butt. That's stupid, that's the dumbest story ever! Stop covering that guy. He has no evidence! I have evidence of what she did to me, and I'm just asking for my story to be covered fairly. Thank you.
