Hayley Kiyoko (Photo courtesy of Instagram)

Taylor Swift has defended lesbian pop singer Hayley Kiyoko’s comments about homophobia in the music industry after Swift fans felt Kiyoko was shading the “End Game” singer.

Speaking with Refinery29, Kiyoko, 26, remarked that industry insiders have questioned why she continues to sing about women. The singer explained she’s just singing about her experiences in the same way Swift does.

“I’ve had several music industry execs say ‘You’re doing another music video about girls?’ I literally looked at them and was like, um, yeah…Taylor Swift sings about men in every single song and video, and no one complains that she’s unoriginal,” Kiyoko said at the time. “I’m not over-sexualizing my music. I make out with women because I love women, not because I’m trying to be sexy. That’s not to turn heads — that’s my life.”

Swifties weren’t happy with Kiyoko’s name dropping and questioned her motives.

Don’t bring Taylor into this! Cause you know damn well people do freaking complain.

— Swiftly Swiftie (@AASwiftie13) March 30, 2018

Love you sis but
1) not all of Taylor’s songs are about relationships
2) everyone complains about her writing about men all the time.

If anyone gets away with writing about their love life it’s male artists.

— anu (@shadesofslaylor) March 30, 2018

she livin under a rock or smthng? she had the worst comparison ever. why does she even need to drag taylor’s name to explain herself. ?

— heroine (@jamincabello) March 30, 2018

However, Swift backed up Kiyoko’s comments by reblogging a fan’s Tumblr post and adding her own commentary.

“We should applaud artists who are brave enough to tell their honest romantic narrative through their art, and the fact is that I’ve never encountered homophobia and she has,” Swift writes. “It’s her right to call out anyone who has double standards about gay vs straight love interests.”

taylor swift defending hayley kiyoko from homophobes just cleared my skin and added an entire century to my life pic.twitter.com/IgdSOplWU7

— ellie (@eleanorbate) March 31, 2018

Kiyoko responded to Swift’s support by tweeting, “and respect to @taylorswift13 and all the brave artists out there sharing their truth with the world. I appreciate you. We keep climbing.”

❤️ and respect to @taylorswift13 and all the brave artists out there sharing their truth with the world. I appreciate you. We keep climbing.

— Hayley Kiyoko (@HayleyKiyoko) March 31, 2018