Known almost as much for singing about her exes as she is for her talent, singer Taylor Swift answered her critics, calling them sexist.

Speaking to Australia's "Jules, Merrick & Sophie" radio show, Swift addressed her dubious reputation:

"I think frankly that's a very sexist angle to take," Swift said, alluding to a double standard.  "No one says that about Ed Sheeran. No one says that about Bruno Mars. They're all writing songs about their exes, their current girlfriends, their love life and no one raises a red flag there." 

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Break-ups prove a particularly fertile ground for inspiration; Adam Levine of Maroon 5 confirmed "Songs about Jane," the band's celebrated debut album, drew its inspiration from his ex, the eponymous "Jane." 

Dating Jo Jonas, Taylor Lautner, John Mayer, Jake Gyllenhall, and political scion Connor Kennedy in rapid succession, it was after Swift's very public split with Harry Styles of boy band One Direction that she found herself facing a slowly percolating backlash against what some critics contended was a reliance on failed relationships for lyrics. Others suggested she got into a relationship in order to break it up later.

An internet meme currently making the rounds has a picture of Swift emblazoned with the line "Maybe I'm the problem."

Like a true artist, Swift even used that as a creative well; in "Shake It Off" are the lines: "I go on too many dates / But I can't make 'em stay / At least that's what people say, mmm-mmm." 

In her interview, Swift stated she won't be dropping her love life from her music; whether wanting one, getting one, loosing one, fleeing one, celebrating one, contemplating one, complimenting one, or a combination of all seven (and counting), musicians have been singing about a lover for centuries.

"The most important thing for me is maintaining artistic integrity," Swift said, "which means as a songwriter I still continue to write about my life."

Tagstaylor swift, sexist, break up