Is Miley Cyrus a Bad Girl?
Have you heard about Mileygate? For those two people who haven’t had a chance to watch the news or visit CNN online in the last few days, fifteen-year-old Miley Cyrus (a.k.a. Hannah Montana) appears topless (albeit covered with a big blanket) in the June edition of Vanity Fair. There’s been quite an uproar about it. Should a girl so young be photographed in such a “sexy” way? Should her parents have allowed this shot? Is Miley really not the role model we thought and hoped she was?
Does any blame fall to the photographer, Annie Leibovitz? She’s a fantastic photographer with a very artistic eye, but what was she thinking when she decided to have Miley take off her top? Surely she could have gotten some wonderful and creative shots of Miley doing things we expect from a fifteen-year-old. I would expect to see her laying on the couch on the phone. Maybe putting on some makeup. Looking through photo albums. Playing sports. Anything, but topless.
Vanity Fair released some footage of the shoot to show that Billy Ray was there for the shoot and how innocent it was (although the video does not show the topless shot). But that backfired as many people are now screaming that the pair is very inappropriate in the video. They say the way she is looking at her dad is more sexy than lovingly and they are acting like lovers rather than father and daughter. Wow, the Cyrus family just can’t win.
Since the photo was released, Billy Ray has come out to say he was there for the shoot, but had to leave early for another commitment. He says he had no idea they were doing the topless shot and never would have allowed it if he had known.
I’d rather not see photos of a fifteen-year-old child with no top on, covered or not. But I don’t think it necessarily means Miley isn’t a good role model. I don’t think it means she’s on the same track as Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears. I have yet to see a picture of her throwing up in the back of some car or coming out of hotels night after night with different guys. I feel like the public is trying to find whatever they can to reduce Miley to the likes of other Hollywood bad girls. Last month photos from Miley’s private MySpace page were leaked and many criticized them for being to racy. Many of them are inappropriate for a girl her age and if I was her mother I would definitely talk to her about it and make her remove them from MySpace. I don’t want my daughter to show off her bra or take pictures of herself in her underwear. But I can tell you a lot of girl’s this age do that.
About a year ago my now sixteen-year-old (as of last week) son left his camera in the bathroom. My husband looked through the pictures (there we go again not respecting his privacy) and found photos of our son in his underwear. Apparently he took these photos to send to his girlfriend on email. (He knows we look at his MySpace page so he couldn’t post them there.) He sent them because she sent him pictures of herself in her bra and underwear.
Kids this age are experimenting with their sexuality. They are trying to be cool. And in their quest for cooldom they do things parents don’t like. A LOT of kids do this. However, most kids don’t find their private photos splashed across the internet or on CNN. Unfortunately Miley Cyrus isn’t so lucky. People are looking for her to screw up. They are waiting for her to make mistakes. Some people are just dying to see her fall from grace so they can say, “See, I told you so.” But she’s just a fifteen-year-old girl who is trying to experiment and take risks and grow up before her time…just like every other fifteen-year-old girl. It doesn’t make her bad girl.
Miley is innocent in this mess – she’s just a kid with a stupid Dad. I agree with you Christine. And I’m sure Mr. Cyrus studied the proofs and had a final say in the published shots , so he cannot claim ignorance. The photo of father and daughter is quite odd -like they aren’t speaking to each other. (Perhaps the current state of affairs). AND…………his career is very luke warm. I think he selfishly tried to use the photo shoot to make himself look “hot” and now he’s hurt his daughter -Shame on Him I say!
Absolutely agreed, Christine. Children are constantly pushing boundaries, from the time they attain comprehension. As they become aware of sexuality, they will push those boundaries, as well. I am more confused as to why we as parents look to the media for our children’s role models? IMHO, we should be teaching our children that what they see on tv and in magazines is fake. Fiction. Not real. They need to draw their role models from the spiritual, educational and professional pools instead of the pop culture soup. Teaching our children the difference between fiction and non fiction, fantasy and reality, right and wrong, good and bad choices and how to *make* good and bad choices is our JOB, as parents. That way, it won’t matter what Britney, Lindsey or Miley is doing this week. And when they experiment, that voice will be in their heads “Is this a good choice, or a poor choice?”
I don’t think the picture of Miley with the blanket is that bad. I think it’s artistic and beautiful. Nothing at all is showing. We Americans have such hang ups sexually. We lose our minds over the simplest things, but we’re so repressed that we go crazy behind closed doors (just look at all the sex scandals and massive porn sales). It kind of reminds me of the Janet Jackson Superbowl debacle. I could not believe how much people lost it over a nipple (with a pasty) showing for 1/2 a second. When I saw it happen I was like “OMG weird” and moved on. But wow, did people freak out over that!
Anyway, I think you’re right, people are just looking for a chance to say “LOOK! Miley isn’t as innocent as you think. She’s just like Britney!”.
You are so right, Christine. Miley made a bad choice, just like millions of other 15-year-olds. Unfortunately, when you’re Disney’s billion-dollar-baby, your teenage mistakes are suddenly fodder for national news.
What’s really ironic is that the Vanity Fair article is all about how Cyrus remains grounded despite all the fame and attention. The writer even points out that the media’s close scrutiny of Cyrus’ every action is in anticipation of her turning into another Britney…
“…all the celebrity weeklies have been ratcheting up their focus on her. With Lindsay Lohan rehabbed and Britney Spears under psychiatric care, the tabs are looking to Cyrus to flame out, or at least do something mildly outrageous.”
Funny, how that same article included the photos that began the firestorm.
Even funnier…how many pre-teens read Vanity Fair? This whole thing could have passed under the radar without a blip had the media not been so desperate for her to slip.
I agree with Christine, I am very sad for Miley, I hate her horrible dad, he spoils her and uses her for money I think! I don`t want Miley to turn into Lindsay Lohan, and I hope Miranda Cosgrove doesn`t start either.
I think that Miley Cyrus is getting way to over her head with all of the bad pictures that are getting posted all over the internet. She says that they are private and that someone stole them. But she shouldnt have taken the pictures in the first place. She is supposed to be a role model fo young girls. But she is doing a crappy job.
I think still miley is a good role model. Although there’s some inappropriate photos, she’s just a teeneger. As they said she’s experimenting. And I think its ridiculous how people think she and her father are acting like lovers, I mean c’mon!
i think miley is just like us. she’s a teenager. she’s gonna mess up sometime. i think the world should just let miley be who she wants 2 be. when we mess up, nobody says anything 2 us. but when miley messes up, then the world goes in a panic and i dont think thats fair. still, miley is a wonderful role model for those who exept her for being her.
uh, she isnt topless in any of these. at all.
Miley is a wonderful girl with big dreams these people are just tearing her apart.I hate all those money craving paparrazi and the publishers they r the ones bringing her down.I love miley’s songs and attitude.please leave my idol alone