The Miley Cyrus Photo Isn’t Hard to Understand
Posted by Heather in Alabamer public edjumacation done taught me to read
Usually I pay no mind to the news, especially non-news stories like celebrity gossip. I rarely read the paper, I don’t watch the news, national or local. And for all that is holy in the world (like my sanity), I stay the hell away from the 24 hour sorry excuse for news channels like CNN and MSNBC.
But I’d have to live under a rock to not hear about this Miley Cyrus Vanity Fair photo.
I live in a cave instead. Lalala lala CNN can’t scare me! Lalalala lala
There are people left and right getting their panties in a wad over these provocative photos of sweet, innocent 15 year old Miley.
I understand how uncomfortable that must be because there is nothing worse than having your underwear up your ass crack. I have a 15 year old niece, and let me tell you, if I were to see a picture of her looking naked, wrapped in a bed sheet with hair that has the I’ve-just-had-great-sex tousled look, along with the kiss-swollen lips, well, I wouldn’t like it either.
And I damn sure wouldn’t look at the digital photo at the shoot and call it art. Neither would her daddy.
Is it any wonder though that this type of photo was taken of a fifteen year old?
When the current fashion demands women be so utterly slender that they look like a 15 year, it isn’t that far of a leap to sexualize a true 15 year old, now is it?
Oh no, no! We can lust after the body of a fifteen year old, but it must be on a women of 18 years or older. Give me skinny. Give me shapeless, hipless and titless. Give me size 2, but by god, make it legal.
We’re up in arms over the exploitation of a fifteen year old, shaking our heads at Miley, Dad and Vanity Fair. But have we stopped and wondered how our own beliefs of what constitutes a sexy body for a woman may play into this?
I think of the recent blog buzz of how it’s time for corporate American to take the business of mommybloggers seriously because we make the majority of purchasing decisions. If we’re top dog in the world of consumers, if women mean so damn much to corporate America’s bottom line, then why in the hell do we put up with the body image they sell to us? Why do we keep buying their products or reading their magazines?
I don’t know about you but I’ve had enough thinking I should have the body of a fifteen year old to be considered fashionably attractive.
And I’m not so sure the sexualization of Miley Cyrus is about her as an individual.
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I started writing a reply to your really great post and then the reply turned into a post of its own.
Damn you and your story ideas!
I honestly didn’t think that was Miley. To me it doesn’t look like her.
However, I completely agree with you. I don’t want my daughter oogled by a bunch of creepy old guys who think that kind of stuff is hot.
It bothers me to no end thinking that some of the 14 year old boys in her youth group already look at her that way…she’s 8 years old.
Miley’s parents should be held accountable for this type of thing. It obviously didn’t work when Dina let Lindsey do it or when Lynn let Britney do it. They are both burden’s to society now…I sure hope Miley doesn’t end up in the same boat.
What’s next Dakota Fanning thongs? When my eight year old daughter asks me if “sexy” is a bad word, I’m not even sure what to say anymore. Yes! No! Yes! A woman can run for president but we still live in a Lolita culture.
I can’t say I think it is right for her to pose that way, but haven’t we all made mistakes? I know I have done things and after it was all over, thought it wasn’t my best idea.
Yes, her parents should have said NO, but have you seen the other picture they are having a fit about? Her with her dad, yes, she is holding his hand and leaning on him, but really what child hasn’t leaned on their dad?
I truly hope that she doesn’t turn into another Brittany Spears. But with the trouble this one picture has made, I have to wonder if the attention will push her over the edge.
Would there be any pictures like these if there wasn’t a big deal made out of them? How many copies of magazines will sell just because of all the attention it has recieved? Just my thoughts.
As usual, The Queen rules! This would be borderline inappropriate for my 19 year old.
I absolutely agree with you, but honestly, a stick thin barely 18 year old is not what *I* consider sexy. Of course, I’m not a man and I don’t bat for the same team so maybe my opinion doesn’t count. I have a problem with my own body image, but not because I want to be model thin, I just want to be healthy and fit.
I don’t blame this on Miley. She is fifteen years old and in her eyes, she probably FEELS like a grownup. I remember being fifteen very well and I remember feeling sexual.
The problem is with the people who took advantage of that. I don’t think this photo even ranks up there with “art”. I am no prude when in comes to art and sexuality, but this photo truly LOOKS like a child showing off her sexuality. Which is just…weird.
And I guess that kind of comes back to your point about what *we* consider sexy.
I had a point here but I think I lost it so I’ll just shut up now.
justmylife: I”m not necessarily blaming her or her parents. I think they were most likely in awe of the photographer (who has quite a reputation and name for herself with stars) and maybe went with her direction, even if conflicted with their gut feeling. I know I’ve done that type of thing myself, just not on a celebrity level. heh
Who knows though, maybe they really thought it was ok.
My point is that I think the whole sexualization (is that really a word?) of young girls is much deeper than just this picture.
Sorry, never liked fifteen year olds (especially when my daughter was one) and their skinny butt bodies even less.
I’d blame the freekin magazine for wanting a pose like that. Don’t those people have kids of their own?
Huh, I guess I *do* live under a rock! Oh, but I’ve been out of town for a week.
All I can say is Ouch.
I haven’t decided what to think of this yet. There are so many stories going around, so many blog posts about it.
I don’t blame anyone, you can’t post blame when you don’t know the entire story. I do wonder what Vanity Fair was thinking, since Miley is just 15. I also agree with you that her parents might have been a bit star shocked.
I remember the feelings at 15, wanting to prove you were an adult, even when you weren’t.
It is not a fun age, and when you are in the lime light it makes growing up ten times harder.
I don’t see myself telling my kids they can’t watch her show, or listen to her music, but we did have a discussion about personal choices, and that seemed to be best for them. We had the same conversation when Jaime Lynn announced she was pregnant.
Thank you for taking one of the most open approaches to this subject!!
I’m not a fan of the sexualization of young girls either.. I’m totally with you on that.. this picture though? I don’t have a problem so much with the picture as I do her and her family now saying they are embarrassed and feel tricked… check out Marie Millard’s post here and check out what she’s got on her myspace page… this is no worse than what she’s got posted already.
I’m not a fan of the sexualization of young girls either.. I’m totally with you on that.. this picture though? I don’t have a problem so much with the picture as I do her and her family now saying they are embarrassed and feel tricked… check out Marie Millard’s post here and check out what she’s got on her myspace page… this is no worse than what she’s got posted already.
I guess I need to come out from under my rock once in a while. I hadn’t heard about this.
My news consumption is usually the first 5 headlines on my yahoo page before I check my mail. And I usually don’t even click them.
I need to get out more. Good thing I have brainy and learn-ed Hunky to clue me in when something “important” happens in current events.
Amen and amen!
Hi Heather. I’m crawling out from underneath my rock to say that I really hadn’t heard about this yet. I’ve been on a bit of a media diet for this very reason – I see nothing but negativity and things that disturb me so I’m choosing not to watch the local news or read certain types of magazines.
Anyway, just wanted to say, brilliant post! It is so much deeper than a picture of this girl who’s obviously grown up way too soon. It’s all about the sometimes sick and unhealthy attitude towards women in our society. I hope there is a considerable shift before my girl is a teen, but I’m not terribly optimistic about it.
I totally live under a rock. I heard something in passing but had no clue what was going on until I read this.
And I totally agree with what you posted. I think this is what society expects and has driven women to.
Not being a mommyblogger, I hope you DO take over! You are real women with real shapes and real years behind you and in front of you. It’s time to start realisticlly portraying who women are.
I have to say that she doesn’t look comfortable with the situation at all….
Art-fart….that photographer (I know she’s THE photographer of all time) should be ashamed to have even put her in that position. Vanity Fair stinks for blaming it on the parents.
I thought it said more about what our country sees as sexual than it did about her choices in the photoshoot ….
AND THANK YOU ~ photoshop can do horrible/wonderful things & completely change a picture. The proofs of those shots may look nothing like the final print. I’m just sayin ~ they made Faith Hill look 20, they can Miley look slutty.
Totally not a fan of this photo. It just doesn’t seem right.
I thought I was all sophisticated at 15, but I was just a kid. And someone needs to remind the WORLD that 15 is still a kid.
I believe that Miley’s parents were not there for that shoot. Kind of funny that the photographer waited until her dad left to suggest such a pose, huh? Dear old Granny should have known better, though.
If the photographer would be slapped with a lawsuit for child porn, maybe this stuff would stop happening, even if the case would be lost.
My seven year old loves Miley (she’s the schoolyard recess heroine) and I never thought about it until my kid came home from school and tore up her crayon colored page of Hannah Montana. Apparently, the girls at recess were “talking about Miley having S-E-X with the Jonas Brothers” and “taking a naked picture” and my kid was upset.
Needless to say I had to have a heart-to-heart about rumors, innuendo and growing up too fast in a way that a 7 year old can understand.
If we don’t think our kids are paying attention, we kidding ourselves.
Her parents should be called on the carpet for allowing this. Even the one with her Dad creeps me out.
Hear hear!
This stuff wouldn’t sell if we didn’t friggin buy it!
All hail the Queen in her infinite wisdom!
shes hot
get over it
i myself as a 15 year old, am more ammused than offended by how art is transforming
her body is like a hole…
i dig it