Sexualizing Miley: Are Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus Letting Her Be The New Lolita?
Does anyone else find it ironic that men in a polygamy cult in Texas are being locked up for sexually exploiting teenage girls while here in medialand, a half-nude photo of 15-year-old Miley Cyrus in Vanity Fair is being touted as art?
Is it OK to sexualize a fifteen-year-old if it is in the pages of a high falutin' magazine and her parents seem OK with it? Or is this really not much different from parents in a cult acquiescing to having their teen daughters wedded and bedded?
I'm not sure that it is all that different. In both cases 15-year-olds, who are well under the age of consent, are being exploited because they are viewed as sexually attractive. And in both cases, their parents are allowing it to happen.
Miley may not have been forced to have sex with a creepy old man but she is being put out on display like a modern day Lolita and you can bet a lot of creepy old men will be eyeballing her bare shoulders and back and having nasty thoughts about her other parts that appear to be bare. Yuck!
"Parents aren't supposed to let their 15-year-olds pose in sexily suggestive ways," points out Dr. Keith Ablow, a psychiatrist and author of Living the Truth. And I have to agree. Parents are supposed to throw a fit when their teen daughters try to leave the house dressed in skirts that are too short and tops that are too tight. Parents are supposed to try and protect their teen daughters from becoming sexually active at an early age.
They aren't supposed to allow them publicly to declare themselves to be sex objects especially if they happen to be role models for even younger girls. "Hollywood has planted a flag and the hill they've taken is that you don't have to be 16, 17, or 18 to announce that you want to be sexy," points out Ablow. Fifteen is now OK.
It almost makes the controversy over Britney Spears dancing in a short school girl kilt and knee socks in her "Baby One More Time" video, when she was 17, seem so antediluvian. The Cyruses would be wise though to learn a Big Lesson fast from the Spears family, now awaiting the birth of 16-year-old Jamie Lynn's first baby, as they also try to cope with Britney's bipolar disease.
Exploiting and Lolita-izing your teen daughter for fame and fortune runs a high risk of leading to heartbreak for the very one that you claim to love and cherish.
Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus have said that the half-nude photo of Miley was taken after they left the Vanity Fair photo shoot with famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. But does that really let them off the hook? First of all, Leibovitz is a brilliant photographer who brilliantly got Demi Moore to pose nude and nine months pregnant for the cover of Vanity Fair, and also recently convinced A-list actresses Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson to pose nude together for another cover. Leibovitz knows the news value of a nude photo, especially a really provocative one — as in an underage nude photo.
Secondly, I can't believe Miley's parents were somehow ambushed by these semi-bare photos of their daughter. They had to be aware the photos were taken. Miley would have told them. She was probably excited by it all! She may have even brought home polaroids of the photo from the shoot. Even if she didn't, her parents could probably have asked to see the photos if they were concerned. After all, she is underage and the whole Cyrus feature was done co-operatively with the magazine.
Finally, if Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus were truly outraged by Miley's sexy photo, they could have raised a ruckus with Leibovitz and Vanity Fair, long before the ruckus that started when the pictures went public.
So what exactly were the Cyruses thinking? Is it part of the Miley career plan to sexualize her at 15 as a way to wooing an adult audience that will see her as more than Hannah Montana? Are her parents worried that she might never be able to make the crossover? Isn't a billion dollars of Hannah Montana revenue in 2008 alone enough to give the girl a break and just let her be a teen girl?
"She was an icon in our house. I am so disappointed. She was our last idol standing," laments Sally Lee, editor in chief of Parents magazine and the mother of two young daughters, 7 and 11, who also happen to be huge Miley fans. Sexualizing 15-year-old Miley is part of a juggernaut encouraging teen sexuality believes Lee. "It's a slippery slope and we're going down it fast."
Well Lee is probably right, sexual activity among teens is big and Miley's sexy poses won't exactly discourage other 15 and 14-year olds from wanting to look sexy too.
Chandra Czape-Turner, executive editor of CosmoGIRL! thinks Miley is a good kid. "She is a good role model and while she may have slipped, we have to give her a break. I think she's learned a lesson and I do think her parents are loving and very involved."
OK, I agree that Miley deserves a break. She is just 15. Let's just hope that her parents have learned a lesson too — a BIG ONE!
Follow Bonnie Fuller on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bonniefuller
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
For many years I've been an admirer of Annie Leibovitz. I was surprised at her apparent breakdown in judgment here. The pose in the photo that is the subject of such controversy is one of lovers, not daughter and father. Perhaps we have a double-digit IQ dad here who just has no standards or judgment. Annie is a definite high triple-digit and really screwed up.
I thought that BRC, like most of the C&W crowd, was a holy roller. Go figure? I guess fame and fortune are exalted in that world.
She is pretty talentless, i guess they have to do something. I wonder why Liebowitz agreed to shoot her, ugh!
In many states 15 Years old it is legal for her to have sex. South Carolina 14/16 , Virginia 15, Mississippi 16 - [2] , Idaho 14, Hawaii 14, Connecticut 15, Colorado 15
FOOTNOTES:
[1]Age 16 if the man is 21 or older.
[2]If the female is over 12, the status applies only to virgins----
Can you imagine the debte to get it to "OVER 12" in Missiissippi!
She has lost her humanity and become a product. Her parents are to blame, along with Disney Corp.
She made $ 8 million dollars last year. lol money money money
Comparing this picture of Cyrus to the victims in the FDLS compound is utterly irrational. The Cyrus pictures were made by a 15 year old who is far more mature than most 15 year olds. She has no choice, really, since her world demands it of her. She may not be a legal adult, but if you think her daddy runs her career without her input you must be an idiot. The victims of FDLS live in a world of extreme coercion, oppression, and violence. Anyone who can compare the two needs to have their collage diploma/degree taken from them and burned in front of their face.
The pictures taken may or may not be considered suggestive. That proves they are art, by the way; if they weren’t art you would have agreement from everyone on what they are.
Lastly, the “letdown” people feel is the fault of those same people who put Miley Cyrus on the pedestal and called her a good role model. They want some gleaming icon of virtue and pureness to show off to their daughters. Fine, but it is your own damn fault for believing in this nonsense that Hollywood people have to live up to your standards. It is not Miley Cyrus’ fault if she doesn’t live up to your ridiculous ideal. She is, after all, a human girl.
Agreed.
Bonnie wrote:
"Miley may not have been forced to have sex with a creepy old man but she is being put out on display like a modern day Lolita and you can bet a lot of creepy old men will be eyeballing her bare shoulders and back and having nasty thoughts about her other parts that appear to be bare. Yuck!"
I am sorry something compelled you to indulge yucky thoughts about us creepy old men, it must be very unpleasant for you. If it helps any I can tell you your thoughts are not fun for us either.
There may be less onerous alternatives. I could suggest you think about creepy old lesbians or creepy young lesbians or creepy young men but I don't think any of them deserve your disgust either
What about creepy magazine publishers of whatever age? There's a lot to think about there.
Bonnie Wrote:
"Miley may not have been forced to have sex with a creepy old man but she is being put out on display like a modern day Lolita and you can bet a lot of creepy old men will be eyeballing her bare shoulders and back and having nasty thoughts about her other parts that appear to be bare. Yuck!"
Further translation:
Magazine editor sees backless photo of pretty young woman, starts "having nasty thoughts about her other parts that appear to be bare", OOPS, mustn't think about that, must be someone else having a fantasy, OH, I KNOW, it's those creepy old men.
And about the little rape fantasy:
"Miley may not have been forced to have sex with a creepy old man" Go for it. Put a grey beard and black hat on your lover and play it out.
Um, yes
there's a BIG difference between a girl posing for an arguably provocative magazine cover and a group of children being systematically exploited by being forced into STATUTORY RAPE...
turn down the hysterical outrage- you sound as ridiculous as that nitwit Nancy Grace...
Annie L. is very talented. Her talent has nothing to do with the publication of these pics, which, btw, I haven't seen, and have no interest in seeing. Nudity does not bother me. We all were born nude. What's the big deal??
The part that makes me furious is this: Every little ten-year-old girl that I know is talking about this, and it is not necessary in a society that objectifies women constantly, and leaves young, developing females suffering from the DIS-EASES that come from role models whose deeds say............hey, look at my boobies................you know, a little modesty while growing up is a good thing.
It's trailer-trash behavior on the parents' part, plain and simple. Must need the money?????
The fuss over this is
ridiculous.
Gosh, this is a tough one for me.
I have a little boy so in a sense I'm insulated (sort of) from these issues. As a woman, though...
I have a 13 going on 21 yo niece about whom I worry: her father passed away and her mother is ill, therefore there is less parental oversight than I think necessary. They have a terrific extended family supporting them but my niece dresses provocatively and watches far too much grown-up TV. She is probably more sexualized than Miley but I'm looking through the lenses of a concerned aunt.
If Miley was my daughter, I might feel uncomfortable. I have to think that her parents knew what they were doing...and that's their prerogative. Doubt it would be my choice but I wouldn't blame her or her family. I just want my child to stay in a bubble a little longer...besides, I think we should all pay more attention to living our own lives and less to nagging about others'. (I need to heed that advice, too.)
To those who think this is barely different from the FLDS brouhaha? Girlfriend, please. Those children were raised in a world of racism, misogyny, sexual exploitation and paranoia. Those kids have known no other life and were FORCED to sleep with old men.
And I find it ironic that Fuller is shocked-SHOCKED!- over this, since she has made millions of dollars exploiting celebrity lives over the years.
"Does anyone else find it ironic that men in a polygamy cult in Texas are being locked up for sexually exploiting teenage girls while here in medialand, a half-nude photo of 15-year-old Miley Cyrus in Vanity Fair is being touted as art?"
I hope not. The flawed analogy is absurd, euphemistically speaking. The lives of those kids in Texas are permanently damaged. The only real effect from the Cyrus flap will be more bucks for her parents and whatever other parasites profit from her talents. Disney is at this very moment preparing a new retail line of "Miley Cyrus Sheets to Wear Around the House, Only $145." (Probably) Anyway, the paparazzi can get far more revealing shots by following her to the beach.
.
Oh God another Blog by a woman who wants a 15 year old girl in a sheet and calls that topless.
Cleopatra was 12 when she seduced Ceasra at 51. And if you believe in Bible Myths Mary was 12-13 when she got pregnant. And of course 150 years ago the average age for marriage was under 15.
The sad commentary , I'm in a country that thinks its a super power still and makes nothing, has declining wages, massive trade debts, its ucrrency is becoming a pesso, and its credit card has been pulled and this is news!
Regards
Until the 1980 nost states had the age of consent at age 12 as a base.
1. i'll bet my truck that mom and pop Cyrus both knew what was going to happen when they left the shoot. that is why they left.
2. the photographer has integrity.
3. it is just another step in BRC's step....to stay in the spotlight as long as HE can.
4. a point that so many seem to be missing is that Ms. cyrus has very deliberately played herself to an age group that is entirely too young to be sexualized. yet, with her parents and management wanting a bigger piece of the pie....these photos didn't surprise me. the clothing that she wears started down that slope a long time ago.
5. if you market yourself as a role model,for young girls, try staying inside the kiddie box that the money is pouring into, for a decent amount of time.
Cyrus was IN the photograph that I thought was the most "provocative" of the bunch. That was NOT a
normal father/daughter photo. It was suggestive and sexualized and HE WAS IN IT, so he can't say he didn't know.
In defense of American culture, ever since that cute girl from Harry Potter became of legal age we've been in need of a teenage girl to have a countdown-to-18 fascination with as we eagerly await the day when we no longer need to feel creepy for being physically attracted to her. What started with Natalie Portman in 'The Professional' and passed through the likes of Jennifer Love Hewitt, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and, most notably due to their exposure since infancy, the Olsen Twins. The torch has been passed on to that cutie Cyrus girl and now we have well over two years to feel bad about ourselves. Even if she never exposes an inch of skin from now until Ragnarok, we will always have the Vanity Fair shoot (and those unfortunate photos recently leaked onto the internet) to hold onto in our hearts until we can safely talk about the day when her career is on the wane and she has to resort to the inevitable pictorial in Playboy.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
