Now before I continue, know that this is not a message of hate I am trying to send. Merely an opinion.
In this video, Miss Cyrus is shown wearing a tiny tank top and undies holding a sledgehammer. And then all of a sudden, she is naked riding a wrecking ball.
I was shocked. She showed pretty much everything except her nipples and you-know-where.
Now, I am aware that she has taken a lot of heat recently (especially after her performance at the VMA's) yet is not the only celebrity guilty of showing too much skin. Janet Jackson, P!nk, and Angelina Jolie are guilty of this among many others. This is not just about her or directed at her, but her video kind of just set me over the edge.
But, really? All those little girls that totally looked up to her six or so years ago as Hanna Montana, now are seeing this. This is their role model.
As a mother of two girls, if my daughters ever do something like this, I will glue clothing to them if I have to.
I find it distasteful.
I have seen many, many people say things like "Well she has a beautiful body, so she should show it off!"
Let me explain why I disagree with this.
1. You are insinuating that if a woman is not attractive, she should cover herself up as much as possible. Those of us who do not have "perfect bodies" (myself included) really don't need to have it rubbed in our faces that we do not, and probably never will, look like that.
2. All of the comments that I saw like this were made by men. And men are more visual than women. That is why porn is more popular with men. So I am not surprised that men want to see 20-year-olds naked without having to download it. And personally, I would not want creepy guys lusting after my body (or for future reference, those of my daughters).
3. I believe that only a husband should ever see his wife in this state. Call me old-fashioned (or hypocritical if you like), but I believe that it is a way of honouring our husbands or future husbands by saving something for them. If our naked bodies are available on the Internet for anybody to see, what is there left for him? What is his? (Obviously stuff like gynaecologists are the exception.)
4. Yes. She is a beautiful girl. But to say something like this is to say she is only beautiful when she is naked. Thus sending out the message that girls should wear less clothing in order to be more attractive. This is not only wrong but it makes my stomach churn. We are perverting the minds of the younger generation to believe that it is not only alright to walk around half-naked, it is a good thing.
Now as someone very close to Miss Cyrus' age, I can relate. You get to a certain age and you want to rebel. You want people to know that you are your own person and nobody can tell you what to do.
Fair enough.
But when you live in the media spotlight (as she and her family undoubtedly do) you have to be careful. North Americans look at celebrities as an image of how to behave.
And this is not the message that I want to see coming through the television or Internet in my house. Not just as a mother but as someone who watched her grow up on TV.
I will not comment on her sexually licking the sledgehammer other than to say it was unnecessary and just plain gross.
On another note, I don't want my husband or other men to see things like this. It is videos and images such as this that puts to some extent an expectation in men's minds.
It makes them too believe that a woman is not beautiful if she is dressed modestly. (Not all men, obviously, but people tend to have very impressionable minds).
Now I believe Miss Cyrus to be an intelligent young woman. She is a very talented singer. But she does not need to grab our attention by flaunting her naked body. There any many singers who do very well without doing this.
I know there are lots of pressures on celebrities to act certain ways. But she is an adult and capable of using her brain and making her own decisions.
Also, that video really made me want to bust something up with a sledgehammer. That is all.
Sincerely,
- M
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