Miley Cyrus image and article -- overall good or overall bad?

Like you, my opinion of this Miley situation hasn't changed. But, finally, yesterday, I finally heard the media say what I was thinking: "Where were her parents? What happened to her 'handlers'...the people who are supposed to have her best interests in mind?"

I know she will have to grow up sometime. I know, in order to stay 'relevant', she will have to transition from girl to woman (ie: Hannah to Miley) but she is only 15. There is plenty of time for her to make that transition.

We are talking about this young girl with (until now) a squeaky clean image. Suddenly she has gone from 'hannah' - bopping around fully clothed and smiling big, to sultry, non-smiling - Miley. Doesn't feel right.

To be honest, I'm not even comfortable with the picture of her and Billy Ray....even that seems a bit provocative.

Yesterday, the media was all over this story and headlines talked about Miley's apology. But what about an apology from her parents - the ones who keep claiming to be keeping her from the Lindsay/Paris world?

That's my 2 cents!

I think the pictures are beautifull pieces of art, BUT she is 15 and still in a deal with disney for a kids show (Hannah Montana). I believe that when Britney began showing more of her "sexy" side she had been out of her deal with disney for quite some time..... I had weird feelings about the pictures with her dad......those seemed awkward to me. On another note, did anyone see her performance on the CMT music awards, I remember watching that thinking to myself "why is she acting SO sexy and tossing her hair back and forth" I'm wondering if this is some attempt by her agency telling her to spice it up a little? She is so far a Good Girl, and seems to come from a strong family who has their heads on straight, so I guess everyone is titled to a little mess up once in awhile!

Carey, I agree with you completely. Please pray for this family and the influence she has on other girls! This picture is wrong. We are women looking at this... What about the men?! I know the intent is to be artsy, but the result is just wrong. Carey, keep up the hope.

I don't think they are good or bad.

I think the images of her and her dad are too "wierd".

I don't like our children being sexualized at such a young age. Miley, Vanity Fair and Disney all knew exactly what they were doing though : turning the girl into a more mature product to market.

We don't have to buy their magazine, jeans or movies if we disagree with what they do.

Dave

When, are we as a society, going to say enough is enough? I'm so sick of the story that girls today are different than girls of previous generations. That's because we allow them to be! Today on the drive home from preschool, my 5 year old begins to tell me (for the umpteenth time) that she is the only girl in her class not allowed to watch Hannah Montanna. For a moment I thought that maybe I am being conservative. But after another moment, I realized that if I don't stick to my guns now she is never going to understand that there are different times in our lives when we are ready for different influences from the outside world. There is NO reason that a 15 year old should be in a satin sheet. It is beyond me why a famed and amazing photographer like Annie Lebiowitz (sp!) would have suggested, let alone allow this. Let's keep our kids protected from this oversexualized world for as long as we can. And if that makes me a conservative, then so be it! Bring on the prudes!!!

Okay, how about a little perspective from a dad. These images and the many before them are totally wrong. How can they be good? Sure they are artistic, or are they. Just because Annie Leibovitz shot them they are supposed to be art. What if some random parent or photographer shot them would they be art? I know kids have to grow up at some point, but come on there is plenty of time for that. I just want my kid to be a kid. When my daughter was born I made a list of things I would do for her over the course of her life and “objectify her” didn’t quite make the list. Man this seems harsh, but this really strikes a chord with me. I don’t want my kids to think that sexuality is the road to success. Why does a child need to be provocative? Let’s not forget that she’s a child. She could be “any girl U.S.A.” Kids are inherently innocent until they are exposed to our adult world. Why do we want this over sexualized teen culture anyway? What does it do for us? I don’t like it…never will.

I do not care for the photos, creepy if you ask me. I wish we could let our kids be kids. At 15 this young lady is growing up way to fast. I want to shelter my 6 and 3 year old daughters from the marketing retail money making world that warps our kids. "Come on girls, let's go outside and make some mudpies"!

Annie Leibovitz the photographer has some responsibility in this too. Is she pushing the limits of civil decorum to keep her name talked about and to keep herself from getting bored with her perpetual celebrity portrait assignments? She has three young daughters of her own and I have to wonder if she would ever photograph them or her nieces in these kinds of poses for national publication. If she wouldn't than she shouldn't co-operate in photographing Miley Cyrus this way either. Annie is famous enough that I'm sure she can say "No" to assignments that are distasteful to her. So IMHO the whole gang from the parents to the photographer etc. have shared responsibility for this distasteful venture. My adorable 7 year old granddaughter is a huge Hannah fan so I care that her innocence not be shattered at such a young age for the sake of a few "artistic" photographs.

ugghh.

I was so disappointed when I saw these photos on the news! My 8 year old daughter is such a huge fan of Hannah Montana, and frankly I enjoyed watching it! During the Barbara Walters interview w/Miley & her dad, Miley claimed that she wanted to be a positive role model for today's girls and that her faith was at the heart of her career. She wanted to be different than Brittney & Paris. It just saddens me how quickly things changed! A commentator on the Today Show claimed it was necessary for Miley to begin to move away from "little girl" star to "young woman"... please, she's 15! I'm glad she apologized and am hoping that this is the first and last we'll see of "sexy" Miley. The pic w/her dad is just borderline creepy.

Shame on her parents. They were given a beautiful daughter and the responsibility of protecting her and keeping her safe in a world that is already exploiting so many of our young people. I did see the photo of Miley in the sheet and it was quite suggestive. The photo of she and her dad is just plain odd. A little too much skin showing for a dad and a 15 year old daughter. It is her parents job to teach her right from wrong, good morals and how to respect herself. They were not put in her life to be her buddies or best friends. Also, Annie Leibowitz, as well as Vanity Fair, should know better......"artistic" or not.

Carey,

As a Christian mother, I was just telling a friend that I was so impressed with how Miley Cyrus' dad had done such a good job of portraying her in an innocent way and how she has such a wide audience interest range. My 4 year old daughter loves her, my 7 year old son loves her and so do my 14 and 15 year old nieces.

Being that she does draw such a wide range of ages, it's the perfect opportunity to be a good role model and still remain popular.

I'm with you as far as the Vanity Fair photos are concerned. They were not proper for a child of her age. And what about the CMT Awards? She could have worn less revealing clothing at times. I'm sorry but no 15 year old girl needs to be wearing a dress that shows between her breasts!

Now that I have critiqued her and I am soooo perfect. Let's reevaluate. Let's pray for her and her family. I'm sure that they are stressed by all of this. Let's pray for their relationship with Christ, that they would realize the impact they have on young ones of all ages and that God would reveal to them the difference between right and wrong. We all make mistakes. On this day, it was their turn, mine could be tomorrow.
Ginger
Jacksonville, FL

I don't like the one of her by herself, but everyone needs to calm down. It's just a photo and she is free to express herself. To make a 15 year old fee dirty about her sexuality is just as wrong as exploiting her sexuality for publicity. Disney asked her to apologize, for what??

Also, I've seen in the media where the thought this picture of her with her father was suggestive. What??? Why are we making the fathers feel dirty for loving their daughters? It's gone too far the other way witht his issue. I think it's beautiful.

I have two comments: Thank goodness I have boys! The pictures aren't that great in my opinion.

Thanks, everyone, for your comments!
April, I don't know if you're telling the people commenting here to calm down, or the world in general, but I don't think anyone here has gone off on a rampage out of control or anything like that.
I think it's interesting how people with an opposing viewpoint try to hold up an accusation of craziness or a lack of control to disarm a person with an opposing viewpoint -- writing off the other person by dismissing their entire viewpoint because the messenger is out of control.
I'm so glad, April, that beyond your "calm down" line, you opted to actually debate the issue and state your views nicely and politely, and I say this without one bit of sarcasm. I really do respect it, and I'm glad you didn't stop with just the "calm down" line, because when I read the "everyone... calm down," I started to roll my eyes...then I stopped.

I still think Miley is way too young for such an image, but I REALLY have the biggest issue with Vanity Fair. In their article, there's somewhat of a "high & mighty" tone of scorn when they talk about the paparazzi & tabloids who are hanging on Miley's every move, waiting for her to take a tumble, so they can get a picture of it & use that to sell their magazines. They're doing the EXACT SAME THING, but THEY are "VANITY FAIR," not a slutty sleazy checkout lane tabloid... paleeze!