Miley Cyrus and her VMA Performance – Who is to Blame?
Written by Megan Walker
I’m a self-admitted television cruiser.
I don’t stay on any station long before boredom sets in and I have to start clicking away to another station.
Last Sunday night was no different. I found myself on and off MTV a few times. It happened to be during Miley Cyrus’ performance and a few minutes into Justin Timberlake’s.
I know both and not because I’m a fan of either. I’m more inclined to enjoy Bob Seger, Annie Lennox or The Cranberries. However, my youngest daughter was a Hannah Montana fan and my two older daughters used to sing and dance to NSYNC. I have also watched Timberlake in a movie or two. I don’t recall the names of the movies. Perhaps, his abilities didn’t impress me.
As I watched Cyrus and Timberlake at the VMA’s, I was struck by the differences in the performances. Cyrus, a 20-year-old woman put on a performance that was sexualized.
Timberlake, a 32-year-old man put on a performance that was almost entirely talent based.
Cyrus performed as expected.
Women are expected by men and our pornified society to overtly exude sex, really being no better than sex objects. Women are taught that our value and worth comes from the attention we receive from men. Women are expected to please men at our own expense.
Robin Thicke was Cyrus’ stage partner. He was singing the controversial Blurred Lines, a song many feminists – and non-feminists both male and female – believe glorifies rape and sexual assault.
Thicke’s response to the criticism? “What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman.”
Thicke is a 37 year-old married man with a child who rehearsed with Cyrus and promoted her sexualized performance. His role in the VMA performance was to stand on stage and do nothing more than enjoy the titillating public strip tease and lap dance performed by a much younger woman fulfilling much of society’s expectations of her. Where is the public condemnation for him?
Finally, let’s talk about Timberlake. Is he more talented than Cyrus? Perhaps! He can certainly dance. I would argue his singing leaves much to be desired however and his lyrics are more misogynistic than Cyrus’ dance moves.
Timberlake, like Thicke, however, is glorified while Cyrus is vilified.
There is the ultimate in a double standard.
Society expects women to dress and behave like the porn stars men and boys see on television, the internet and in magazines. However, once they behave that way, we are quick to label them as sluts.
It’s time to hold men and society accountable.
Cyrus did nothing wrong but satisfy the expectations that were placed on her.
Megan Walker is the Executive Director of the London Abused Women’s Centre
