zomg Sinead O'Connor enough enough enough!

So... Miley Cyrus.
I didn't watch the MM Video Music Awards, but right away heard on the radio about her raunchy performance. I shrugged it off. There's a story like this every few years when a female teen performer comes of age. Janet Jackson, Britney, Debbie whatserface etc--they've all had to make this transition and chose to do it through very sexualized performances or videos. It's a phase and often leads into a successful adult career. (Guys do it too, we just don't get as shocked at seeing bare chests.)

So I couldn't believe it when the furor just went on and on, and oh noes she's nekkid in her new video. OMG who cares. And then Sinead O'Connor came out with this public letter to Miley which some people liked but I disliked it on three levels. Here's a taste in case you haven't read it:

Nothing but harm will come in the long run, from allowing yourself to be exploited, and it is absolutely NOT in ANY way an empowerment of yourself or any other young women, for you to send across the message that you are to be valued (even by you) more for your sexual appeal than your obvious talent. ...

Yes, I’m suggesting you don’t care for yourself. That has to change. You ought be protected as a precious young lady by anyone in your employ and anyone around you, including you. This is a dangerous world. We don’t encourage our daughters to walk around naked in it because it makes them prey for animals and less than animals, a distressing majority of whom work in the music industry and its associated media.

First let me say--she gives a lot of solid advice about the music industry, and that stuff would have made a strong editorial. But as an open letter?

1. I am of the third wave feminism (is that it?) school of thought--that just because a woman is shaking her booty in public, doesn't mean she isn't in control of herself and her career, doesn't mean she dislikes herself. We're supposed to be in the "live and let live" phase of feminism. Stay home and take care of kids, or wear tons of make-up and high heels, or get up on stage and beat off on a foam finger. None of those things NONE OF THEM mean you are not a feminist. You can't look at these actions and draw conclusions about how a person feels about themselves, or that they're being duped by The Man.

Plus... isn't there a bit of "don't wear sexy clothes cause men can't control themselves" subtext in this?

As a feminist I found parts of this letter offensive.

2. Did Sinead time travel here from the Victorian Era? Precious young lady? If someone wrote me a letter like this I'd be torn between laughter and vomitus and outrage. Now, Miley responded poorly by referencing Sinead's struggles with mental illness. I, myself, would have just emailed her a video of me scratching my face with my middle finger.

And Sinead has written FOUR MORE LETTERS since, demanding an apology, and accusing Miley of making people think Sinead is still in the middle of a break down. ...I think writing someone FIVE OPEN LETTERS says more about your mental state than the stupid comments of a 20 year old pop star. It's sad at this point.

3. It's bad strategy!! If you're given advice like this by someone who loves you, someone in your personal life who you know knows you and really loves you, then you might listen to it. But from anyone else? How many of us respond well to someone patting us on the head and telling us we don't know what we're doing? I hate that shit at 40, but can you imagine at 20? zomg. You can't talk to people like this.

Stop the madness.

Wrecking Ball mashed up with Mumford & Sons - really works!


Jolene