Fat? We live in such a technological firestorm that anytime a celebrity is photographed nearly instantaneous commentary arises on anything from the hairstyle they’ve chosen, their wardrobe, and even their physical features, via any number of sources. Within moments it’s mentioned on a blog, on Twitter, on Facebook, via text message and possibly with corresponding video. It’s now as easy as hitting “submit” to glimpse someone’s image and make a judgment all in seconds.
Well, one millennial used that very technology to fight back…and good for her.
Eighteen year-old Miley Cyrus is no stranger to video and film, or controversy. She’s made headlines before for daring and/or racy photographs. It’s sort of the young popstar evolution. They start out as these “innocent” gals and guys, and then all of a sudden there’s sexy! A bared midriff! A skirt above the knee! And mostly the media eats it up. Sometimes it can be controversial, like the picture Cyrus took with her father, or the ones she took with choreographer and producer extraordinaire, Adam Shankman when promoting her film The Last Song. But there are times when photos are just photos of a young woman going through the physical changes that may occur post-puberty. Sure, her weight may be a bit up and down, but that’s hardly uncommon.
A paparazzo got a picture of Cyrus recently that lit up the interwebz, causing critics to claim that she’s lost control of her body. There were jokes and a YouTube video (I won’t link to it) with the title “Miley Cyrus is 213 Pounds.” Here’s the photo that started the online drama.
Using the approach her critics used, Miley took to Twitter to fire back. She posted a picture of an emaciated woman alongside a Tweet to her more than three million followers. She wrote:
“By calling girls like me fat, this is what you’re doing to other people.” She added, “I love MYSELF & I don’t wanna be shaped like a girl I LOVE being shaped like a WOMAN & trust me ladies your man won’t mind either.”
She makes a great point. An absolutely fabulous point. The obsession with being skinny has plagued many, and caused irreparable damage and even death. There is no reason why Miley Cyrus should feel compelled to aspire to a certain weight just because she’s in the public eye. She quickly followed up her initial tweet with this one of Marilyn Monroe.
Sure, Hollywood and the music industry wants to proliferate the notion that “all are accepted” and that at the root of it all it’s based on talent, but we know the truth. Still, that shouldn’t stop people, even Miley Cyrus, from speaking out about things that are just utterly ridiculous like the sentiment that a young woman should starve herself if she wants to make it. It should always be about being healthy and happy in your own skin. It’s a great thing that someone as young as Miss Cyrus gets that.
Rock on, Miley.
