Miley Cyrus Photo in Vanity Fair: A Small Town Dad's Opinion

The Miley Cyrus photo in Vanity Fair, the article that goes with it, and reactions to the picture, seem to like a Rorschach test - Different people see it as something different.

I've seen the photo, on Vanity Fair's website ("Miley Knows Best" page 2 Vanity Fair (June, 2008)) . It is beautiful. No surprise, since Annie Leibovitz had a very attractive model: one who, if my memories of anthropology classes are correct, is at a prime age for marriage in some cultures: 15.

After seeing the photo, and reading part of the article, my wife observed that Miley Cyrus is "hot," and that "her daddy needs a reality check." She's right. On both counts.

I appreciate the fact that Miley Cyrus is a very hot, sexy, young woman. I also understand that women in their early teens can be quite attractive to men. And, that this can lead to consequences, when good sense isn't followed. Examples of what can happen are in the news today: "Under guard, polygamist teen has a baby boy" (CNN (April 29, 2008))

Miley Cyrus isn't experiencing the sort of misuse that was "allegedly" inflicted on girls from around age 13 up by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a renegade Mormon sect) down in Texas.

However, I think that displaying her sexuality, no matter how 'tastefully' it was done, this way is inappropriate.

I also think that the photographer may have no clue as to what's going on. A 'Eureka moment' came when I learned that the photographer is a woman.

Although I acknowledge that the idea is not universally accepted, women are not men.

Men, in general, are very visually oriented when it comes to the other half of humanity. We can get very excited, very fast, looking at patterns of ink on wood pulp. I've been told that, again in general, women don't work quite the same way.

To the best of my knowledge, the gifted professional photographer who took this photo has not experienced what a man feels, when he sees a semi-naked woman - or a picture of one. For that reason, I think it's likely that she really doesn't understand why so many people have taken exception to her 'classic' photo.

Miley Cyrus' father, however, almost certainly has. And so have I.

My wife and I have three surviving daughters. One of them is around Miley Cyrus' age, the others are older. None of us are celebrities, and don't have to deal with the sort of decisions that the Cyrus family have to. However, I doubt that I would authorize a photo shoot like this, or having done so, leave one of my children in the hands of a proxy.

I'm not sophisticated enough to ignore human sexuality, or its power for wonder or terror.

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Miley Cirus photo flap in the news:

• "Photographer defends Miley Cyrus photo"
  CNN (April 28, 2008)
  " 'I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted,' the celebrity photographer said in a written statement. 'Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together and we discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful.' "
• "Leibovitz apologizes for Cyrus' 'Vanity Fair' spread"
  USA Today (April 28, 2008)
  " 'I'm sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted,' the celebrity photographer said in a statement Monday. 'Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together and we discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful.' "
• "THE NUDIE BLUES / DAD 'MORTIFIED' BY MILEY PHOTO" New York Post (April 29, 2008)
  "Billy Ray Cyrus suffered an achy breaky heart when he saw the seminude shots of his superstar daughter, Miley - a k a "Hannah Montana" - that were taken after he left the Vanity Fair shoot."
  "Cyrus had been present for most of famed photographer Annie Leibovitz's session, but ducked out before the final, racier pictures of his 15-year-old daughter, partially naked and covered by a sheet, were taken.
  " 'Miley's parents did leave the shoot and were not present for the final shot, nor did they see any digital images of the shot in question,' a Miley spokeswoman told The Post yesterday.
  "Her grandmother and her teacher were left to supervise, according to People magazine. "

Finally, a sort of slide show of the photo shoot: probably a better indication of what was going on than most commentary.

• "Behind the Scenes / Tween Angel"
  Vanity Fair (June, 2008)