A few years ago, few would have expected Disney Channel’s glitzy, girly child-star Hannah Montana to be dancing onstage at the VMAs sticking out her tongue (amongst other body parts) for the world to see?
Stripping down to perform is nothing new amongst artists; Madonna did it in years past, and Lady Gaga does it regularly in her performances. But something about seeing Hannah Montana twerking on Robin Thicke and using a foam finger in surprising, and vulgar, ways just seemed wrong.
Of course, most of Miley’s criticism comes from the fact that she was a Disney star and has been an idol for young girls over the last few years. Although this is clearly an issue, Miley is now 20 years old and is no longer affiliated with Disney. Sure, her most recent music videos for “We Can’t Stop” and “Wrecking Ball” were a little over-the-top; but if that’s how Miley wishes to express herself, then she can do whatever she wants, including stripping down to flesh-colored lingerie at the VMAs.
But, there’s a catch. To pull off dancing half-nude in front of the nation, one has to be tasteful and artistic, and Miley’s performance with Robin Thicke was neither tasteful nor artistic. Instead, it was crude, raunchy and degrading to women everywhere. Thicke’s song is based solely on the objectification of women and blurring the lines of consent. By allowing herself to be used as a sex prop, Miley chose to propagate rape culture and to feed into Thicke’s misogynistic stereotype.
But Miley isn’t the only Disney star whose behavior has been antifeminist. Selena Gomez, although wildly popular, has lyrics that are less than empowering. In her recent hit “Come and Get It,” Gomez sings about waiting for a guy who doesn’t reciprocate her feelings: “Sittin' right here, real patient all day, all night...addicted for life...” The message that Gomez sends to audiences is that it is perfectly acceptable to wait for a man who has no interest in or respect for you whatsoever. It’s okay for a man to “get it” whenever he wants because it’s an “open invitation.”
I would argue that one of the worst antifeminist artists is Taylor Swift. Although she might not be dancing around in her underwear for Robin Thicke, she is just as guilty of perpetuating another stereotype: the image of the passive role of the damsel, the princess longing for rescue. I’m not saying that heartache or longing isn’t natural, but there is a point when a girl just has to move on and realize that there’s more to the world than impressing a guy, falling in love or trying to be sexy.
So really, why is twerking considered any worse than telling a guy to “come and get it?” or spying on an ex? The messages are all the same.