photograph by Susan Sontag
As soon as a scandal broke out, Miley Cyrus claimed that she had been "manipulated" by Annie Liebowitz, basically pulling the "I'm just a girl!" defense. Annie Liebowitz and Vanity Fair have been accused of immorality, but in truth, what Miley Cyrus does every day of her life on the Disney Channel is far more disturbing, and far more damaging to the self-esteem and well-being of young women.
The sexual dynamics on the Disney channel are scary. Dan Savage said recently that its the only thing on TV his son is not allowed to watch. There is a superficial, materialistic, judgmental sexuality beneath every move the Disney teens make, informing both girls and boys about acceptably gendered bodies and behavior. Honesty about sex is highly offensive in this arena, because in reality girls do have beauty, agency, and sexuality, and if they found out about it they would become less efficient as consumers.
Disney accused Vanity Fair of exploiting a young girl to sell magazines, but the Disney empire is being stitched together by young girls all over the world - some of them in the sweatshops where all the cheap products Miley Cyrus advertises for them are made, and some of them being baby-sat by the TV, learning the rules of engagement.
Its clear that Miley isn't the enemy here, that there are larger market forces at work. In fact, Disney probably pressured her to denounce Liebowitz. But when she played the victim, she denied her own agency as a girl, and we shouldn't make the same mistake.
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