Is the Annie Leibovitz Photo of Miley Cyrus Immoral?

[Sunstone]

Is this photo by Annie Leibovitz of 15 year old Miley Cyrus indecent or immoral? Why or why not? Should Miley Cyrus apologize for expressing her sexuality? Why or why not?

Moderator cut: image removed

 

[schnizzle]

I don't think Miley is expressing her sexuality. She's simply posing how Annie told her to pose. At least that's what I've read.

 

[blackout]

I think it's lovely.
Very tasteful and classic even.
(reminiscent of a classic oil portrait)
She should apologize for nothing.

Actually it is a very appropriate portrayal
of a 15 year old coming into her sexuality.
(ie... it is asthetically age appropriate)

 

[mrscardero]

Looks like art to me.

I guess they are making a big deal of it because of her age and what she has been seen through the eyes of her young fans.

Imagine if Dora the Explorer was drawn half nekkid and posted out there for children to see?

 

[schnizzle]

I think it sends a bad message or invitation for old men to lust after her. I'm surprised her parents allowed it.

To be sexual around other 15-16 years olds is fine. Why would you want your daughter to be sexual for the entire public to see? I don't get it.

 

[blackout]

I don't think Miley is expressing her sexuality. She's simply posing how Annie told her to pose. At least that's what I've read.

Well she was obviously COMFORTABLE enough with her "sexuality"
(her self, her body...)
to pose the way Annie suggested.

Annie didn't "tell" her how to pose.
They discussed it. And agreed on it.
Miley looks very relaxed.
If only the rest of christendom were half so relaxed...

 

[schnizzle]

Well she was obviously COMFORTABLE enough with her "sexuality"
(her self, her body...)
to pose the way Annie suggested.

Annie didn't "tell" her how to pose.
They discussed it. And agreed on it.
Miley looks very relaxed.
If only the rest of christendom were half so relaxed...

I guess my point is why would you want your daughter to be thought of in a sexual manner to millions when she's 15? She can't even drive a car yet.

 

[blackout]

I think it sends a bad message or invitation for old men to lust after her. I'm surprised her parents allowed it.

To be sexual around other 15-16 years olds is fine. Why would you want your daughter to be sexual for the entire public to see? I don't get it.

I'm sorry,
but that portrait HARDLY inspires lust. lol.
(and by hardly... I mean not at all...)

Just imagine all the pereverts that must frequent the classical art galeries!

 

[schnizzle]

I disagree. That picture while beautiful, will inspire lust in some. If it wasn't mean to be sexual she would have on overalls.

 

[blackout]

You know,
if she had shown up in a celeb. magazine
in your average candid beach shot
playing volleyball or something
(showing even more skin.. cleavage...a little butt cheek...)
wearing only your average skimpy bikini,
nobody would have said boo.

Yet how many old pervs could have gotten off on that as well?

I'm sorry. You can't live your life worrying about the mental cases.
We live in an artistically and sexually repressed society.
Where is the general appreciation for the beauty of the naked human form?

 

[schnizzle]

We're talking about a little 15 year old girl. I have no problem with nudity in any shape or form...EXCEPT when young girls are POSED in an obviously sexually undertoned way.

I'm simply wondering why her parents allowed this. It's one thing to take candid, spontaneous shot of girls on a beach but yet another to allow your daughter (your very underaged daughter) to be photographed in this manner. Do you see the difference?

 

[blackout]

We're talking about a little 15 year old girl. I have no problem with nudity in any shape or form...EXCEPT when young girls are POSED in an obviously sexually undertoned way.

I'm simply wondering why her parents allowed this. It's one thing to take candid, spontaneous shot of girls on a beach but yet another to allow your daughter (your very underaged daughter) to be photographed in this manner. Do you see the difference?

Nope.

I'd be just fine with my teenage daughter posing like this.
No qualms what-so-ever. As long as it was what she wanted to do.

 

[schnizzle]

Nope.

I'd be just fine with my teenage daughter posing like this.
No qualms what-so-ever. As long as it was what she wanted to do.

Well, I guess we'll have to just disagree. I'd never let my daughter pose for a photo like that at 15. It's too young. If she wanted to a few years later, no problem.

 

[schnizzle]

I had another thought on the subject and I think it clarifies how I feel more closely. If my daughter at 15 wanted a picture taken of herself, for herself like the photo in question, I would be all for it. It's the publication of my daughter's photo nationally that I'd disagree with.

 

[Sunstone]

Anyone want to tackle this?

 

[Willamena]

I don't think she expresses sexuality so much as dishevelment.

 

[doppelganger]

I think reading or hearing Miley Cyrus apologizing for being fully human is more harmful to kids than seeing pictures of her partially clothed or being "sexual". Methinks the busybodies are seeing their own repressed sexuality when they look at stuff like this. Not unlike the reaction to Spongebob and Shark Tale.

Besides, Leibovitz is a great photographer. . . and while this isn't her best work, it's still pretty damn good. Great art is a mirror . . . we see what we bring to it. If you see "dirty" or "immoral" when you look at a picture like this . . . well . . .

 

[Sunstone]

I had another thought on the subject and I think it clarifies how I feel more closely. If my daughter at 15 wanted a picture taken of herself, for herself like the photo in question, I would be all for it. It's the publication of my daughter's photo nationally that I'd disagree with.

I'm in agreement with this.

 

[rheff78]

She needs a tan.

 

[Alceste]

Nope, not immoral, not indecent. Any sexual undertones are purely in the eye of the beholder in this case. Even if they weren't, since when are 15 year old girls supposed to be asexual? Most western women spend their entire lives trying to preserve the outward appearance of sexuality they had as 15 year old girls.

I didn't know who she was, and have poked about to discover she's an actress and singer. Chances are this is only the tip of the iceberg as far as racy slash artistic photos of Miley Cyrus are concerned. Being thought of as sexually attractive is a big plus for adult actors. If her objective is to bust out of a feel-good Disney little girl type cast and be considered for more serious roles, I would even say this is a smart career move.