Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: annoyed
  • Music: Miley Cyrus, "Jolene."

In which Seanan actually sort of defends Miley Cyrus.

So the VMAs (Video Music Awards) happened last night, and Miley Cyrus did a thing. It was...well, it was not a good thing. She's making creative choices that I don't necessarily agree with or understand, and I sort of wish she'd put her tongue back into her mouth. But these are not my choices to make, and since the state of her career doesn't really impact me in any rational way, I will do my best not to criticize her beyond "I really liked it better when you were doing awesome country music, Miley, and I hope you'll get back to that, because I'd love an album with you and your godmother singing together."

As part of the thing that Miley did, however, she wound up grinding her backside (and, due to her position at the time, her genital region) against Robin Thicke's groin while wearing spanky pants made of what looked like flesh-colored vinyl. No one missed a beat when she did this, including Robin Thicke, so I have to assume that it was rehearsed, and was part of the plan for the performance. Again, still not a good thing, but she didn't start throwing in the over-the-top sexual stuff on a whim: MTV approved this. Her backup dancers learned this. Robin Thicke voluntarily did this.

I have now heard three separate people say something along the lines of "Robin Thicke's wife should slap the shit out of her," and "she should be ashamed." What I'm not seeing, though, are people saying the equivalent things about him. It appears that, to many people, Robin Thicke just materialized on stage as an innocent bystander, where Miley Cyrus proceeded to grind on him, and he didn't push her away because he's a gentleman.

I...wait.

I know this is a weird example to use, but bear with me here: this is actually a really good demonstration of how we tend to treat female "characters" in both real life (celebrities, pop stars, people whose lives are turned into narratives by the media) and fiction. Belle stole Brina's boyfriend! Sharon is a skank! Cassandra is a coward! It's always the women who are to blame, and the men around them are blameless. It's not "Brian left Brina for Belle." It's not "Sharon had consensual sex with Steve." It's not "Connor threatened Cassandra's life and family, so she withdrew." We place the full onus for anything we don't like on the female participants, leaving nothing for their counterparts. And it's just not fair.

Miley Cyrus did a thing. Very few people seem to have liked the thing, and that's on her: she should know her audience better than that. But Robin Thicke did not accidentally wander into the performance. If there's blame to give here, it needs to go both ways.

We need to drop the double standard.
Tags: cranky blonde is cranky
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  • 119 comments

fengi

August 26 2013, 20:26:12 UTC 3 years ago

Britney was 22, about 6 months older, when she kissed a 45 year old Madonna at the VMAs. So those who scold about that aspect are missing the point. 21 year olds can do sexual provocation and "edgey" work with great mastery and elan. The problem is Miley was trying to top Britney - and said as much - and is not very good at it. Burlesque done badly and desperately just makes everyone uncomfortable.

I was distracted by how Robin Thicke looked like he was wearing Beetlejuice's suit. What did bother me was her approach to black people as props. I'm not a big fan of Stefani's Harajuku Girls either, and this reheated that concept with an extra dollop of country/southern discord.


dragonsong

August 26 2013, 20:31:01 UTC 3 years ago Edited:  August 26 2013, 20:31:47 UTC

I saw a photoshopped version that put Beetlejuice in Thicke's place, and I may have nightmares. They also put Lydia in the audience, which was hilarious.

ETA - aaaaand if I'd clicked your link. Oh well. :P

seanan_mcguire

October 6 2013, 18:44:35 UTC 3 years ago

I was definitely bothered by the use of black people as props, and I think that was/is a valid critique. It was the slut shaming that distracted from that conversation, at least for me.