Miley Cyrus has always been known as the good little girl who is well known for her pop music, until recently when she posed for the cover of Vanity Fair half naked, which aroused questions of Miley's true intentions. Even more updated though, pictures of Miley and her friends making "Asian eyes" have been leaked on to the Internet arousing questions such as "was she simply making a goofy face, or should she be held accountable for 'mocking and denigerating individuals of Asian decent'?"
While I believe that Miley and her friends had just gotten caught up in the moment of a photo op, I also understand how this picture could be taken as offensive and racy. She is old enough to know that mocking the way someone looks or even mocking a culture is completely unacceptable, which makes her compeltely liable for her actions in this photo.
People failed to realize this concept though and bcause she has, up to recent events, had a reputation of being quite the good girl, people started sticking up for her saying that she was just having a fun moment. Which leads me to my next point, if it isn't proof enough that she is actually making fun of Asians take a look at the guy in the background of the picture who is making the classic "V symbol" or peace sign, which is also very stereotypically known to be related to Asians. Also, note how the guy of Asian decent in the picture isn't joining in on the pose. At this point it should be clear that Miley and her friends were indeed making fun of the appearance of Asians, thus contributing to the stereotypes.
Many of her fans are also young girls who are easily influenced by their favourite stars, and when pictures of Miley are released like these ones, she is setting a horrible example for these girls to follow. An Asian advocacy group even stated that, "The photograph of Miley Cyrus and other individuals slanting their eyes currently circulating the Internet is offensive to the Asian Pacific American community and sets a terrible example for her many young fans. The image falls within a long and unfortunate history of people mocking and denigerating individuals of Asian decent." This proves that many people took the picture to heart and that the picture should in fact be declared racy and unacceptable on Cyrus' behalf. The other factor that was never quite mentioned is that in the photo there are glasses full of what appear to be alcohol and she is sitting on some guy's lap. Things like this are quite common, but she is only 15 and it continues to influence kids in quite the wrong way. They believe that because Miley is doing it, they can too, which will only get them in trouble in the future, as Miley is now.
The Asian advocacy group went on to say that all they hope is that Miley apologizes for her rude behaviour, and turns out she has. On her personal web blog she wrote, : "
I’ve also been told there are some people upset about some pictures taken of me with friends making goofy faces! Well, I’m sorry if those people looked at those pics and took them wrong and out of context!
In NO way was I making fun of any ethnicity! I was simply making a goofy face. When did that become newsworthy? It seems someone is trying to make something out of nothing to me. If that would of been anyone else, it would of been overlooked! I definitely feel like the press is trying to make me out as the new ‘BAD GIRL’!
I feel like now that Britney is back on top of her game again, they need someone to pick on! Lucky me! haha Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know what is on my heart. You guys know me and have been by my side every step of the way! You guys know my heart and know the most important things to me are my friends, family, fans, and GOD! In NO WAY do I want to disappoint any of you! But, when I have made mistakes in the past, I feel like I’ve owned up to them and apologized." [1]
In NO way was I making fun of any ethnicity! I was simply making a goofy face. When did that become newsworthy? It seems someone is trying to make something out of nothing to me. If that would of been anyone else, it would of been overlooked! I definitely feel like the press is trying to make me out as the new ‘BAD GIRL’!
I feel like now that Britney is back on top of her game again, they need someone to pick on! Lucky me! haha Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know what is on my heart. You guys know me and have been by my side every step of the way! You guys know my heart and know the most important things to me are my friends, family, fans, and GOD! In NO WAY do I want to disappoint any of you! But, when I have made mistakes in the past, I feel like I’ve owned up to them and apologized." [1]
Even in her apology she stated that she was just making a "goofy face", but doesn't that make it seem as though she is relating the way Asian's eyes slant to being goofy? I dont know about you, but I was raised where it was never okay to mock the way someone else looks, dresses or talks, but it appears these lessons weren't quite clear to Miley.
But she got her consequences and is now banned from China, meaning not only is she no longer allowed in the country, but the government is also banning the broadcast of any of her TV shows, films, and merchandise sales.[2] For now, the ban is apparently indefinite. Looks like Disney won't be too happy.
All in all though, at least she is apologizing and hopefully after this Miley Cyrus has learned her lesson to be more careful with what she does and learns that there is a difference between having fun and being racist.
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