“It’s not a nice thing to tell someone they should be ashamed of themselves,” Miley Cyrus told Jimmy Kimmel about being pressured to apologize for her photo-shoot with Vanity fair. She was referencing back to a shoot she did at only 15, when she was still the star of Disney’s Hannah Montana. The image in question is one with Cyrus looking into the camera with an exposed back. That’s it, the photo that caused so much controversy.
The singer recounted the photo session when she worked with renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz for the Vanity Fair feature. “There was nothing sexualized about this on set,” she continued, “It was everyone’s poisonous thoughts and minds that ended up turning this into something that wasn’t meant to be. So actually, I should not be ashamed, they should be.”
There was nothing wrong with the shoot except for the way it was interpreted by the public. Cyrus felt she had to apologize in order to keep the parents of her fans content, but this sent a message to all young girls that no matter what they did they would be over sexualized and forced to apologize for being themselves. Cyrus seemed to have realized that recently as she retracted her apology from years ago.
Her curt Twitter retort still stands: “IM NOT SORRY.” Followed by an expletive phrase. In a Tuesday night interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Cyrus took a swipe at everyone who points the finger of shame. “A lot of things have changed and I think the conversation has changed a lot. Sure, some people thought I did something wrong in their eyes. But I think it was really wrong of someone to put on top of someone that this is my shame and that I should be ashamed of myself,” she continued. “It’s not a nice thing to tell someone they should be ashamed of themselves.”
The retraction has been applauded by many but as always there are people who still shame the pop star for a choice she made years ago. Senior Audrey McCracken addressed the shoot and those who continue to be angry about it, “When I was little I always looked up to Miley just like I’m sure just about every girl in our grade did. Seeing her be free with her sexuality is a beautiful thing to me. The shoot was not provocative in any way and its disappointing to see everything over sexualized. But with Miley stepping up and asserting her stance, I hope there will be a change soon.”
