Miley Cyrus’s changing: the representation of “good girl” or “bad girl”?

Long hair, sweet smile, plain voice, motivational country girl, these are most of the impressions of Miley Cyrus, who initially left these impressions upon the audience through her first Disney movie, Hannah Montana, in 2006. However, the longhaired country legend’s Disney Princess image has been a controversial topic after her twerk foam finger fest at the MTV awards, singing we can’t stop. It looks as if Miley’s exaggerated behavior shocked every one who followed the former Disney darling go from squeaky-clean star to scandalous songbird. Everyone generates one question: What happened to Miley Cyrus?

Not only in America, but also globally, Miley Cyrus is known by lots of people such as Chinese. I knew her also because of the Disney movie, Hannah Montana. As we know, Disney usually gives the audience an ideology that the girl must be the image of a “princess”. The “princesses” usually have long hair and very kind hearts. They usually meet challenges at the beginning of the story and finally overcome these dilemmas by their brave hearts. Their personalities are clean and just, communicating to audiences they should be shaped by these movie values as natural: girls should have “good girl” personalities as the Disney movie showed. Besides, the songs of Hannah Montana helped Miley Cyrus to show her talent in music and be popular. The lyrics of the songs are filled up with inspirational strength, such as the climb’s lyrics: “Every move I make’ Feels lost with no direction’ my faith is shakin’ but I, I gotta keep tryin’ Gotta keep my head held high”. Another song, butterfly fly away, was sung by Miley and her famous country music singer father-Billy Ray Cyrus. It is touching the audience since the warm and sweet relationship between Miley and her father is reviewed. The entire movie showed to the audience a way to represent Miley as an image of a “good girl”.

However, everyone has been shocked since one day she's sexualizing herself without actually being sexy, putting her hair up in double buns like a baby devil's stubby horns and sticking her tongue out like the cartoon character, Calvin, making faces at his stuffed tiger in her new MTV video, we can’t stop. There has been lots of controversial commentary on Miley Cyrus, but everyone seems more or less to agree with one thing: Miley’s changing was not very good. She has gone from “good girl” to “bad”. However, has Miley really turned to “bad”?

Personally, Miley Cyrus is a talented young adult with a powerful voice. She is an artist who knows exactly who she wants to be. Her changing shapes her own image against traditional white feminism. She isn’t Hannah Montana anymore. She is being judged. She grew up.

During Miley Cyrus’ early appearance on the Ellen Show, she talked about her experiences from her Disney movie, Hannah Montana. She clearly knew that everyone changes dramatically when they grow up, but the most important thing is how people get to know themselves. She didn’t want to tell people who she was before she went into the industries when her first record was made at 12 years of age. The hardest thing is that people are not strong when they are young to be the person who they are supposed to be. On the Ellen Show, Miley said that just growing up in the business, she got to know herself better and better and she is still getting to know herself. On Miley’s 2012 Ellen’s show appearance, she changed her hairstyle and wore a mature red dress with cool rivets. She is not the longhaired Disney princess star anymore, but a rock star and sexy woman as herself.

In Miley’s MTV, we can’t stop, she broke her image of a “good girl”, even of traditional white feminism.  She dressed in white hot pants and did the sexy behavior on the TV screen. She had her cool short haircut and “twerk” with black people. She even did the “tongue” thing when she twerked. One of the reasons that people did not like Miley’s change is the twerk.  Twerk is a kind of African dance. It seems to be a stereotype of African American’s dance. From the New York Post said, “I used to think twerking was cool, but now that white people are doing it, it seems so lame, especially for women”(nypost.com). The opinion can be seen as an ideology: people are surround by women who have been raised in a white culture. As white women, they seem weird that do another racial dance. “Women have been the biggest dupes of feminism. They have been manipulated, exploited and used as pawns thanks to the feminist ideology, which is pervading our society today”(avoiceformen.com). Moreover, Miley leads a kind of post-feminism. She chooses more liberate ways that can be a television fantasy. She chooses to be sexual objects not because of particular pressure to be attractive or beautiful. As Miley’s father said: “She's an artist. She's real. I think that what's happened over the years, Miley has been reinventing her sound. She's evolving as an artist herself. I think that all of what everyone is calling controversy now, that's still my Miley” (nydailynews.com). Miley Cyrus is brave and smart girl. She still tries to find herself on TV screen rather than plays the role of Hannah Montana. She has come out of the shadow of “Hannah Montana”. In we can’t stop’s lyrics, “ It’s our party we can do what we want”, which sounds like a catchword that Miley trying to tell the world. She truly cares about herself. She truly cares about her music. She more likes using music to express her love. For example, in the video, there are some gay or lesbian images that showing Miley supports gay marriage. As the lyrics expresses, “Shaking it like we at a strip club. Remember only God can judge us. Forget the haters cause somebody love ya”. Miley tries to use the music and fantastic way to express her love to the world. On the Ellen Show, Miley illustrates her thinking as a Christian that if god wants everyone be loved why we can’t support the homosexual love. Thus, can we judge Miley as a representation of “bad girl” following these facts?

All in all, People are hard to judge Miley Cyrus as a “good girl” or “bad girl” representation.  The audience can’t judge Miley Cyrus only since her shows on TV screen. The movie, Hannah Montana, is the ideology of Disney channel, which can’t stand for the real Miley. The most important thing is that Miley is a musician. She is the artist. Her changing expresses that she knows what is she really want to be and uses her talent to show her love to the audience.   

Work Cited 
   Rachel, M. (September 20, 2013). Billy Ray Cyrus opens up about Miley Cyrus’ recent antics: 'That's still my Miley' nydailynews.com. Retrieved from http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/billy-ray-cyrus-miley-cyrus-miley-article-1.1462423
Dan, G. (October 6, 2013). Miley Cyrus "murdered' Hannah Montana on SNL. nypost, com. Retrieved from http://nypost.com/2013/10/06/miley-cyrus-pokes-fun-at-herself-on-snl/
Rod, V.M. (January 18, 2013).Traditional women and their white knights. Avoiceformen.com. Retrieved from http://www.avoiceformen.com/men/mens-issues/traditional-women-and-their-white-knights/
The Ellen Show. (October 12, 2010). Miley Cyrus' On-Screen Romance Heats Up! Youtube.com. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ESLipLJBIo
 Thela, Z. (October 12, 2013). Miley Cyrus on The Ellen Show- Full Interview. Youtube.com. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcPUFZlnTOc