Miley Cyrus' Rebellion: Teen Angst or Something More?

By Rebecca Macatee Posted Nov 14th 2010 03:00PM

What's up with Miley Cyrus? Parents everywhere seem to have some strong opinions on the matter, whether favorable or not.

It's pretty evident the Disney starlet is on the cusp of adulthood. Whether she's strutting around in her skivvies in music videos, painting the town red in barely-there hot pants, or nonchalantly sipping a beer with her pals, she's eager to show the world she's all grown up.

And, really, who can blame her? After spending most of her adolescence constrained by the shackles of Mickey Mouse, she's finally free to let loose with her new, bad girl self.

Miley turns eighteen later this month, a milestone birthday even for those of us whose childhoods weren't documented by Disney.

Like most child stars, Miley's entire career has been plagued with criticism. The goody-good southern sweetheart once publicly professed to be saving herself until marriage, but even that seemingly innocent proclamation drew some heat.

Then, remember that 2008 'Vanity Fair' photo shoot with Annie Leibowitz? Miley was soooo embarrassed about her the coy, slightly-risqué photos of her naked self wrapped in a sheet. She was quick to remind us she was a wholesome Christian girl, and her parents apologized and blamed the photographer for exploiting their young daughter.

And now, only two years later and still underage, sweet little Miley is pole dancing, kissing girls and rolling around provocatively in her bedroom. And to think, that's only what's been caught on tape!

The Parents Television Council was up in arms at Miley's video for, 'Who Owns My Heart?' And her mature, heated performance alongside Kevin Zegera in, 'The Big Bang' is garnering attention from critics, too.

But can you really blame a teenage girl for wanting to be seen as something other than Hannah Montana? Maybe she's trying a little too hard to move past that squeaky-clean image forced upon her for all these years. Or maybe there's some truth to the rumors that she's acting out in response to her parents' separation.

Miley Cyrus is no longer a fresh-faced little girl. And while I certainly hope she doesn't fall into the archetypical 'party girl' cliché, frequenting nightclubs and snorting cocaine, I don't think we should be reprimanding her for having a little teenage fun. What eighteen-year-old doesn't rebel on some level?

Parents are responsible for being role models to their children. Any mom who's looking to a teenage girl to set a moral standard for her own daughter isn't doing a very good job of parenting. We can hold the character of Hannah Montana to impossible standards, but the real-life Miley Cyrus needs to live, learn and make her mistakes just like the rest of us have.

I understand the dismay of parents seeing a girl, who they once put on a pedestal for their own children to look up to, drinking underage, grinding with boys, and wearing less-than-conservative clothing. But let's face it-- Hannah Montana's got to grow up sometime. And I assure you, most seventeen-year olds are behaving similarly to, or even worse than, Miley. Luckily for moms everywhere, their 'perfect' children's mistakes won't be caught on tape.

Tags: disney, hannah montana, miley cyrus

Comments

(48)

Sunday 14 November

By Mike

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It's all arrogance and PR related.

By LIuxingyu

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I love this , So does My boyfriend. i met him via — BlackwhiteCupid. C’ 0- M — a nice place for seeking interr acial love.which gives you a chance to make your life better and open opportunities for you to meet the attractive sin gles and treat you like a king or Queen. Maybe you wanna check it out or tell your friends.
@@@@@@ ;) ;)

Monday 15 November

By yngyyong

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Like most child stars, Miley's entire career has been plagued with criticism. The goody-good southern sweetheart once publicly professed to be saving herself until marriage, but even that seemingly innocent proclamation drew some heat.I love this , So does My boyfriend .he is almost 11year older than me .i met him via age'lessmate.c'om a nice place for seeking age le ss love.which gives you a chance to make your life better and open opportunities for you to meet the attractive young girls and treat you like a king. Maybe you wanna check it out or tell your friends..

By Ryan

I agree with you 100%. I'm sure she won't go down the same road as Lindsay or Britney. She shouldn't be reprimanded for just having some fun. She's just letting off some steam.

By Marie

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I also agree with Ryan, and the author..lets not forget when I was 18 the drink laws in Michigan was 18..and I too bad or what ever dress in shorts and short skirts and at the time I looked HOT and loved it..let her be 18..she deserves it, we all did...

By ontd

there is nothing wrong with girls kissing girls

and what the hell is this article? why are you making such a big deal about a teenager being a teenager. at least she's not a train wreck like demi

By Robert

Yet. :)

By Mallory

TRAINWRECK? Demi Lovato is getting help for MENTAL DISORDERS. Cutting and eating disorders are not fun, and I applaud her for getting the help she deserves. Until you have to deal with that kind of stuff, SHUT YOUR TRAP.
Lindsay Lohan is a trainwreck. Not Demi Lovato.

By dee

To kiss the same sex is sexually perverted behavior.

By jcw

you are sure ignorant

By susan

Kiss my kids, my sister, and girlfriends all the time. Are you uptight?

Only an immoral parent that acts like her couldn't reprimand their child. They are a disgrace.

By jlyn

This is too funny...c'mon people her real name is Destiny Hope...I'm not suprised in the least.

Britney, Christina, Lyndsay? Is that you?

By b

Spelled Lindsay wrong

By loveyouhotmiley

Her real name is MILEY. She had it legally changed with her parent's blessing. What's your point?

By Sean O'Flaherty

This isn't teen angst, it's marketing. It's not like she sneak out at night and goes on tour.

By Cutie

......she's moving along much too fast. Her parents should take some of that money and enroll her in a university somewhere. She needs to develop her inner self!!

By MAGOOS

A publicity stunt with a pop brat who suffered indifferent and exploitive parenting. She has little talent beyond doing Disney type kid stuff.

By cindy

You're absolutely right! And I've said it before, these unrealistic parents are ridiculous. I've raised to children who are now 21 and 18, both in college and relatively well-behaved. I'm also a college professor so I know a great deal about teenagers. While my children were growing up , the way most of the parents dealt with their children was sickening. They thought they were and would be perfect, but just like all teenagers, there is some rebellion. Let Miley alone! And even if you don't like her new image, it isn't her goal in life to be the role model to pre-teens. Nor does she obviously want that job. She is allowed to be who she wants to be. These parents are unbearable, and most of their kids will turn out to be worse than most. How could they not be with overbearing parents like these!

By Regina

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I hope you are not a professor of English.

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