Why Do People Hate Miley Cyrus?
Miley Cyrus is a controversial pop culture figure who seems to attract strong opinions, both positive and negative. While she has many loyal fans, she also has vocal critics who dislike her music, her image, and her behavior. Here is an in-depth look at some of the main reasons why people hate Miley Cyrus.
Her Music and Image Transformation
One of the biggest sources of criticism against Miley stems from the drastic transformation of her music and image beginning in 2013. She rose to fame as a child star on the Disney show Hannah Montana, portraying a sweet, wholesome character. However, in her late teens and early 20s, Miley rebranded herself completely.
From Teen Pop to Sexually Provocative
Miley’s music went from catchy teen pop to a much more assertive, hyper-sexualized sound and lyrical content. Songs like “We Can’t Stop” and “Wrecking Ball” shocked and polarized listeners. Her look also changed dramatically, with Miley sporting barely-there outfits, twerking on stage, and engaging in other controversial antics during performances and music videos.
Perception She Betrayed Her Younger Fans
Many were upset that their once sweet child star was flaunting sexuality and nudity so brazenly. They felt she had betrayed her younger fans and their parents who had supported her career. Miley was no longer seen as an unproblematic role model for kids.
Criticism of Cultural Appropriation
There was also backlash regarding perceived cultural appropriation. Miley was accused of appropriating hip hop culture and objectifying African American women’s bodies through her dance moves and costumes. Her embrace of trap music and melodic rapping on songs like “23” also received criticism.
Her Outspoken Personality and Unfiltered Nature
Another reason why Miley Cyrus faces backlash is her outspoken personality and unfiltered nature during interviews.
Controversial Statements
She frequently makes bold, controversial statements about politics, sexuality, drug use and more. While some fans find her frankness refreshing, her unabashed candor also rubs many people the wrong way.
Perception She Tries Too Hard to Be Edgy
Detractors feel like she tries too hard to come across as progressive, edgy and outrageous. Her comments sometimes lack nuance and seem designed to provoke reactions rather than enlighten. As a result, Miley is often perceived as brash, reckless, or immature.
Pot-Smoking Imagery
Her unapologetic embrace of marijuana use, including photos of her smoking pot, alienates those who feel it glamorizes drug use. They see her as a bad influence, especially on younger fans.
Her Erratic Behavior and Controversies
Over the years, Miley has generated many tabloid headlines for her erratic behavior and controversies. These incidents reinforce her detractors’ most negative perceptions.
2013 VMA Performance
Her infamous twerking against Robin Thicke at the 2013 VMAs crystallized the hatred many felt toward her hypersexualized turn. Parents were infuriated that their children had witnessed her lewd act.
2015 Hosting Controversies
When she hosted the 2015 VMAs, Miley made inappropriate jokes, used profanity, and called out Nicki Minaj in ways some deemed racist. She also hosted the 2015 amfAR gala in an extremely skimpy outfit and made several crass jokes onstage.
2018 Wildfire Comments
In 2018, Miley attracted criticism for an Instagram post where she disparaged those who criticized her for losing her Malibu home to wildfires rather than focusing on climate change. Many found her remarks insensitive.
2019 Caelery Juice Cleanse
Miley’s 2019 social media enthusiasm for celery juice cleanses was mocked as pseudoscience and symptomatic of privilege. Critics painted her as out of touch and preaching unhealthy fads.
2020 Partying During Pandemic
During 2020’s pandemic, Miley was slammed for her social media posts about attending large parties with groups of friends, flouting public health guidelines. She was branded reckless and selfish.
Her Romantic Relationships
The tumultuous romantic relationships Miley has had in the public eye also fuel some of the dislike toward her.
Perception She Moved on Too Quickly From Liam Hemsworth
Miley had an on-again, off-again relationship with actor Liam Hemsworth for nearly 10 years before they married in 2018. However, they split in 2019, and soon after, Miley had public romances with Kaitlynn Carter and Cody Simpson. Many condemned her for disrespecting her marriage so quickly.
Messy Love Triangle with Cody Simpson and Kaitlynn Carter
The messy love triangle between Miley, Cody, and Kaitlynn, with accusations of cheating and shade-throwing, created an image of chaos that did not sit well with some audiences.
Nick Jonas Relationship As a Minor
Her past relationship with Nick Jonas when he was in his late teens and she was only 15 also creeps some people out, seeing it as borderline predatory given their age difference during the height of her Disney fame.
Her Privilege and Lack of Self-Awareness
Some critics also feel Miley demonstrates a lack of self-awareness and flaunts her privilege through her words and actions.
Born Into Fame and Fortune
Being the daughter of famous country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, they argue she was born into fame and fortune. She takes her celebrity platform for granted at times when she makes controversial statements.
Lavish Lifestyle
Flashing her wealth through mansion tours, luxury vacations, and designer fashion rubs people the wrong way. Her glamorous, jet-setting lifestyle seems out of touch with ordinary people’s realities.
Social Justice Platitudes Without Personal Sacrifice
When Miley champions social justice movements like Black Lives Matter, to some it rings hollow – they feel she adopts these stances to get attention and praise without sacrificing her own privilege or lifestyle.
Concerns About Past Sexualization as a Minor
Some of the hatred toward Miley also relates to lingering concerns about her sexualization as a minor when starring on Disney Channel.
“Vanity Fair” Photoshoot at 15
A 2008 photoshoot she did with Annie Leibowitz for Vanity Fair where she posed semi-nude with just a sheet wrapped around her stirred controversy as child exploitation.
Hypersexualized Nickelodeon and Disney Roles
Throughout her teenage years starring in Hannah Montana, Miley took on more mature, sexualized roles in projects like The Last Song. Many parents felt uncomfortable with her peddling sexuality to minors.
Countdown Clock to Turning 18
The internet’s “countdown clock” to Miley turning 18 and thus becoming “legal” spoke to the culture’s troubling sexualization of her as an underage star. The damage of her early sexualization by Hollywood fuels ongoing criticism.
Fan Backlash from Her Country Roots
Finally, another segment of haters comes from the country music world. Nashville fans who loved Miley’s early country-pop feel she turned her back on the genre.
Started as a Country-Pop Star
Early in her career, Miley found success in country music with hits like “The Climb” and “Party in the U.S.A.” She won awards from country associations and was embraced by the community.
Abandoned Country Roots
However, her pivot to edgy pop and hip hop sounds led country fans to accuse her of abandoning her roots and chasing pop stardom. They saw her shift as inauthentic and resented her shunning the genre.
Perception She Is Ashamed of Being “Country”
Some country fans take it as a personal slight, feeling she is now ashamed of her country background. They allege she is trying to erase it.
Banning Her Music
As a result, many country radio stations refuse to play Miley’s music anymore. The country world largely rejects her as a turncoat who manipulated the genre to get famous before leaving it behind.
Conclusion
In the end, Miley Cyrus provokes such intense reactions because she embodies many fault lines in culture – around sexuality, youth, gender, race, class, authenticity and more. Her unfiltered persona attracts love from fans but also deep distrust from mainstream society. As Miley continues maturing personally and creatively, it will be interesting to see if public perception similarly evolves or if she remains a lightning rod for controversy. Regardless, she has cemented her place as a defining pop culture figure of her generation.
Frequently Asked Questions about Why People Hate Miley Cyrus
Who is Miley Cyrus?
Miley Cyrus is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who rose to fame as a child star on the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana. She has courted controversy over the years for the drastic sexualization of her music and image as she matured from her teen idol years.
What are some of the main reasons people dislike her?
- Her transformation from wholesome child star to hypersexualized adult performer
- Her brash, outspoken public persona and unfiltered statements
- Her erratic behavior and involvement in various controversies
- Her turbulent romantic relationships
- Perceptions she is spoiled, privileged and lacks self-awareness
- Concerns over her early sexualization as a Disney star
- Perceptions she abandoned her country music roots
How did Miley change when transitioning from Disney star to adult performer?
As a Disney star, Miley had a squeaky clean, innocent image. But in her late teens, she rebranded herself completely with sexually provocative music, videos, outfits and stage performances. This drastic shift upset many parents.
What incident especially made people hate her music and image?
Miley’s heavily criticized twerking performance against Robin Thicke at the 2013 VMAs crystallized the hatred many felt toward her hypersexualized turn. They felt she had betrayed her younger fans.
How has Miley demonstrated privilege and lack of awareness?
Critics accuse Miley of taking her celebrity platform for granted and flashing her wealth through lavish vacations and mansions. They feel her social justice stances ring hollow without personal sacrifice of her privilege.
What concerns exist over her early sexualization as a young star?
As a minor, Miley took on sexualized roles in projects like The Last Song that made many parents uncomfortable. A 2008 semi-nude Vanity Fair shoot also sparked backlash when she was 15.
Why do some country music fans dislike her?
Miley found early success in country music but abandoned the genre for pop and hip hop. Country fans see this as inauthentic and resent her turning her back on her Nashville roots after using them to get famous.
