Singer Sinead O’Connor is being praised in recent media reports for condemning the poor behaviour of pop star Miley Cyrus in an open letter. Admittedly, Cyrus’ behaviour should be criticized and there are plenty of articles detailing this issue.
But what no one seems to be addressing is the problems with O’Connor’s open letter. Her use of language disparages marginalized women and is a form of victim blaming.
An important part in many feminist discourses is prostitution. Like many social roles, multiple social forces affect the people within the social space of prostitution: choice, addiction, economic barriers, race, ethnicity, as well as the powerful forces of global human trafficking.
O’Connor uses the analogue of pimp and prostitute to suggest that Cyrus has been duped into demeaning herself. “You don’t need to let the music business make a prostitute of you,” she said.
Prostitutes are living human beings, and whether or not they have chosen that label or that path in life does not change the fact that they occupy an invisible, vulnerable, and dangerous position in Western society, and that they are often treated with disdain and malevolence.
We can critique people and their behaviours without jeopardizing the identity, chosen or not, of others. It’s contradictory to tell someone to value women while devaluing other women who are disproportionately affected by prostitution.
Sorry – but in no way was Sinead jeopardizing or demeaning anyone – you make an assertion of her being disparaging to prostitutes, she is simply disparaging the act of prostitution. Being a prostitute is demeaning. . .she does NOT imply that a prostitute is to be mocked. Sineads tone was malevolent only towards music industry ‘pimps’ Are you honestly implying THEY are vulnerable members of society? If anyone is to be upbraided it should be Miley Cyrus for her CLEARLY malevolent and demeaning comments aimed at someones mental illness,the mentally ill happen to be the most vulnerable and maligned people in society but hey, lets just focus criticism on a well-meaning woman who suffered a temporary mental illness and DARED to raise awareness of the prostitution of talented women by the music industry and media. Sigh . . .