In 2013, a video on YouTube had many people, young people, talking. Former Disney Channel star, Miley Cyrus, shocked people everywhere when a video of her “Twerking in a Unicorn Costume” surfaced online. This shock is one of many in Miley’s current repertoire, but the phenomenon of twerking is one that has stuck with her. By twerking, Miley has condemned herself and the “art form” itself in the eyes of many parents. Not only has the child star been called out as a bad influence on America’s youth, but she has also taken twerking down with her and pushed the dance into a realm of moral looseness and self-objectification. The real problem here, however, isn’t twerking or Miley Cyrus. Instead, it is the fact that American society is obsessed with the objectification of women’s bodies and the subsequent destruction of girls’ self-esteem. America is ruining its own girls and the media portrayal of “scandals” like Miley Cyrus and her twerking are the scapegoats.

After Disney Channel, Miley Cyrus went through a period of change and self-location that many viewing her in the public eye would call a long list of mistakes. From her hairstyles to her skimpy clothing, right down to her twerking, which has become so prevalent within her videos and performances, it is an understatement to say that Ms. Cyrus has come a long way from her Hannah Montana days. The popularity of twerking certainly grew with Cyrus, but by no means did she invent it. In fact, the dance form existed long before Miley and her unicorn suit and it is considered a dance primarily for Black girls—girls with “booty,” as one commenter on Cyrus’ unicorn video put it.
If Cyrus received one major point of criticism, it would be this. Twerking is reliant on “the booty” and in general, booty is attributed to Black girls in comparison to White girls. Strike one, comparing the girls in our society. Black versus White. Who has more junk in the trunk? Who has the right to be twerking in public? It would seem that the answer to this last question is no one because when a girl does twerk, there are two likely outcomes. Either she is called a s*** and is insulted, usually by other girls, or she is drooled and fawned over by someone watching her shake her junk. Strike two. If a girl, one like Miley Cyrus or one like Beyonce, wants to twerk because she can and she enjoys it, should she stop because the people around her don’t approve? Is THAT what we should be telling our young girls—pay attention to what other people say and conform to the norms, dear, no twerking in public, don’t objectify yourself.

  Frankly, I think it’s ridiculous. Twerking doesn’t objectify women, societies objectify women. Society and its “norms” have made it impossible for women to dance anyhow and enjoy themselves because SOCIETY has made the female body a sex object. If she dresses a certain way or dances a certain way, those surrounding her immediately think she wants attention and we are supposed to find her trashy and prostitute-like because society tells us we should—that’s the norm. The girl in the miniskirt dropping it low on the dance floor deserves our glares and scoffs because according to The Rules of Society, she’s doing something wrong. Strike three, you’re out.
I’m not saying there’s not a limit. Of course, girls shouldn’t parade half-naked and shake their junk anywhere, anyhow, and for anyone. What I am saying is girls shouldn’t be taught to keep their bodies hidden because others will judge them. The female body isn’t an object to be looked upon and critiqued. It is a piece of art to be loved and celebrated starting with the artist—it belongs to the artist. With magazines, TV shows, the media, bullying, etc., there is already a lack of self-love amongst America’s girls. Is our telling them to fit a certain mold supposed to foster that love and self-respect? How can girls love themselves if they can’t even be themselves?

Miley Cyrus may not have booty, but she does have self-love and self-confidence. Society tells us she and her twerking are negatively influencing our girls, but this same society tells us our girls need to be told how to behave. Maybe it’s about time we take twerking lessons from Ms. Cyrus and start encouraging our girls to be themselves. Maybe it’s about time we stop hating and start loving…ourselves.