eligious groups, Disney and even Miley Cyrus herself are reacting with outrage over seminude photos of her that appear in the June issue of Vanity Fair.
They say the sexy shots of the 15-year-old "Hannah Montana" star are damaging to both Cyrus and her elementary-school fans.
But parents shouldn't rush to block the Disney Channel or confiscate kids' "Hannah Montana" dolls. Just because the starlet showed some skin doesn't mean she'll be the next Jamie-Lynn Spears, pregnant at 16.
The Vanity Fair photos, shot by portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz, shouldn't come as a shock. Racier images of Cyrus posted to her MySpace page surfaced last week, including one of her pulling her tank top down to expose a green bra.
"Actually, the more casual look of the photos, like her MySpace [pictures], the more dangerous," says Michele Borba, a psychologist who specializes in child development. "The kid might rationalize for the Vanity Fair pictures, 'Oh, she is getting paid for it, it's her job.' But her doing it on her own - it's not a professional decision."
The Vanity Fair shots also don't come as a surprise to Susie Vanderlip, who wrote "52 Ways to Protect Your Teen - Guiding Teens to Good Choices and Success."
"I saw her on 'American Idol' a few weeks ago, and even at that time I realized that she had a very young preteen audience and she presented a very sensual, sexual appearance," Vanderlip points out.
The controversial image shows Cyrus baring her back for Leibovitz's lens while holding a blanket against her chest.
The teen said in a statement that the shoot was supposed to be "artistic," but that she now feels "so embarrassed" since seeing the photos and reading the Vanity Fair story.
"I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans, who I care so deeply about," she added.
Vanity Fair editors called the photos "beautiful and natural" and pointed out that Cyrus' parents were on the set every day of the shoot.
A Disney spokesman claims Vanity Fair "deliberately manipulate[d]" the 15-year-old to sell more magazines.
Disney's Web site says "Hannah Montana's" target audience is girls between ages 6 and 14. It's the highest-rated cable show for girls in that age range.
"It looks like [Cyrus] is seeking to have an older group of fans," suggests Jean Cirillo, a psychologist who specializes in teen self-esteem, who also points out that "Vanity Fair is not for 6- to 12-year-olds."
While moms and dads of "Hannah" fans don't necessarily need to blacklist Cyrus in their homes, they should be prepared to address the photos if their kids see them.
Sexy Miley Cyrus pics don't necessarily reveal a hot problem
eligious groups, Disney and even Miley Cyrus herself are reacting with outrage over seminude photos of her that appear in the June issue of Vanity Fair.
They say the sexy shots of the 15-year-old "Hannah Montana" star are damaging to both Cyrus and her elementary-school fans.
But parents shouldn't rush to block the Disney Channel or confiscate kids' "Hannah Montana" dolls. Just because the starlet showed some skin doesn't mean she'll be the next Jamie-Lynn Spears, pregnant at 16.
The Vanity Fair photos, shot by portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz, shouldn't come as a shock. Racier images of Cyrus posted to her MySpace page surfaced last week, including one of her pulling her tank top down to expose a green bra.
"Actually, the more casual look of the photos, like her MySpace [pictures], the more dangerous," says Michele Borba, a psychologist who specializes in child development. "The kid might rationalize for the Vanity Fair pictures, 'Oh, she is getting paid for it, it's her job.' But her doing it on her own - it's not a professional decision."
The Vanity Fair shots also don't come as a surprise to Susie Vanderlip, who wrote "52 Ways to Protect Your Teen - Guiding Teens to Good Choices and Success."
"I saw her on 'American Idol' a few weeks ago, and even at that time I realized that she had a very young preteen audience and she presented a very sensual, sexual appearance," Vanderlip points out.
The controversial image shows Cyrus baring her back for Leibovitz's lens while holding a blanket against her chest.
The teen said in a statement that the shoot was supposed to be "artistic," but that she now feels "so embarrassed" since seeing the photos and reading the Vanity Fair story.
"I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans, who I care so deeply about," she added.
Vanity Fair editors called the photos "beautiful and natural" and pointed out that Cyrus' parents were on the set every day of the shoot.
A Disney spokesman claims Vanity Fair "deliberately manipulate[d]" the 15-year-old to sell more magazines.
Disney's Web site says "Hannah Montana's" target audience is girls between ages 6 and 14. It's the highest-rated cable show for girls in that age range.
"It looks like [Cyrus] is seeking to have an older group of fans," suggests Jean Cirillo, a psychologist who specializes in teen self-esteem, who also points out that "Vanity Fair is not for 6- to 12-year-olds."
While moms and dads of "Hannah" fans don't necessarily need to blacklist Cyrus in their homes, they should be prepared to address the photos if their kids see them.
