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Miley Cyrus/YouTube

People are offended that Miley Cyrus called virginity a ‘social construct’

'It's not okay to shame people that chose to stay virgin.'

 

Brooke Sjoberg

Streaming

Posted on Jul 11, 2019   Updated on May 20, 2021, 8:52 am CDT

In yet another chapter of Miley Cyrus’ long history of being provocative and controversial, the pop singer is most recently under fire for calling virginity a “social construct.”

With her recent “Mother’s Daughter” video and She is Coming EP, Cyrus is continuing to push empowering feminist narratives. Cyrus is clearly trying to continue that narrative on Instagram.

The first post in question, from July 9, shows a still of Cyrus from the “Mother’s Daughter” video with the phrase, “Virginity is a social construct.” Cyrus’ second post features her latex-covered hands around a vagina dentata, or a vagina with teeth, reiterating the phrase.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzs1IcXpJeT/

The controversy stems from the phrase “virginity is a social construct,” as some feel it is an attack on people who value their virginity.

“Honestly you shouldn’t be posting stuff like that,” Instagram user @anastasiiama wrote. “You should respect people’s choices and respect the fact that you have a young audience too. It’s not okay to shame people that chose to stay virgin.”

Some think Cyrus is rejecting science with her claim.

“That’s like saying puberty or menstration [SIC] is a social contract,” Instagram user @geoffcowan87 wrote. “They’re physical things, they involve physical changes. The strange stigmas people place on them are certainly through social constructs, but virginity itself is not. The ‘value’ we place on it is”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzs1A42JK4b/

Others said they felt the posts attacked religious beliefs.

“I mean to some people are religious they should be able to believe and put importance on it because it is to them I think it shouldn’t be used to judge peoples character,” Instagram user @_fighting.evil.by.moonlight_ wrote.

However, some people felt empowered by Cyrus’ post. Instagram user @boovu detailed how they felt the concept of virginity has been used to police women and their bodies.

“Yes and placing a woman’s value based on virginity is a social construct designed by men to belittle and enslaved women,” the user wrote.

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H/T Nylon

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*First Published: Jul 11, 2019, 5:10 pm CDT