I just saw Paper magazine’s new cover story, which impressed me so much that I couldn’t wait to write about it!
The last time I wrote about Paper’s cover was because of Kim Kardashian’s oily behind… and that post got nearly 10k views in 30 minutes. Ha! It seems that we really all are curious human beings.
For Kim (http://www.elleiconlee.com/breasts-and-booty/), it’s almost like a walk in the park being naked in public, and she absolutely craves the spotlight. Miley Cyrus is also not a girl-next-door type of person, so most of you probably aren’t surprised to see her do another nude photoshoot. But actually, the real draw for me is how dedicated Miley is to doing meaningful work with her Happy Hippie Foundation.
From starring in Disney’s Hannah Montana show to her many revealing outfits and publicly announcing her bisexuality, it feels like Miley has never been out the public eye. However, unlike many celebrities who seem reserved or even fake in public, Miley is never scared to be her true self whether she’s on or off camera. At the age of 14, she revealed to her mum that she was attracted to women as much as men. As a faithful Christian, it was initially difficult for Miley’s mum to understand this as she didn’t want her daughter “going to hell” – but she eventually accepted her daughter for who she was.
In the magazine, Miley talks about growing up on a farm, where she began her practice of getting up early every morning to ride her dirt bike around in the nude – and how she wants everyone to experience the sheer joy and freedom that her childhood was filled with.
2014 was a big year for Miley. After hearing about the Leelah Alcorn tragedy, where a transgender girl committed suicide after being forced to receive “conversion therapy”, Miley was inspired to start her Happy Hippie Foundation – a nonprofit organisation dedicated to helping homeless and LGBT youth by raising funds and awareness. In the same year, her song “Wrecking Ball” won her the VMA for Video of the Year; she invited a 22-year-old fund recipient on-stage to receive the award for her. Miley also became an animal activist and vegan after her pet dog Floyd was attacked by a coyote.
Looking beyond the nudity – even beyond these provocative images that Paper magazine has presented – I see a 22 year-old internationally-recognised singer trying to make a stand for what she believes in… And now think back to what the rest were doing at the age of 22!
It doesn’t matter whether you like Miley Cyrus or not – or perhaps you have absolutely no interest in her whatsoever. But I think we should all acknowledge that she is a girl with genuine thoughts and insights, who is making the effort to do some good for society. For that at least, we should definitely support her.
Original article by Amanda Petrusich – http://www.papermag.com/2015/06/miley_cyrus_happy_hippie_foundation.php
Photography by Paola Kudacki
Tags: entertainment, Miley Cyrus, Paper Magazine