Gloria Steinem Defends Miley Cyrus: Feminist Icon Says Hate the Game, Not the Player

Find out what the famous journalist is saying about the super sexy pop star

By Brett Malec Oct 10, 2013 6:11 PMTags
Miley Cyrus, Gloria SteinemAndrew H. Walker/Paul Zimmerman/WireImage

Even Gloria Steinem is coming out in support of Miley Cyrus!

The 79-year-old feminist icon is defending the controversy-prone "Wrecking Ball" singer, who has come under fire over the past few months for her edgy performances and super-sexy style.

"I wish we didn't have to be nude to be noticed," Steinem told OMG! Insider this week at the 2013 Women's Media Awards. "But given the game as it exists, women make decisions. For instance, the Miss America contest is, in all of its states, forms, is the single greatest source of scholarship money for women in the United States. If a contest based only on appearance was the single greatest source of scholarship money for men, we would be saying, 'This is why China wins.' You know? It's ridiculous."

"But that's the way the culture is," Steinem continued. "I think that we need to change the culture, not blame the people that are playing the only game that exists."

However, when it comes to Cyrus' big feud with Sinéad O'Connor, it seems that Steinem is leaning towards O'Connor's side of the ring.

"I think they have different views of the world, and I would much rather be O'Connor," Steinem told Vulture. "I mean, she's a serious human being. Perhaps they both are, but we don't know that yet. But you have to remember that Sinéad's background—she's been sexually abused. She was courageous in pointing out sexual abuse by the Catholic church. I'm sure it does pain her to see a young woman being oblivious to the endangerment of sexuality."

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