Miley Cyrus Checked Her Privilege and More Celebs Should Follow Suit
Miley Cyrus has been a pretty polarizing presence for years. But she’s been surprisingly relatable to people as of late. On her Instagram talk show, Bright Minded: Live With Miley, she’s been using her privilege to have conversations that plenty of people can benefit from hearing amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. With an enormous platform, Cyrus has no small amount of influence. Fortunately, she’s been wielding it well.
Cyrus may have a penchant for doing things that elicit shock, but she also has a passion for activism. Once she realized that people were going to talk about her no matter what she did, she opted to use her celebrity status to draw attention to the things that mattered to her. She has used her platform to give attention to LGBTQ youth, animal rights, and other issues close to her heart. So while some people were shocked by Cyrus starting her own Instagram talk show, longtime fans saw it as a logical next step for the “Mother’s Daughter” singer.
Miley Cyrus created her own Instagram talk show
Through her Instagram talk show, Cyrus managed to connect with people from myriad vocations. She started off the show with her own therapist and moved on to people like Elton John, Kerry Washington, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Furthermore, Cyrus chose to go beyond the fluff of a traditional talk show. Instead, she talked about important issues like how to give back to your community and how to handle mental health. Selena Gomez even used Cyrus’ talk show to reveal her bipolar diagnosis to the world for the first time.
Cyrus had an impressive list of guests who appeared on her Instagram show. But the 27-year-old admitted she wasn’t able to get everyone she wanted on her show, according to a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal. But Cyrus has chosen not to take it personally. She believes some of her dream guests may not feel comfortable talking about their experiences.
Cyrus opens up about her atypical coronavirus experience
“The door is always open!” Cyrus shared about the potential guests who turned down or ignored the opportunity to appear on her Instagram talk show.
“I’m sure some people I was reaching out to felt the same way I do, which is that my experience is so rare, it almost doesn’t feel right to talk about. This isn’t COVID-19, what I’m experiencing. My life has been pushed pause on, but really I have no idea what this pandemic is like,” Cyrus said, recognizing the unique position of privilege she is in thanks to her wealth and fame.
Cyrus continued on and shared that she (and other celebrities) aren’t suffering in the same way as other people are.
“I am comfortable in my space and able to put food on my table and [I am] financially stable, and that’s just not the story for a lot of people. I’m sure a lot of the hesitation for other people saying yes to doing the show is because it almost doesn’t feel right for celebrities to share our experience. Because it just doesn’t compare,” the Hannah Montana alum concluded.
The ‘Mother’s Daughter’ singer has a good grasp on some of her privilege in 2020
Cyrus’ take on her privilege is certainly refreshing to see. Fans (and even critics) of hers can appreciate how candid she is being about her unique situation.
This is especially true given other celebrities coming across as completely tone-deaf and likening being quarantined in their mansions to being in prison. We commend Cyrus for both checking her privilege and using it to build a platform that others may find useful.
