Sinead O'Connor Vs Miley Cyrus: A Tale of Two Prejudices

Alfie Gallagher with a piece taking aspects of feminist critique to task that initially featured on his blog Left from the West on 7 October 2013.





Despite the large volume of media commentary on the public feud between Sinead O'Connor and Miley Cyrus, one element of the exchange between the two seems to have been overlooked.

Perhaps it never even occurred to most observers, but I do find it odd that while Miley Cyrus is rightly condemned for her idiotic mocking of Amanda Bynes's and Sinead O'Connor's mental health troubles, very few people have complained about the appallingly hateful language O'Connor used against sex workers in her open letters to Cyrus.

O'Connor's brand of feminism seems to view as harmful and immoral any displays of female sexuality outside of monogamous relationships behind closed doors. Thus, she demands that Cyrus 'please in future say no when you are asked to prostitute yourself. Your body is for you and your boyfriend.' According to O'Connor, being a prostitute (or behaving like one) is "fucking stupid" and "anti-female". Indeed, Sinead warns Miley that she will 'end up in rehab as a result.' These sentiments are dripping with hate, but they seem much more genuine than O'Connor's self-professed admiration for Cyrus's "great records" and "obvious talent."

Thankfully our society is finally making efforts to reduce the stigma against those of us with mental illnesses. That is a good thing, and people like Miley Cyrus who try to use this stigma to win arguments deserve all the criticism they get. Sadly though, women who work in the sex industry are still utterly reviled in society - often by so-called feminists who claim to represent the entire female population. If it is wrong for Miley Cyrus to "mock and humiliate" the mentally ill, why is it right for Sinead O'Connor to subject the women in the world's oldest profession to what may be the world's oldest prejudice?

16 comments:

  1. Great last line Alfie. I wonder at times about the argument that women should be free to wear the burka but not become sex workers. If the decisions is freely made, I would not feel in a position to tell them that they cannot.

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  2. Anyone who married and got divorced
    4 times is not all there anyhow-
    Maybe O'Connor should wind her brass neck in a bit-

    Sex kills those not getting any-they are scared stupid of sex and hate those getting some morning noon and night-

    It is a job for some sex workers but a lot of them are abused themselves and have drugs forced into them by their crazy pimps-its not a game for most of them-

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  3. MichealHenry RE ‘Sex kills those not getting any-they are scared stupid of sex and hate those getting some morning noon and night’

    Are u trying to convey to all you have a very active, hot sex life!
    You are correct however sexwork is not fun for most sexworkers... It is a nightmare come to reality for many of them...

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  4. I think serious questions need to be asked about the sex industry. I just don't feel the morality of the women working in it is one of those questions. The morality of the pimps, enforcers, et al plus the economic compulsion that many women in the industry feel under all seem to be the questions that demand answers. And the voices of the women in the industry should be heard rather than dismissed.

    A Mary suggests it can hardly be a fun industry for those slaving in it.

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  5. Alfie I think Sinead was using the word prostitute yourself as primarily meaning selling your self out by flashing your genitals as much as pos and overt sexual messages. NB The most troubling issue re Miley Cyrus imo is her mixing childhood images (bears, little girl lost look etc) with adult sexualised takes underpinning it…

    Cyrus is an adult high on the power that comes from looking hot, having a gift of singing and most of all her provocativeness is a game. Tryin to be outrageous as pos rakes in the money. Hence Sinead’s critique is fine by me but Sinead would do well to recall she herself has had trouble keeping her legs closed and mouth shut re her own sexuality and sexual needs and so on…
    Sinead is overtly sensitive imo re mental health – as far as I can see the world and all it’s inhabitants are not the full quid

    No-one is well completely in this era we are in. But the deep endless suffering and stigmatisation of those with severe mental health issues is real and hideous. I consider myself relatively functional and have suffered with severe ptsd, ocd and clinical depression for most of my life – it came on in me in childhood and never left. I couldn’t give a rats who knows but working in healthcare & social work for years and in professional capacity as such u never disclose. Gotta keep that tight lid of professional sheen on ya and keep the bastards guessing as to why u work get positive results with the most out there clients lol

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  6. There's little left that freaks me out for sure - I have always u/stood the why underpinning suicidal intent, dep and self harm, addiction etc And violence - well the last client that said to me they would smash up me office cos they felt stressed I said help yerself I am off for a cuppa tea and a fag cos it aint me home its a govt office! He pissed himself laughing...
    We then agreed he could go to a local park and scream his head off to get the rage out lolol.

    I have heard much horrendous stuff said about people with mental illness and prostitutes, addicts and so on by professionals including work colleagues who were clueless as to my background etc It just rolls off yer back because I know they don’t know their arse from elbow about the suffering. You do yer best to educate colleagues but they are us and them mentality – the ones who are judgemental.

    Like talking to a brick wall. Prostitution is never a smart move no matter how much some may say it is… Hawking your fork will always have stigma attached to it due to moralistic overkill rather than recognition that a man or a woman marrying for money is a prostitute… Using someone for gain sexually or otherwise is prostituting yourself… The word can be used in many contexts. Gerry Adams is a prostitute for example! There is no tart with a heart just bored, tired sex workers both male and female doing what they do for money. The sad part is those of whom there are too many have little other alternative to bring in money (Thailand is a prime example). Being a dumping ground for semen and sickos fantasy is never a paradise no matter how much money one makes.

    It is a lonely soul destroying journey with no destination but self loathing and money can never eradicate that misery. I would happily clean a thousand shit splattered toilets rather than hawk me fork. One day Cyrus will realise the only legacy she is leaving is sexualised images for men and women (yes she pushes the bi number big time) to masturbate over but when u r young u don’t see the writing on the wall. Sinead meant well but she would do well to review her way of relaying the challenge she laid on Cyrus. In my youth a close friend who worked the streets for years told me something dies inside you after the lst client. I know she is right. You are never the same again - can never be the same again after doing sexwork. PS Those who have not endured mental health suffering can never understand the horror of it Just like someone who had never done time will never comprehend in fullness the hell of doing time or someone who have never had a full on drug habit cannot u/stand how strong the initial battle is to get clean then stay clean. I just accept that reality rather than exert energy trying to get ppl to understand. One deals all the time with entrenched societal mores/stigmas/discrimination and such. Just life. Sin-e

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  7. Mary,

    in my view Sinead has no trouble keeping here legs closed. She can open or close them to whomever she wants. None of my business what a consenting adult does.

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  8. Anthony/Alfie Shelley Lubben is ex porn star and worth checking out all she had done for sex workers and porn star rights. She made this video years ago.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0q_VGacfNk

    She has a website Just google up her name. Interestingly she is now Christian and one of the first to demand proper protection for sex workers and pornstars against STI's and Hep C AIDS etc. I have great respect for her.

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  9. Sinead didn't remember her own ways tho did she Anthony when challenging a 20 year old girl on her sexuality! I don't care who Sinead sleeps with or what she does. She is an adult but so is Miley Cyrus. What comes into question is she uses a moral ground stance on a young woman who is putting it out there sexually... Double standards are distasteful at the best of times.

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  10. Mary,

    it is not the sex per se that Sinead is criticising but the sex industry. A somewhat different argument. And it is her latter critique that Alfie tries to address.

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  11. Anthony it would be good to hear from sex workers in Ireland’s sex industry on your blog.
    Invite them in because their voices are important!!

    Anthony OK fair enough re yer last comment - I went back and read thru

    RE According to O'Connor, being a prostitute (or behaving like one) is "fucking stupid" and "anti-female".

    Well Sinead has never had to sell her body to survive so what would she know However contextually she is addressing an over the top young woman who is projecting sex from every angle so in respect of stupidity it is reasonable comment when there is no need for Cyrus to do what she does.

    My own primary objection re Cyrus is the kiddie porn number she plays with but Sinead does not spell that out. Other than that Cyrus can shake her twat for the world and it is just a selfie money making gig which millions obviously get off on.

    RE Anti female – I take that Sinead means by promoting objectification of the female body it is dangerous territory as it is a reinforcer that all young girls and woman want sex so just grab it from them guys as their bodies are for the taking…

    Overall I do not take Sinead's fiery verbal assault as deliberately intending to diss sexworkers. She does not criticise the sex industry per se but rather majors on tossing the word prostitute around and I have explained that enuf

    Like I always say
    Brothel Home Hotel or Street A woman is always someone’s lump of meat
    NB A prostitute is a person Name face time place
    The Client is the whore

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/125915090/The-Client-is-the-Whore

    Alfie you may be interested in this
    Australia has its own sex workers co-ops in cities. Link to Sydney one below Decades ago they had a magazine which was put together by sex workers and was really good. Dunno if they still publish one.
    http://www.swop.org.au/

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  12. Mary,

    I am not defending Sinead's critique. i think I side with Alfie on this one. He has made an argument that i think has merit. And Alfie doesn't write without thinking his position through.

    I have long felt Sinead has done great things but like the rest of us is fallible and open to critique. I like her so much because she questions the notion of infallibility.

    I would be more than happy to have sex workers to write here. It would lend depth to the discussion.

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  13. Anthony,

    I think serious questions need to be asked about the sex industry. I just don't feel the morality of the women working in it is one of those questions. The morality of the pimps, enforcers, et al plus the economic compulsion that many women in the industry feel under all seem to be the questions that demand answers. And the voices of the women in the industry should be heard rather than dismissed.

    A Mary suggests it can hardly be a fun industry for those slaving in it.


    Like you, I am totally in favour of asking serious ethical questions about the sex industry. However, as the escort, blogger and sex workers' rights activist Laura Lee argues, the anti-porn/anti-prostitution lobby should be scrutinized as well.

    My fundamental position on social issues is a libertarian one. I do not believe that the state has the right to prohibit consensual adult sex sexual activity or drug use. Indeed, I don't see drug use or sex work as necessarily harmful per se. The problems occur when drug use becomes drug abuse and when sex work becomes trafficking and coercion. That is where the element of choice/consent decreases or completely disappears.

    If the government were actually serious about minimizing abuse and coercion in relation to drug use and sex work, it might consider legalising, regulating and taxing these activities. The tax revenue could be used for proper education about the pros and cons of drug use and casual sex as well as to fund outreach and rehabilitation programmes for vulnerable people. Given that this government seemingly cannot provide the annual funding for mental health services that it promised in the Programme for Government, it is certainly something they ought to consider.

    In any case, the only thing prohibition ever achieves is to turn violent thugs like John Gilligan into multi-millionaire backstreet Napoleons.

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  14. Alfie - well said. I enjoyed reading your piece.

    I have read a lot of commentary on this particular interaction and yours was one of only a few that picked up on the hypocrisy.

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  15. Alfie,
    You are spot on with this. It's quite disgraceful that anyone would resort to using mental health issues to score points.

    You are also spot on about how wrong it is to castigate women in relation to prostitution, maybe if they had to walk a mile in any of these women's shoes would they still be so judgemental.

    It's very refreshing to know that there are men who are more in tune with actuality and reality than some women.
    I think when you experienced vulnerability it gives you a much better ability to understand it in others.

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  16. In my comment above, I said that the anti-sex work lobby has ethical questions to answer. Let me give you an example.

    Here is a video posted to YouTube by the Sunday World. The man in the video is Eamon Dillon, the 2009 winner of the anti-prostitution charity Ruhama's award in journalism. This nasty, bullying video (entitled "Scary Poppins") typifies Dillon's contempt for sex workers. Indeed, he regularly uses the pejorative term "hooker" in his articles.

    When a supposedly reputable charity like Ruhama honours a bullying hack like Eamon Dillon, you have to wonder how much it actually cares about the sex workers it claims to represent.

    PS. An error seemed to occur when I first posted this comment. Thus I reposted it. If there are any duplicates, feel free to delete them.

    PPS. It seems that Eamon Dillon is the only journalist ever to receive the Ruhama Award in Journalism because it was a one-off competition to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Ruhama.

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