Double standards in Hollywood go unmentioned…..

…..and in other breaking news, the sky is blue. We also suspect that it may be up.

I recently read an article written by Lindsay Robertson on Yahoo’s “Movie Talk” page that discussed the issue of double standards in pop culture. Basically, Robertson questioned why actor Taylor Lautner has yet to come under criticism for appearing topless in his soon to hit theaters movie “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” which is the second story in the hugely popular book-turned-movie franchise. The main issue here is that Lautner is 17-years-old—legally still a minor.

Lautner in a scene from "New Moon"

As we have seen numerous times over the past few years, young female celebrities are often scolded for “bad” behavior that conflicts with the squeaky clean images their contracts, managers and employers work to convey. We can turn to one of the most inflated examples: Miley Cyrus’s “Vanity Fair” magazine cover photo, in which she appeared to be wearing just a sheet, revealing her shoulder and part of her back. For weeks following, parents, journalists and talk show hosts criticized Miley quite harshly, accusing the image of sexualizing children for profit and eventually forcing an apology out of Disney’s “Hannah Montana” starlet.

Miley's "Vanity Fair" cover

Or, remember the Vanessa Hudgens lingerie/nude picture scandal? Also a Disney star, Hudgens was practically crucified when personal pictures she had taken with her cell phone leaked on the Internet. Okay, we have to admit that sending racy picture texts to your boyfriend isn’t the smartest move when you’re an A-list celebrity, but my argument here is that these images were not intended for the public to see—they were private photos that someone got hold of and used for their own benefit, exploiting Hudgens in the process.

Hudgen's leaked photo (one of the more tame)

Lautner, on the other hand, admitted that he spent months getting in shape for his “New Moon” role. Subsequently, he looks ripped and fit as he willingly takes off his top to film scenes in the rain, so that water makes his muscles glisten ever so provocatively. Miley was just two years younger than Lautner when she showed her shoulder in “Vanity Fair,” and Hudgens was also a minor at the time the racy pictures were taken. So why aren’t we appalled with Lautner and forcing an explanatory statement out of him?

As Robertson’s article quotes, Lautner himself said that the attention he’s gotten since images of his body hit the web can be unsettling: “It’s so uncomfortable knowing that so many people are seeing pictures of me shirtless… It’s weird. It’s kind of embarrassing.” Again, why isn’t his toplessness deemed a scandal?

Unfortunately, this isn’t just how Hollywood works. The double standard we see here is simply reflective of society’s patriarchal attitudes. Think about it: on a hot summer day, you constantly see guys taking off their shirts and walking around topless—and that’s totally acceptable. But if a woman did the same, she’d most likely be arrested for public indecency and labeled a tramp. The sexual double standard is nothing new, and while it’s extremely frustrating when instances like this surface, it’s certainly not a shock to anyone.

~ by leahsal on November 9, 2009.