Yesterday, Miley Cyrus made headlines after hosting an Instagram Live with her new boyfriend/roommate(?), Cody Simpson. Lainey wrote last week that the pair are unafraid of showing their lust, and this Livestream was no different. There were pet names, heart eye filters, and an endless stream of compliments. What shocked fans though is this section of the Livestream. 

“You don’t have to be gay. There are good people with dicks out there, you’ve got to find a dick that’s not a dick, you know?”

“I always thought I had to be gay because I thought all guys were evil, but it’s not true.” 

If I didn’t know it was Miley on a Livestream, I would have guessed that those quotes came from someone at a gay conversion camp. It’s wrong on so many levels that you might need an elevator just to get to all of them. 

Being gay is not a choice. Women loving women is not the result of being “scarred by men” or being a “man-hating feminist.” These statements are a part of a long history of propaganda and invective hurled at the LGBTQ+ community to rationalize why we shouldn’t be treated as humans. Statements that reinforce the idea that lesbians just need to find the “right man.” That people who are bisexual were just “confused.” Or worse, that sexual violence is required to “correct them.” That being in a same-gendered relationship is easier or less of a headache. (Spoiler alert: relationships are complicated and hard for everyone, regardless of your sexual orientation.) 

In a few short sentences, Miley managed to call on a problematic and insulting lineage of homophobia and biphobia. And as a result, many called for Miley to be cancelled because of her blatant queerbaiting.

I want to give Miley the benefit of the doubt. Her past embracing of her sexuality, her openness to talking about it, and her continuous efforts, both charitable and otherwise, to support the LGBTQ+ community need to be factored into the equation. And knowing Miley, I think it’s in her character to be outspoken and opinionated, often without thinking. But that can also lead to mistakes. 

We talk a lot about the quality of celebrity damage control. (I would call them apologies, but they rarely genuinely apologize for anything.) A few hours later, Miley addressed the controversy with a tweet:

This isn’t a good apology. It’s not an apology. This I have more of a problem with than the original comment. Because while she acknowledges many of the facts I stated earlier, it’s a “clarification” and not an apology. Not apologizing for the hurt she may have caused, for reinforcing harmful stereotypes, or even making her queer fans feel lesser because of her words.

It’s reminiscent of the iconic Nikki and Miley VMA feud when “Miley, what’s Good?” echoed around the world. Let’s review.

Notice how despite being called out for her actions, she refuses to acknowledge culpability and again “clarifies” it as the media twisting everyone’s words.

I don’t think Miley is homophobic. I don’t think she is queerbaiting. I think Miley speaks her mind and refuses to apologize for it. Which, when it comes to twerking, sexuality, and rallying against traditional gender roles, I’m here for. But when it comes to ignorance, miseducation, and refusal to acknowledge privilege, that’s where I think an apology is needed.

There’s one more piece in that Livestream that has also gotten attention.

“There are good people out there that just happen to have dicks. I've only ever met one and he's on this live."

That’s a clear callout against Liam, and one that just comes off as petty. It’s been two months since Liam and Miley broke up, and she’s made it clear that she’s irritated that we’re all still talking about it. So, why is she?

Recently, Miley has constantly told us how she’s grown up. She had a Twitter rant about it, and even put it in the lyrics of her song. But this recent Livestream, with its 2015 behaviour and its refusal to leave the past, tells a different story. 

Attached - Miley and Cody Simpson together in LA on the weekend.