Friday, October 15, 2010

Guns, Garters, & Gossip Girl

Taylor Momsen is 17. Yet, anyone unfamiliar with her would be hard-pressed to find evidence thereof on her new cover for Revolver magazine. Clad in lingerie and stripper heels, toting 3 firearms, and sporting waist-length hair extensions and a couple pounds of make-up, she is anything but age-appropriate. The cover has the Parents Television Council (PTC) in an uproar and the media discussing whether posing in this way is irresponsible of her.
My question is...does she have to be photographically responsible? Says who? Honestly, parents that are concerned with the impressionability of their children most likely won't allow them to listen to music from her band, The Pretty Reckless, which is, among other things, delightfully sordid. On the flip side, I doubt the die-hard fans of Gossip Girl (me included) will start toting guns after viewing this photo. No one is going to go out and play with guns simply because they want to "be like Taylor" because no one really believes that's who she is.
Sex and guns have always been "cool" for rock stars. And since that's clearly what she longs to be, her photo seems more of a reach for a tougher image and some publicity than something that will mislead today's youth.

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