Meghan McCain: 'Don't call me a slut'
(CNN) - Meghan McCain is breaking her silence following a wave of media attention over a picture she posted on Twitter Wednesday night.
The revealing picture of herself in a tank top, which left little to the twitterverse's imagination, immediately drew harsh criticism from other tweeters, prompting an upset McCain to declare of the social networking Web site, "What once was fun now just seems like a vessel for harassment."
The 24-year old daughter of Arizona Sen. John McCain didn't address the matter in more detail on her twitter account Thursday, but in a new column on the Web Site The Daily Beast - entitled Don't Call Me a Slut - she lashes out at the national media's scrutiny of the whole flap.
Earlier: Meghan McCain runs into backlash over photograph
"I spent most of the next day thinking about what exactly was so shocking about the picture, why there was such an immediate and nasty overreaction," McCain writes. "After all, it's not like I was caught making a sex tape. I certainly didn't pose nude for Playboy. And I hadn't even exposed a nipple."
"To be honest, I don't feel that I have anything to feel ashamed of. I've always embraced my curves and will continue to do so," she added.
McCain also accuses the media of having a double standard, celebrating photos of attractive male congressmen with their shirts off while criticizing her.
Ultimately though, McCain says she's not ready to give up Twitter just yet. Rather, she says she'll just be "more judicious" in how she uses it.
Meghan – ignore them!
The ones who are attacking you are the Republicans whom you pissed off earlier this year.
You need to leave that hypocritical Party!
Poor stupid liberals have to go after Meghan McCain instead of watching your boy Obama and his dismantling of America.
I am certainly not a big fan of the Republicans, but I have to admit that if the Republican party was more like the McCain's, including Meghan, and less like the Cheney's, it would be credible both in it's humanity and its cerebral skills.
Meghan's self depiction of her own body is certainly something that can be judged as part of her public persona, but personally the picture made me smile. Yes she was being casual, but she was posting about spending time on her own. Yes maybe we should start recognizing that sharing all of our personal details is exposure that most people are uncomfortable with, but she comes from a generation that has been videotaped since birth, and has been in the public view more than any other. We have to start accepting that privacy is not really compelling to youths. They want to be seen. They want to be acknowledged.
What should she be embarassed by? Her body? What century are we in? That she is reading a book at home? Well thats probably just as scary for some. The idea of a beautiful intellectual political sophisticated woman can't entirely be comfortable to a certain group.
I don't think Meghan needs our support. I think she can take care of herself. But the rest of us should probably recognize what bothers us about this and deal with our own perception rather than trying to judge someone who has harmed no one, and who tends to come off as genuinely caring about the future. I would prefer that all the women and men of her generation were as capable.
Tada
Cut her some slack. This is a 24-year-old young woman who has grown up in the Facebook and Myspace generation where everyone posts pictures of themselves without thinking the entire world's going to see or care about it. I'm not surprised that she's taken aback with the response. It's like she wishes she were a regular person and if she tries really hard to be a regular 24-year-old, then she will magically become one. But she's not a regular person like the rest of us. Kinda sad actually.
With all of the problems that this country faces, I find it astounding that people who post about why CNN isn't covering all of the problems in this country have time to comment about Meghan's picture. It was supposed to be a picture of what she was reading, not what everyone's eyes decided to focus on. I guess it isn't just men that focus on cleavage. Get a life people (envious women included).
Yes I think it was terrible of her to post that picture of herself and I'm going to look at it again to be sure.
CNN how about reporting on some real news!
This issue belongs in SEVENTEEN magazine
NOT HERE !!!!
I rarely pass up an opportunity to criticize Republicans, but I can't really find any reason here to criticize Meghan McCain. As a liberal, I see this as irrelevant. As as single guy, I like what I see.
This whole Obama thing is real fishy. I am no Hillary Clinton fan but Obama should never have been able to beat her in the primaries. A first term junior Senator that spent his first two years voting present and his last two years campaigning for the office of President, against Hillary's experience and popularity? and winning???? That by itself smells, but then to win the presidency of the US??? This whole situation is rank. No thinking or intelligent person would have voted for this guy. I guess it shows the dumbing down of America is working. America is being sent the same way the Roman Empire went and for the same reasons. Only a lot faster. At least the Roman's had a thousand years or so.
Ms McCain,
There is nothing to apologize for, just narrow minded individuals venting because their life's suck. You are a breath of fresh air!
As a diehard Democrat I don't agree with Meghan McCain's politics but I do heartily believe both she and her mother Cindy are two very classy ladies. Hold your head high Meghan, you can't control others thoughts and actions but you can control your own thoughts and reactions.
she,s young and doing what young poeole do my grandsons inthere teens put there mocho look on face book so what
It is true that the photo is somewhat risque. However, many of the nasty comments from people are extremely sexist & show the continuing negative opinions and double standard that still exist for women in this country today. It is OK for men to walk around without shirts or to have their baggy pants hanging down, but if a woman dares to show part of her chest, everyone explodes.