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‘I wear my empowerment at all times. I don’t need to profess it’: Miley Cyrus on being a woman in the entertainment industry

In a recent interview, Miley Cyrus explained she doesn't want people feeling sorry for her and turning her journey into a "women's empowerment story.

Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Daily Front Row

Actress and singer Miley Cyrus is opening up about the challenges she has encountered throughout her journey in the entertainment industry.

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In a cover story for the June issue of British Vogue magazine, Cyrus spoke about how it felt having her life and mistakes magnified for the public and constantly being ridiculed. In the interview, Cyrus explained that although many may view it as a trying moment, the “Wrecking Ball” vocalist doesn’t want people feeling sorry for her and turning her journey into a “women’s empowerment story.” She said, 

 “So f–king basic. One thing I wouldn’t want this story to become is a complaint of being a woman in the industry. I don’t need this to be a women’s empowerment story. I wear my empowerment at all times. I don’t need to profess it.”

Further in the conversation, Cyrus revealed that as she looks back on the ridicule she encountered in her teenage and early adult years for her decisions, she realized that many people “harshly judged” her. While mentioning that she’s not an “attention-seeking” person, she stated,

“I’m actually not an attention-seeking person, sitting here as a 30-year-old grown woman. I was creating attention for myself because I was dividing myself from a character I had played. Anyone, when you’re 20 or 21, you have more to prove. ‘I’m not my parents.’ ‘I am who I am.’ I carried some guilt and shame around myself for years because of how much controversy and upset I really caused. Now that I’m an adult, I realise how harshly I was judged. I was harshly judged as a child by adults and now, as an adult, I realise that I would never harshly judge a child.”

Although Cyrus’ career began in the early 2000s with appearances in her father Billy Ray Cyrus‘ documentary and Tim Burton’s 2003 film Big Fish, the “Flowers” singer would become a household name when she landed the lead role in Disney Channel’s hit show Hannah Montana at 12-years-old.

In the series, which premiered on the network in 2006, Cyrus portrayed the characters Miley Stewart and Hannah Montana. Hannah Montana followed the teenager as she attempted to keep her pop star identity a secret from everyone by wearing a disguise. The show would last on Disney Channel for four seasons, ending in 2011. Since then, Cyrus, who is now 30, has ventured into making movies and music, but not without various controversies. The list includes inappropriate photos of the star leaking online when she was underage, scandalous on-stage performances, and many more. 

Cyrus’ British Vogue June issue is set to hit newsstands next week.