Miley Cyrus: Naked Cover Girl?

First, there were the pics with Miley and her gal pal. Then, there were the shots of her half-clothed, draped over some guy's lap. And now, more racy pics of Miley Cyrus surface...this time in Vanity Fair. In the as-yet unreleased Vanity Fair photos by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, the teen star appears to be topless, covered only by a bedsheet.

Momlogic spoke with Dr. Shannon Fox about the sexualization of young girls, and how to talk to your own daughter about her role model's racy pics.

Momlogic: Is there anything wrong with what Miley's doing, or is it just typical teen stuff?

Dr. Shannon Fox: It's wrong because Miley is a role model for so many young girls--many of them as young as 5 years old. She's really aware of her audience and her fans, and how much they look up to her. So as a role model, she has a completely different responsibility than an average 15-year-old girl does. Posing for shots like this when so many young girls follow your every move is a bit irresponsible.

Momlogic: Why are girls this age so sexualized?

Dr. Shannon Fox: One of the messages that girls these days get is that a girl becomes a woman when she is sexy. If a girl wants to be a grown-up, she puts on sexy clothes, takes a sexy photo, or maybe even has sex. Then, according to society, she'll be a grown-up. Graduating from high school or getting a job no longer make teens feel like adults--but being sexy does.

Momlogic: How do Moms talk to their kids about these racy pics?

1. Ask Questions. The best way to get a teen or tween to open up is to ask them questions. Instead of giving your opinion right away (like 'She's way too young to do this--she's only 15'), ask your teen, "What do you think about these pictures?" Then ask her if she's seen any photos like that of kids she knows online. Are her friends posting pics like this? If she says yes, ask her what she thinks about that.

2. Stress Consequences. Tell her the thing about pictures is that they last forever. It's nice to get attention, sure, but wouldn't she rather get attention for something other than looking sexy?

3. Get Real. This is a good time to get the grossness factor in there. Say: "Pics like these can turn you into a form of pornography. And you know what boys do with pornography, don't you?" Smacking kids with a little bit of reality will help bring your point home.

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