7:30 pm - 02/17/2013
A leading feminist writer has claimed that Rihanna is the new Princess Diana in a highly controversial article which argues the pair share a ‘ravishingly seductive flirtation’ with the press.
Camille Paglia, an American author and lecturer, said the late Diana and the 24-year-old Bajan superstar were both adept at using every photo opportunity to convey ‘allure, defiance or revenge.’
She argues that the messages are drawn from the pair’s turbulent romantic life, then targets their respective partners Prince Charles and Chris Brown.
Writing in The Sunday Times magazine, Paglia added that both women were victims of a ‘festering romantic triangle and had transformed themselves from ' sensitive, wounded, but appealingly bubbly and good-natured provincial girls' into living sculptures for the lens.
She said: 'Not since Diana rocketed from a shy, plump kindergarten aide to a lean, mean fashion machine has there been such a ravishingly seductive flirtation with the world press.'
Ms Paglia, who has in past essays accused Taylor Swift and Katy Perry of killing feminism with their 'insipid, bleached-out personas', compared an iconic 'stage-managed' image of a lonely Diana at the Taj Mahal after the breakdown of her marriage with a shot of Rihanna on her balcony in Barbados, in turmoil over her relationship with Chris Brown.
She also drew parallels with the childhoods of the two women. Both emerged from broken homes.
Rihanna was raised in a bungalow in Barbados, and witnessed her father battle a crack cocaine addiction and abuse her mother.
Diana Frances Spencer, was born on July 1, 1961, at Park House near Sandringham, Norfolk - the youngest daughter of the then Viscount and Viscountess Althorp. Her parents divorced when she was six.
Ms Paglia said Rihanna's self-released shots - many of which were published to millions of fans on her Twitter feed - have a 'genuinely artistic atmospheric eroticism' the like of which has 'not been seen in decades.'
She used a shot of Rihanna completely naked from the waist down lolling in front of a fireplace smoking and drinking, and with a fur blanket slung over her head as an example of her 'impressive visual archive'.
Ms Paglia said some of Rihanna's more candid shots were reminiscent of the work of Kathy Keeton - a South African ballet dancer who once edited Viva and whose fashion editor was Anna Wintour.
She said the fireplace photos evoked European art films which featured enchantresses Jeanne Moreau and Delphine Seyrig.
She concludes that while Diana, 'rebuffed' but eventually accepted her exile, Rihanna, in the 'classic syndrome of the battered woman, still pities and hopes to change and save her abuser.'
Rihanna reconciled with partner Chris Brown in 2012, while he was still on probation for attacking her in 2009.
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna described Chris as the 'love of my life' and opened up about her complicated feelings for the man who was convicted of assaulting her at a pre Grammy's party.
She revealed she had forgiven him for the brutal attack and felt she was the only one who could help him.
She admitted: 'I thought I hated Chris and I realised it was love that was tarnished.
'It looked like hate because it was ugly, it was angry, it was inflamed, it was tainted and I realised that what it was. I had to forgive him because I cared about him still. And the minute I let go of that, I started living again.'
Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in Barbados, the young singer was given her big break in 2003 when she was introduced to music producer Evan Rogers, who was on holiday in Barbados at the time.
After hearing the youngster sing, the producer her to New York to record a demo.
Soon she was signed to the label of hip hop megastar Jay Z and shot to international stardom.
Lady Diana Spencer experienced a similarly rapid rise to fame - from one of her first tastes of press attention as she innocently posed aged 20 outside Young England Kindergarten in Pimlico, to the many photocalls - staged and otherwise - which followed in the next 17 years of her life.
Diana, who died in a car accident in a Paris underpass along with her lover Dodi Fayed, would be 51 years old had she survived the crash in 1997.
Ms Paglia declared Madonna the future of feminism 20 years ago.
She has since launched attacks on Katy Perry and Taylor Swift for killing feminism, and Lady Gaga for being 'stripped of genuine eroticism.'
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'Rihanna is the new Diana': Provocative claim by feminist writer Camille Paglia
A leading feminist writer has claimed that Rihanna is the new Princess Diana in a highly controversial article which argues the pair share a ‘ravishingly seductive flirtation’ with the press.
Camille Paglia, an American author and lecturer, said the late Diana and the 24-year-old Bajan superstar were both adept at using every photo opportunity to convey ‘allure, defiance or revenge.’
She argues that the messages are drawn from the pair’s turbulent romantic life, then targets their respective partners Prince Charles and Chris Brown.
Writing in The Sunday Times magazine, Paglia added that both women were victims of a ‘festering romantic triangle and had transformed themselves from ' sensitive, wounded, but appealingly bubbly and good-natured provincial girls' into living sculptures for the lens.
She said: 'Not since Diana rocketed from a shy, plump kindergarten aide to a lean, mean fashion machine has there been such a ravishingly seductive flirtation with the world press.'
Ms Paglia, who has in past essays accused Taylor Swift and Katy Perry of killing feminism with their 'insipid, bleached-out personas', compared an iconic 'stage-managed' image of a lonely Diana at the Taj Mahal after the breakdown of her marriage with a shot of Rihanna on her balcony in Barbados, in turmoil over her relationship with Chris Brown.
She also drew parallels with the childhoods of the two women. Both emerged from broken homes.
Rihanna was raised in a bungalow in Barbados, and witnessed her father battle a crack cocaine addiction and abuse her mother.
Diana Frances Spencer, was born on July 1, 1961, at Park House near Sandringham, Norfolk - the youngest daughter of the then Viscount and Viscountess Althorp. Her parents divorced when she was six.
Ms Paglia said Rihanna's self-released shots - many of which were published to millions of fans on her Twitter feed - have a 'genuinely artistic atmospheric eroticism' the like of which has 'not been seen in decades.'
She used a shot of Rihanna completely naked from the waist down lolling in front of a fireplace smoking and drinking, and with a fur blanket slung over her head as an example of her 'impressive visual archive'.
Ms Paglia said some of Rihanna's more candid shots were reminiscent of the work of Kathy Keeton - a South African ballet dancer who once edited Viva and whose fashion editor was Anna Wintour.
She said the fireplace photos evoked European art films which featured enchantresses Jeanne Moreau and Delphine Seyrig.
She concludes that while Diana, 'rebuffed' but eventually accepted her exile, Rihanna, in the 'classic syndrome of the battered woman, still pities and hopes to change and save her abuser.'
Rihanna reconciled with partner Chris Brown in 2012, while he was still on probation for attacking her in 2009.
In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna described Chris as the 'love of my life' and opened up about her complicated feelings for the man who was convicted of assaulting her at a pre Grammy's party.
She revealed she had forgiven him for the brutal attack and felt she was the only one who could help him.
She admitted: 'I thought I hated Chris and I realised it was love that was tarnished.
'It looked like hate because it was ugly, it was angry, it was inflamed, it was tainted and I realised that what it was. I had to forgive him because I cared about him still. And the minute I let go of that, I started living again.'
Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in Barbados, the young singer was given her big break in 2003 when she was introduced to music producer Evan Rogers, who was on holiday in Barbados at the time.
After hearing the youngster sing, the producer her to New York to record a demo.
Soon she was signed to the label of hip hop megastar Jay Z and shot to international stardom.
Lady Diana Spencer experienced a similarly rapid rise to fame - from one of her first tastes of press attention as she innocently posed aged 20 outside Young England Kindergarten in Pimlico, to the many photocalls - staged and otherwise - which followed in the next 17 years of her life.
Diana, who died in a car accident in a Paris underpass along with her lover Dodi Fayed, would be 51 years old had she survived the crash in 1997.
Ms Paglia declared Madonna the future of feminism 20 years ago.
She has since launched attacks on Katy Perry and Taylor Swift for killing feminism, and Lady Gaga for being 'stripped of genuine eroticism.'
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Edited at 2013-02-18 02:30 am (UTC)
She hates women.
She's a Right wing loon, who blames everyone else for not getting hired at universities.
side note but wow they are really trying make cara delaboring happen aren't they
she is happening and you're lying to yourself if you think otherwise
See: Kendall Jenner, etc.
like who asks a celeb to hold their card thing up...rly