(TotalConservative.com) – Rihanna stirred up controversy among Catholic conservatives after a recent photoshoot that many found disrespectful to their religious views and deliberately provocative, making her the latest pop musician to mock the religious right that was met with condemnation.
Interview magazine published its Spring 2024 edition on Tuesday, April 9, featuring a cover photo of popstar Rihanna in a risqué version of a Catholic nun’s attire. The photo was part of a series of images published alongside a featured interview with the creative title “Rihanna Is Ready to Confess.”
In the cover shot, Rihanna dawns a nun’s habit and veil; a white button-up shirt with buttons undone to expose her cleavage; heavy blue eyeshadow; and bright red lipstick as she stares seductively at the camera, mouth open, and a tiny cross on her left cheek. The show instantly inspired backlash from conservative Americans who felt celebrities singled out Christian denominations to mock while ignoring other religions, such as Islam.
A group called the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP) took the photoshoot particularly seriously and launched a petition against it. They rebuked Rihanna, who they called a “debauched celebrity,” for dressing in traditional Catholic nun clothing. They said the pop singer was “infamous” for “vile songs and pornographic photo shoots.” Many of the usual political and social commentators also blasted the cover photo as insulting to religious Americans.
Although the group viewed the photoshoot as an affront to God, the pop singer spent much of the interview talking about the subject, and her recent journey into motherhood with rapper ASAP Rocky.
Rihanna, of course, is far from the first pop star to use shocking imagery that is sexually provocative and seems to take aim at Christian beliefs.
Sam Smith made it into the headlines a few times over the last couple of years after stirring up similar ire, including parading around the stage with devil horns. Then there’s Lil Nas X giving Satan a lap dance in one of his music videos and depicting himself as Jesus Christ in another. Doubtless, these artists do this for the media hype with the understanding that it will surely generate backlash from those with religious convictions.
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