Bianca Censori’s sheer mesh dress at the 2024 Grammy Awards ignited a fierce debate, dividing public opinion between those who condemned her attire as indecent and those who celebrated her as a feminist icon exercising her right to bodily autonomy. The incident, which resulted in Censori and her husband, Kanye West, being ejected from the event, highlighted the persistent scrutiny women face for their clothing choices and the double standards applied to female celebrities. While many criticized Censori’s bold display, others, like activist Patsy Stevenson, argued that the backlash stemmed from jealousy and reflected a pervasive misogyny that dictates how women should present themselves.
Stevenson, known for her activism against police brutality, defended Censori’s choice, emphasizing the model’s right to wear what makes her feel comfortable and confident. She pointed to the hypocrisy of criticizing Censori while other female attendees, such as Paris Hilton and Jennifer Lopez, also wore revealing outfits without facing the same level of condemnation. Stevenson argued that the criticism leveled at Censori went beyond her attire and became a judgment of her character, highlighting a societal tendency to scrutinize women’s bodies and police their fashion choices. She also questioned whether Censori’s status as a model, rather than a musician or artist like Lady Gaga, contributed to the harsher criticism, suggesting a hierarchy of respectability within the entertainment industry.
Adding another layer to the controversy, questions arose about Kanye West’s influence over Censori’s fashion choices. Given West’s documented history of controlling behavior, particularly concerning the attire of his former wife Kim Kardashian, some speculated that Censori’s increasingly revealing outfits might be a result of coercion rather than personal expression. This concern raised the alarming possibility that Censori’s public displays were part of a larger pattern of manipulation and exploitation orchestrated by West. This theory further fueled the debate, shifting the focus from Censori’s attire to the potential power dynamics within her marriage.
While Stevenson empathized with the concern regarding potential coercion, she stressed the importance of respecting Censori’s agency until there was evidence to the contrary. She acknowledged the history of controlling behavior exhibited by West towards his former partners, citing Kim Kardashian’s experiences with West dictating her wardrobe and criticizing her style. However, Stevenson maintained that speculating about the nature of Censori and West’s relationship without concrete evidence would be unfair and potentially harmful. She emphasized the need to focus on supporting Censori, while also recognizing the possibility of a problematic dynamic that needed to be addressed if proven true.
Journalist Polly Hudson, in a separate commentary, expressed a more critical view of Censori’s situation. Hudson, while acknowledging Censori’s intelligence and professional background in architecture, argued that the model was being exploited and objectified by West, reduced to a “blow-up sex doll” for his amusement and public spectacle. She expressed concern over the escalating nature of Censori’s revealing outfits, viewing them as a disturbing trajectory orchestrated by West. Hudson likened the situation to a “warped performance piece” and questioned the ethical implications of allowing such a public display of potential humiliation.
Hudson’s analysis focused on the power imbalance between Censori and West, suggesting that West was using Censori to provoke and gain attention. She highlighted the chilling expression on Censori’s face during the Grammys, interpreting it as a sign of distress and coercion. Citing lip-reading analysis that allegedly revealed West instructing Censori to “drop her coat” and “make a scene,” Hudson further solidified her argument that Censori was being manipulated in real-time. Drawing parallels to West’s past behavior with Kim Kardashian and Julia Fox, Hudson argued that West had a pattern of controlling the women in his life, using them as tools for his own self-aggrandizement. She concluded by lamenting Censori’s silence on the matter, interpreting it as a telling sign of her powerlessness within the relationship.
