Top Comes Down

I've worked really, really hard to stay out of the Carrie Prejean story. She's free to defend "opposite marriage" as much as she wants; I am in turn free to think (or even speak!) of her as a hateful bigot. What could be more American?

Anyway, CNN reports that Ms. Prejean has some undisclosed topless photos in past. This is news because (a) it could cause her to lose her title as "Miss California" (topless modeling has to be disclosed to the competition organizers in advance) and (b) because it seems, er, in tension with her conservative Christian views on matters of sexual autonomy.

I find myself conflicted, as usual. I do not have any problem with Ms. Prejean posing however she wishes -- for fun or for profit. And while it is up to the pageantry officials to determine whether they wish to enforce the rules against her, from a public standpoint I reject any efforts to say what she is doing is morally wrong or abominable. That commitment stems directly from the same set of principles which causes me to believe her views on gay marriage are vicious and cruel. The persons who condemn her for her nude modeling often do so from the same moral standpoint which nourishes her own views about gay marriage. Clearly, Ms. Prejean has found some alternative foundation upon which to live her life. It's an open question whether it is morally or logically coherent. I'd be interested to hear her views why gay marriage is wrongful, but nude modeling is not.