User post: Should We Leave Miley Alone Already?

Actress Miley Cyrus, 16, is in trouble again for posing in seductive photos with the director of her latest film.

The pictures show Cyrus sidling up to director Adam Shankman, 44, and straddling a chair while pouting. Shankman--who, before anyone alleges anything about an inappropriate relationship between him and Cyrus, is openly gay --posted the pics to his Twitter account.

Before this, Cyrus was blasted for posing topless inVanity Fair, being photographed in her underwear and making a "slant-eye" face that seemed to be mocking Asians.

When you're a celebrity, child or adult, you are accountable for your actions because you’re in the public eye. But I can't help but think we've decided to make Cyrus our scapegoat. There are plenty of other young celebrities out there doing truly terrible things. Is shooting a few scandalous snapshots every now and again that bad in comparison?

I'm also fascinated by how we judge these young celebrities depending on who is sexualizing them. Remember when Britney Spears made her debut at age
17 in a sexy schoolgirl outfit? Back then, we seemed to blame the people managing her for turning her into a junior sex symbol.

But now we have another teenage starlet taking control of her own sexuality, and we have a problem with it. I don't know about you, but I'd rather see Miley posing for these pictures because she wants to and because she's exploring her sexuality than because someone else is making her to increase her popularity.