Demi Lovato's Naked 'Vanity Fair' Shoot Proves Not All Bums Are Created Equal

When I first saw Demi Lovato'scover this weekend, I applauded her. As a woman who has battled body confidence issues for most of her life and has spoken extensively about her eating disorder, Lovato has finally made peace with her appearance, celebrating with a naked, un-retouched photoshoot.
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When I first saw Demi Lovato's Vanity Fair cover this weekend, I applauded her.

As a woman who has battled body confidence issues for most of her life and has spoken extensively about her eating disorder, Lovato has finally made peace with her appearance, celebrating with a naked, un-retouched photoshoot.

But then I had a deja vu moment and was hit by the striking resemblance of another bare-bottomed celebrity photoshoot: Kim Kardashian's infamous #breaktheinternet Paper Magazine shoot.

The similarities are uncanny - both are nude and peering over their left shoulders, both are wet (Lovato with water, Kardashian with some kind of body oil) - but what separates the shoots from one another is the immediate reaction by the public (and media) after the photos were published.

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While the Lovato is currently being heralded as a body confidence champion, Kardashian was immediately slut-shamed.

Sadly, it seems that not all bums are created equal.

While Lovato's photo is un-retouched and make-up free, Kardashian is Photoshopped, wearing make-up and long black gloves. Lovato's expression is raw and vulnerable, while Kardashian is playful almost seductive.

Like countless other nude photoshoots, this comparison shows us that it is only acceptable for women to be naked if they are vulnerable. And just as many women prescribe to this school of thought as men.

If a woman dares own her sexuality or be confident with her body, she's often branded a slut.

Nudity shouldn't have to be framed within a certain construct for it to be acceptable.

Lovato says she wanted to inspire greater body confidence among women with her shoot, which is admirable, but Kardashian has also spoken about her body image struggles in the past and has brought endless confidence to women whose body types do not fit "the mould".

"It's taken me a long time to be happy with my body and for my confidence to grow to what it is today," Kardashian told Elle Magazine UK last year. "I grew up when the body to have was the tall, slim, supermodel one, like Cindy Crawford's. No one looked like me. It's good to break the mould and recreate one."

Speaking of her recent shoot, Lovato said: "It's empowering me and it shows other women that you can get to a place where you can overcome the obstacles of body image issues and you can feel comfortable and confident in your skin."

Not so different after all.