Last week Meagan Good had everyone in her corner when she stated in an interview that she wouldn’t be rolling around in the bed with her husband until their wedding night. But what they didn’t expect was for the actress to hop up on a pole a few days later. Over the weekend, Meagan had a burlesque bachelorette party and when photos hit the net, many started questioning what kind of woman who just proclaimed her commitment to God to the world would do a little on-stage, lap dance/strip-tease simulation so publicly—let alone one who’s engaged to a seventh-day Adventist pastor?
I’m not going to lie, I was one of those people. I didn’t think anything was necessarily wrong about what she did, it definitely wasn’t a sin, but it just seemed odd. On one hand, it’s not like Meagan could disguise her beauty if she was wearing a brown sack. She’s a gorgeous woman who’s going to attract and tempt men no matter what she does, but it was something about her performance, no matter it’s harmless intent, that just seemed a little unbecoming of not just a preacher’s wife but a woman exclaiming how devout of a christian she is. Hearing the backlash that’s come her way, Meagan made a mini-statement on Twitter along the lines of, mind your own business when she typed:
“Let’s get something straight … I wasn’t half naked last night … I was actually very covered up, not showing anymore than I show when I dress up to go to events .,,and let’s get something else straight .. I’m an actress ., there will be many things narrow minded people deem unholy or not 1st lady like … But this is not so..it’s about your relationship with God and your personal convictions …
“If you see footage, you will see I was covered up having fun dancing and enjoying my self with my friends and family and absolutely not doing a striptease …smh people are ridiculous .. Can’t a girl enjoy her bachelorette party in peace?”
She absolutely can, but I wonder how she makes peace with the mixed messages she’s sending. To be fair, Meagan’s routine was really far more innocent than what still shots suggest. Aside from some boisterous cleavage and a leotard, she was pretty covered up and only did a few moves, but I think the clip just added to questions people already had about whether she’s got one foot in the world and the other in the church. Or in this case, one foot in the pulpit, and the other wrapped around the pole.
I agree that what she does as an actress and how she lives in real life are two separate things, although let’s be real there’s still some responsibility that comes with the type of roles you portray and the lifestyles you cosign by playing certain characters. I suppose this appearance could be considered a performance but it was more so a personal thing done out in the open which opened her up to public scrutiny. There are some clear scriptures about not being conformed to the world and living one’s life as an example where people can see that you are set apart from those living a so-called secular lifestyle, and while I honestly don’t doubt that she’s celibate and loves the lord and honors him, I think for many people it’s hard to believe her words because of the over-sexed way she presents herself on- and off-screen. Let’s just say she has a very different approach to her relationship from the Victoria’s Secret model who quit the runway to save her body for her husband.
It’s not up for anyone of us to judge Meagan’s lifestyle but it is necessary to judge what aspects of her life you take as a model to mimic and those which you leave. I think it’s great that she participated in the Fearless magazine event and mentored young women about prayer but I’d also like to see her talk to girls about not always being the temptress and showing their bodies off for attention and perhaps even stop using hers so much. The backlash in this case may be a bit much or cause people to draw unfair conclusions about her walk with God but when you put yourself out there like a beaming ray of christian light and then appear to be a part of stripper culture the next day, you’re going to raise a few brows.
Check out a clip of Meagan’s performance and tell us what you think. Do you think her whole image is problematic?
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Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.
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