Country music hitmaker Maren Morris is standing up for what she believes in and taking pride in her sexuality.
On March 18, “The Middle” singer took to social media to share an old photo from a 2019 photoshoot she did with “Playboy” for the “Gender and Sexuality” issue. The black-and-white snapshot features the 31-year-old artist topless and sporting a traditional cowboy hat.
“Before I go into the next album era, I did @playboy in 2019 and got a lot of hate at the time, but I’m the proudest that I showed country female sexuality in its realist form here,” the fearless feminist wrote in the caption under the provocative photo. “We are nuanced, we are messy and stretch-marked in the most beautiful way. Don’t sleep on us. We tell your down home stories in the most unflinching, gorgeous lane.”
Shortly after the award-winning artist revealed the throwback print, naysayers flooded the comment section, but the positive praise from notable names in the industry overpowered the negative remarks.
“I adore this photo! You look stunning! The ones talking sh*t are only DYING to let this side of themselves out. Expression, not repression,” country icon LeAnn Rimes pointed out. “🔥 👑♥️ Your light can’t be dimmed!!! I love you so freakin’ much!!” added Chris Stapleton’s wife, Morgane Stapleton.
Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild, Mickey Guyton, celebrity fitness trainer Erin Oprea, Hollywood star Jenna Dewan, TV personality Amanda Kloots, and Kyle Richard’s showered Morris with words of encouragement.
While acknowledging the kind messages, the outspoken musician couldn’t shake the hurtful statements and decided to address the situation on her Instagram story.
“Letting all prudes know that women in country music own their sexuality too,” she wrote.
The mother of one sparked the same conversation on Twitter by posting the “Playboy” photo alongside a direct tweet that reads, “Hey, it’s not “edgy” for women in country music own their sexuality, too.”
Hey, it’s not “edgy” for women in country music own their sexuality, too. #WAP pic.twitter.com/Jos9mbnJMT
— MAREN MORRIS (@MarenMorris) March 19, 2022
A devoted fan replied to her tweet and confessed that she had to fight “so many trolls” when the photo was released back in 2019 by “Playboy.” The follower also shared that she was “proud” of the chart-topping artist for standing up for herself. Morris instantly fired back with “Dolly did it.”
The queen of country music Dolly Parton was one of the first females in the genre to embrace her sexuality, as she graced the cover of “Playboy” in 1978.
When the summer 2019 issue surfaced featuring the vocalist, she clapped back at critics who assumed she would lose respect from fans and the industry.
According to USA Today, Morris posted a lengthy statement on Instagram recognizing her self-worth by simply shutting down haters.
“The thing about me is, I make music for myself. I learned later that it touches others, which is the most wonderful byproduct of a songwriter’s calling,” she shared. “Some can slut-shame me for my lyrics about sex, and you can put me in your little box, but I just want to live and love. I recently accepted myself and will put these photos in a frame because I’ll never have this moment back,” she concluded.
The same fierce and fearless side of Maren Morris is expected to shine through on her forthcoming record, “Humble Quest.”