Bianca & Ye: Examining The Media’s Response To Nudity

On May 19, 1962, Marilyn Monroe stood before an audience of powerful politicians, celebrities, and journalists at Madison Square Garden. She flicked her microphone, leaned in, and launched into a breathy rendition of “Happy Birthday.” 

All eyes were on Marilyn, and not only because she was singing to the then-president of the United States, John F. Kennedy. It was her dress that captivated the audience’s attention, with its gauzy rhinestone-encrusted fabric, plunging neckline, and skin-tight, floor-length hip-hugging skirt. From high up in the nosebleed seats, it may have looked like she wasn’t wearing any clothes at all.  

In 1962, an article in Time detailed the iconic moment. “The figure was famous … And for one breathless moment, the 15,000 people in Madison Square Garden thought they were going to see all of it.” 

Even The Village Voice, the alt news publication with edgy profiles, couldn’t help but joke about Monroe’s boundary-pushing illusion of nudity. “Idea: Why not have Marilyn jump out of the cake next time?” Andrew Sarris joked in his coverage of the event. “Superidea: Why not have a real orgy next time?” 

Monroe’s historic performance, dress and all, even fueled rumors that she and JFK were having an affair. By the time Kim Kardashian donned the famous gown in 2022, celebrities routinely called to #freethenipple on the red carpet. 

And yet, the media still doesn’t quite know how to react when famous women bare it all. 

Bianca Censori, a model and architectural designer for Yeezy as well as Ye’s (formally known as Kanye West) wife, raised controversy at the 2025 Grammy Awards when she dropped her fur coat to reveal a translucent minidress. What little fabric did cover her was completely see-through, leaving nothing to the imagination. Instead of being viewed as artistic, Censori’s nudity was received with confusion, ridicule, and in some cases, concern. 

When Bianca Censori Bared It All 

Media headlines immediately zeroed in on Censori’s nudity. “Bianca Censori Shocks With Nude Outfit Reveal,” according to one Variety headline. “Bianca Censori Sparks Outrage As She Goes NAKED on Grammys 2025 Red Carpet,” a Daily Mail headline reads. Some outlets have referred to the moment as “shocking” and “outrageous,” while others have gone on to question the legality of such a stunt. 

“I never consented to seeing this woman naked, and I’m sure a lot of people with their children watching didn’t either.”

One video, which shows a young boy witnessing Censori’s nude outfit reveal, has brought words like “indecent exposure” to the fore. “If someone doesn’t consent to seeing you naked … That is called INDECENT EXPOSURE and it is a CRIME,” one critic wrote on X. “I never consented to seeing this woman naked and I’m sure a lot of people with their children watching didn’t either. This is really disturbing.”

Rumors that Ye and Censori were escorted out of the Grammys due to Censori’s shocking outfit only heightened the mystique surrounding Censori’s nudity — and gave the media even more to work with. (It’s worth noting that they weren’t actually kicked out, according to E! News). 

Still, the court of public opinion — and the media itself — was clear: The nudity was a step too far. 

Nudity Is Nothing New 

When it comes to nudity, there seems to be a fine line between “empowering” and “embarassing” in the eyes of the media. 

Actress and activist Rose McGowan wore a see-through chainmail dress to the 1998 MTV VMA awards, and the outfit instantly sparked controversy. “It was my first big public appearance after being sexually assaulted,” McGowan told Yahoo! Entertainment more than 20 years later. (McGowan was allegedly sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein in 1997). 

“And if you look at me, I did it with power.” -Rose McGowan

She explained that she was drawn to the chainmail dress by a desire to reclaim her body and her sexuality. “It was like at the end of “Gladiator” when he comes out and he’s like, ‘Are you not entertained?’ And if you look at me, I did it with power. I didn’t do it with my hand on my hip to be sexy,” McGowan said.  

The media didn’t respond kindly to her boldness, however. “They slut-shamed me like crazy,” McGowan said. “It was kind of hard. I hadn’t really ever dealt with global media shaming.” 

Some female celebs are criticized for wearing revealing outfits, while others are praised for their sense of style. Take Halle Berry’s groundbreaking 2002 Oscar win, which not only made her the first woman of color to win Best Actress, it also made her burgundy Elie Saab gown, which covered her chest with a floral applique, instantly iconic. Berry’s gown turned heads with its mesh bodice that outlined her chest and ended just below her hips — it earned praise from CNN, who called it the “winner” of the night.  

“I just remember feeling really great in this dress,” Berry told Vogue in 2021. “The top was very open and free and just had these little flowers that sort of covered all the right bits that it needed to cover. But the bottom was very regal, very grand.” CNN agreed: “Berry oozed glamour in crimson and champagne, with strategically placed floral detailing completing the look.” 

Rihanna had a similarly positive experience when she wore a sheer, curve-hugging Adam Selman gown to the 2014 CFDA Awards. The gown wasn’t only attention grabbing because it glittered with over 230,000 Swarovski crystals. The see-through dress also left very little to the imagination. When one reporter joked that the dress could get her into trouble, she joked right back. “What, do my tits bother you?” she said, laughing. “They’re covered in Swarovski crystals, girl!” The outfit was meant to get people talking, and it succeeded; even Rihanna’s stylist admitted that his “shock gauge was off” when he helped bring the look together. 

The women who wore these boundary-pushing dresses reported feeling empowered by them. But “powerful” isn’t necessarily a word people have used to describe Censori’s Grammy’s look. 

When she dropped her black coat and revealed what Ye referred to as an “invisible dress,” a barrage of angry tweets and confused headlines followed — not only about the inappropriate nature of the outfit, but of what it might imply about Ye’s control of Censori’s life. 

When Nudity Becomes a Cry for Help

Since Censori rarely, if ever, discusses her relationship with Ye, we can’t know for sure whether baring it all was really her decision. Ye’s exes — actress Julia Fox and Kim Kardashian — have both shared how the rapper allegedly controlled their wardrobes and stylings. It’s difficult to say for sure that Censori had total creative control over the clothing on her own body, or over whether she wears clothing at all.

Speculation about Censori’s safety sparked conversations about bodily autonomy and even domestic violence on social media, especially when Ye launched into an all-caps defense on X about how he has “dominion” over Censori. The View’s Alyssa Farah Griffin mirrored what critics wrote on social media. “I don’t even want to dignify this other than to say: Kanye West, I don’t want to see him on red carpets anymore,” she said. “I hope that his partner is OK, because that whole thing was very uncomfortable, I think, for most women to watch.”

Concerns about Censori’s safety have rivaled the outrage about her red carpet nudity. “Is Bianca Censori Crying Out for Attention — Or For Help?” The Daily Beast asked in a recent headline. 

Until Censori speaks out, this is a question that the media — and the general public — can only speculate on. Ye, meanwhile, once again took to X a few days after the Grammys to defend his wife’s red carpet look. “My wife’s first red carpet opened a whole new world,” he wrote. “I keep staring at this photo like I was staring in admiration that night Thinking wow I am so lucky to have a wife that is so smart talented brave and hot She took a break from shooting her first film to make a movie in real life.” 

In the video of the now-viral moment, Censori and Ye exchange whispers, and then Censori turns so her back faces the press. Then her coat falls, the cameras flash, the press yells for more, and Ye stands closer to his wife, his expression hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses.