Rihanna Gets Censored in Britain

Rihanna has been censored in the United Kingdom. More surprising than the censorship, though, is that it comes for one of the least racy photos we’ve seen of Rihanna in a long time.

The United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority has deemed an ad for Rihanna’s Rogue perfume too racy for children and ruled that the ad cannot be placed anywhere where children may see it. The ad shows Rihanna, naked but completely covered up, with her stilettos resting on a bottle of the perfume. “It featured a sexualized and provocative image, which was inappropriate for children to see,” the authority concluded.

A complaint about the ad to the ASA said that the advertising, in addition to being provocative, was demeaning to women. The ASA, however, disagreed, saying she looked “defiant” rather than “vulnerable.” For its part, the creators of the ad defended their work saying, “She was depicted as being in a position of power, as indicated by the name ‘ROGUE,’ which suggested one with the courage to challenge boundaries.”

Nudity has become something of a trademark for Rihanna, who just last weekend wore a sheer dress to accept the Fashion Icon award at the CFDA Fashion Awards. She’s also posed topless numerous times for magazines, most recently in Lui magazine and Vogue Brazil. She was also sans shirt on the cover of her most recent album, Unapologetic.