In a post on Facebook, Sinéad O'Connor has threatened to take legal action against Miley Cyrus, after the Wrecking Ball singer publicly mocked the singer's battle with mental illness. Cyrus was accused of "stupid and dangerous" behaviour after tweeting a screen grab of O'Connor's Twitter page from two years ago and comparing her to the troubled star Amanda Bynes. The tweets were sent during a period when the Nothing Compares 2 U singer was suffering from bipolar disorder.
"I do not at all support or condone the abuse or mockery of those who have been brave enough to openly discuss mental health issues," O'Connor wrote. "Mockery causes deaths. Period. It is an unacceptable form of bullying, no matter who it is doing the bullying."
She added: "She has done this in an attempt to deliberately cause me harm and hurt. I wish to confirm that I am quite well and kindly request people cease emailing me in the mistaken belief these are recent tweets. Ms Cyrus's lawyers will be contacted by mine regarding this matter."
The dispute comes after two days in which Cyrus has become the subject of global attention following an open letter in which O'Connor warned Cyrus that the music industry could "pimp" her sexuality. Since then, a flurry of media attention has surrounded the debate, with a tsunami of think pieces, open letters and tweets.
Amanda Palmer was one of the first stars to wade in, defending O'Connor's projection via her blog, stating: "I love you. I grew up worshipping your music and your bold attitude and, especially, your refusal to sign up to the bullshit beauty standard." But Palmer also argued that Cyrus should "write her own script", rather than follow anyone else's advice. "She's writing the plot and signing the checks, and although I think it's tempting to imagine her in the board room of label assholes and management, I don't think any of them masterminded her current plan to be a raging, naked, twerking sexpot. I think that's All Miley All The Way," she wrote.
Cyrus finally waded in with her ill-advised tweet mocking O'Connor's mental state, before also tweeting: "Sinead. I don't have time to write you an open letter cause I'm hosting & performing on SNL this week."
It was enough to goad O'Connor into replying angrily on her Facebook page: "Really? Who the fuck is advising you? Because taking me on is even more fuckin' stupid than behaving like a prostitute and calling it feminism." She added: "When you end up in the psych ward or rehab I'll be happy to visit you … and would not lower myself to mock you. Be a proper woman and make the public apologies I have listed above."
Last, and considerably least, Terry Richardson has timed this controversy with a post that features a string of images of Cyrus posing in thong leotards, smoking and licking a large ice cream.