Maren Morris Defends Topless Photos After Fans Go After Her

On June 11, Maren Morris shared a sneak peek of photos from her upcoming feature in Playboy magazine’s Gender + Sexuality issue, posting two shots of herself topless and wearing red pants, cow-printed boots and a cream cowboy hat.

While the singer received plenty of positive praise for the photos, including supportive comments from husband Ryan Hurd, some fans decided to criticize Morris’ decision to pose topless, prompting the Texas native to defend herself in an Instagram Story.

“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 wrote over another photo from the shoot. “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,” Morris continued. “Can’t wait for you to read my interview with [Playboy] in their ‘Gender + Sexuality’ issue next week. I drop some truthy tea.”

She later posted the same photo from the shoot, a black-and-white shot, writing, “don’t fence me in.”

After Morris initially posted the shots, some commenters left disapproving messages to the tune of this comment that read, “I’m really not sure how I feel about this. Fair play to Maren for expressing herself as she wishes I guess. Just not my thing.”

Despite the negativity, the majority of fans were all in on the sultry photos, including Morris’ famous friends Carly Pearce, Lindsay Ell, LeAnn Rimes, Lisa Frank, Kassi Ashton, Lucie Silvas, Danielle Bradbery and more.

Morris’ fans also stuck up for her against the negativity, with one person writing, “To all of the …I’m suddenly not a fan people… you’re not the kind of fan anyone would want in the first place.”

“[Maren Morris] you are beautiful and whatever you want to do with your life and body, then no one can stop you,” added a second. “That is why its called ‘YOUR BODY.’”

“Y’all need to let women feel comfortable in their body,” wrote a third. “some of y’all say you’re all for equality but if a man were to do this, y’all would praise him. let maren feel confident in her body. she’s beautiful, and creates just as beautiful music.”

Photo Credit: Getty / Robby Klein