MTV Host Aguilera Disses Media 'Rubbish'

By Stephen M. Silverman

11/06/2003 at 10:00 AM EST

Christina Aguilera, drumming up publicity for her upcoming hosting duties at Thursday night's MTV Europe Music Awards in Edinburgh, Scotland, says she's tired of being knocked for wearing skimpy outfits or making raunchy videos, Reuters reports.

"I'm a strong female who has an opinion," says the pop diva, 22. "I see a lot of double standards in society. ... Men can do things and women can do the same things yet get criticized for it, labeled for it -- they are just constantly put down for things that men can do so freely and so openly and get almost praised for."

She's also expressed an unqualified dislike of journalists. "The press is just a bunch of rubbish," she told the news service. "They never get a story right. And it's always rumors, gossip and over-sensationalized (expletive)."

She went on to say: "I'm always kind of in the spotlight for what I wear and sometimes for what I don't wear."

She'll certainly be in it Thursday night. A billion fans are expected to make up the international viewing audience of the MTV ceremony, at which Aguilera is also nominated in four categories, including best female artist and best song.

"I'm hosting and I am nominated," she says, "so on both counts I am honored."