I wouldn’t call Gwen Stefani’s clothing trashy on any given day. Unusual, sometimes bizarre, perhaps, but she’s not constantly baring her nipples or anything. So I guess by American standards she’s pretty much the norm – not conservative, but not slutty, either. Well before performing in Muslim-majority Malaysia this past weekend, Gwen was faced with quite a backlash over her clothing, and had to agree to cover up.

“Stefani had promised to dress modestly after the 10,000-member National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students charged that her skimpy outfits and cheeky performances clashed with Islamic values. The opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party also accused her of promoting promiscuity and corrupting the country’s youth.

“In an interview with Galaxie, a local entertainment magazine, Stefani said she had made many changes for Malaysia, calling it a “major sacrifice.”

“’I’ve been in the music industry for 20 years and this is the first time that I’m facing opposition from people who have misunderstood me,’ she was quoted as saying. ‘I’m not a bad girl,’ she said.”

“Media photographers weren’t allowed to take pictures for copyright reasons, and those attending the show had to leave their cameras outside. Most fans in the stadium said protesters had gone overboard with their criticism.

“‘I think they were making a big ho-ha for no reason. Even the local artists, they dress even much worse, much more indecent,’ said Denise Chan, a 15-year-old ethnic Chinese. Fans also said Stefani had shown respect for Malaysia’s cultural values. ‘All international artists have to dress down a bit to respect our religion,’ said Linda Yusof, 33, a Malay Muslim.

“Under government guidelines, a female artist must be covered from the top of her chest, including shoulders, to her knees. No jumping, shouting or throwing of objects onstage or at the audience is allowed. Performers also cannot hug or kiss, and their clothes must not have obscene or drug-related images or messages.

“Ethnic Malay Muslims form about 60% of Malaysia’s population of 26 million, with ethnic Chinese, who are Christians and Buddhists, making up 25%. Ethnic Indians, most of them Hindus, are about 10%”

[From USA Today]

I’m a big “When in Rome” type, so I’m glad Gwen was respectful of local customs. I don’t quite understand why it was a “major sacrifice.” It was a change. But then again I’m not a singer; maybe she felt it compromised her artistry or something. It also doesn’t really sound like she was necessarily “misunderstood.” Her clothing isn’t raunchy for America, but it is for Malaysia. It’s not culturally appropriate, and every country has different levels of tolerance. It sounds like she was pretty good about it if she dressed more conservatively than local performers. I really wish photographs had been released, I’m interested to see what she came up with.

Picture note by JayBird: Header image of Gwen performing live on her Sweet Escape at Acer Arena in Sydney. Does anyone else think she looks like the Peculiar Purple Pieman of Porcupine Peak? Thanks to WENN for the photos.