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Singer Rihanna attends the launch party for Vevo, a premium music video and entertainment experience, created by Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and YouTube, in New York, on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009.

Rihanna's appearance served as an inspiration to countless viewers, giving many girls and women the strength to break free from physically and emotionally abusive relationships. Her courage to come forth and share her story, despite the shame and criticism from many, was very heroic. It was a grand step in a positive direction to turn a painful situation into something good.

However, her latest move, allowing racy images to adorn the cover and pages of GQ magazine, leaves one wondering, what in the world she and her marketing team were thinking…or were they thinking at all. Knowing the mass numbers of impressionable young girls who admire and are influenced by her style and talent, who thought appearing on the cover with little more than a birthday suit, and other pictures that leave little to the imagination was a good idea?

Perhaps the intent was to visually express her strength, power and ability to take control, but is the message clear, or does it send the opposite message to young impressionable girls and boys that a woman is only the sum of her parts? Despite her enormous talent and breathtaking beauty, we find her, like so many others promoting a message that implies that power is based on what's between your legs instead of what's between your ears. The real power is in the desire and ability to deny the continued sexualization and degradation of women, especially with young impressionable eyes looking and taking notes.

The hope moving forward is that Rihanna and other powerful women of influence will recognize that their choices, both large and small, have an impact on those who look up to and admire them from afar. Every action they take and every word they speak can positively or negatively impact the decisions and actions of the next generation.