Madonna rebels against the sexism and ageism of which she is once again a victim

It was supposed to be good news: Non-binary artist Sam Smith and trans singer Kim Petras won the award for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo for their song “Unholy.” Only instead of celebrating this great moment of trans visibility at the 65th Grammy Awards on February 5, 2023 in Los Angeles, social and media focused on the physical appearance of Madonna who presented this award.

Madonna would like us to celebrate Kim Petras and Sam Smith rather than focus on her looks

The queen of pop has once again received a torrent of comments, one more sexist and ageist than the last, which she denounces in an Instagram post dated February 7, 2023:

“It was an honor for me to introduce you. Kim Petras and Sam Smith at the Grammys. I wanted to give the final award which was Album of the Year but thought it was more important to feature the first trans woman to perform at the Grammys — historic moment!! And she won a Grammy!!

Instead of focusing on what I said in my speech, which was to thank artists like Sam and Kim for their fearlessness, many people chose to only talk about my close-up photos taken with a long lens camera by a photojournalist who would distort anyone’s face!! »

Madonna denounces the sexism and ageism of which she is once again a victim

Madonna, now 64, continues to rebel against age and sexism in the music industry but also in the general public:

“Once again, I am assailed by age and the misogyny that pervades the world we live in. A world that refuses to celebrate women over 45 and feels the need to punish her if she continues to be stubborn, hardworking, and adventurous.

I never apologized for any of the creative choices I made or how I looked or dressed and I won’t get started. I’ve been degraded by the media since the beginning of my career, but I understand that this is just a test and I’m happy to be a pioneer so that all the women behind me can have an easier life in the coming years.

In Beyonce’s words, “You won’t break my soul” [citation d’un titre de Beyoncé, ndlr]

I intend to continue my subversive behavior for many years – pushing boundaries – resisting patriarchy – and above all enjoy life.

Bow down bitches [« Inclinez-vous, les salopes », citation d’un titre de Beyoncé, ndlr] »

Do female pop stars have to hide to age?

It should be noted in passing that mentioning Beyoncé twice may seem like a way of introducing her as his successor to the unofficial title of “Queen of Pop.” Queen Bey is also being increasingly attacked by her age (she is 34) and her physique: many people consider her too old to sing sexy lyrics, dress or make up in certain ways. .

Whether or not you like Madonna’s music and physical appearance, it’s hard to read anything other than age and misogyny in the torrent of negative comments poured about her, which has done nothing but exist on her terms and conditions, without harming anyone. Opprobes that appear as so many references to the patriarchal order that would like women to hide in order to grow old, constantly hammering them that they would be too old to dress or make up as they see fit.

Even if one could read into it the internalization of sexist norms, it is better to try to deconstruct the entire patriarchy than to attack women. The same goes for the question of cosmetic surgery and medicine: it is useless to accuse women who resort to them for reasons that concern only them, or to infantilize them as unconscious victims of the male class, as if they were completely devoid of critical thinking and agency. Better to put this energy into dismantling patriarchy at the root, rather than at the aesthetic summit.

Front page photo credit: Madonna’s Instagram.